Winston is a direct descendant of Cox’s Orange Pippin and when stored for a couple of weeks the similarities in taste becomes very clear.
Good reasons for growing this variety of apple tree include:
Excellent storage capabilities (into April)
Well above average disease resistance
A compact tree well suited to smaller gardens
Grows well in almost all areas of the UK
Self-fertile so produces a good crop even as a stand alone tree
PARENTS OF WINSTON
The parents of Winston are Cox’s Orange Pippin and Worcester Pearmain, both top quality apples as far as taste is concerned. This variety was bred in Berkshire during the 1920s and first released to the public in 1935.
APPEARANCE, TASTE AND CHARACTERISTICS OF WINSTON
The apples are slightly smaller than average which is probably the key reason that this variety is not grown commercially. For the amateur however, the size is not a drawback because smaller apples are frequently less prone to diseases and less likely to attract the attentions of pests.
Winston apple
When harvested straight from the tree there is a definite acidity to the flavour which is too tart for some. But leave the apples in storage for a couple of weeks and the sweetness soon emerges making this a very tasty apple. Storage is one of the key advantages with Winston, it will keep to March if kept in cool conditions, even to April if storage is spot on.
The skin is flushed red on the sun side and green-yellow on the shade side. The flesh is very pale, crunchy and juicy.
Crunchy flesh of a Winston apple
Far easier to grow than many apple trees, Winston requires little pruning and grows as a compact tree well suited to even small gardens.
Overall tree size is of course primarily dependant on the rootstock but also on the growing conditions. On average the following tree sizes by rootstock are for a fully grown tree after 7 years:
Winston is a very trouble-free apple tree to grow and has no special requirements. Follow our simple pruning rules here, and our cultivation methods here.
PESTS, DISEASES OF WINSTON APPLE TREES
Some exaggerate its disease resistance but it is well above average as far as scab, canker and mildew are concerned. It is rarely affected by bitter pit.
BUYING A WINSTON APPLE TREE
This apple tree variety is not common in garden centres but is readily available from online fruit specialists.
SUMMARY CHARACTERISTICS OF WINSTON
USE: Eating
SKIN COLOUR / TEXTURE: Yellow, green and red
FLESH COLOUR: Light cream
TASTE AND TEXTURE: Acidic when eaten fresh, a good balance of sweetness when stored for two weeks or longer
FRUIT SIZE: Slightly smaller than average
STORAGE: Five months
SUITABILITY FOR CORDONSPALIER GROWTH: Yes
TREE SIZE: Compact
REGULARITY OF CROPPING: Very regular
POLLINATION: Group 4, partially self-fertile, benefits from a nearby pollination partner
AWARDS: Awarded an RHS AGM 1993, reconfirmed in 2013.
SSPECIAL FEATURES: Stores exceptionally well, good disease resistance, grows well in almost all areas of the UK, good for small gardens.
FLOWERING AND HARVEST TIMES FOR WINSTON
The average flowering time (optimum time for pollination) and date when fruits are ripe in the UK for Winston are set out below. If you have set your home town we can give you a more accurate estimate, if you have not set your home town (do it now by clicking here) the dates below will be the average for the UK. Winston resists frost damage to its blossom better than average.
Your town has not been set, the average main flowering time for Winston
in the UK is the third week of May. Fruit will be ready for harvesting in the third week of October.
Click here if you want to set the dates to your home town.
Flowering and fruit picking dates vary according to the weather in any particular growing season so the above dates may well change slightly from one year to the next. The flowering date above is when the apple tree produces the maximum number of blossoms, it will also produce blossom, although less, a week or two either side of the date given.
WINSTON APPLE TREE POLLINATION
Winston is in pollination group four and is self-fertile. We list below varieties which are
suitable pollination partners.
Arthur Turner – pollination group 3, self-sterile, cooker
Bountiful – pollination group 3, self-sterile, cooker
Braeburn – pollination group 4, self-fertile, eater
Charles Ross – pollination group 3, partially self-fertile, cooker and eater
Court of Wick – pollination group 3, self-sterile, eater and cooker
Discovery – pollination group 3, self-sterile, eating and cider
Dumelow’s Seedling – pollination group 4, self-sterile, cooker
Ellison’s Orange – pollination group 4, partially self-fertile, eater
Emneth Early – pollination group 3, partially self-fertile, cooker
Epicure – pollination group 3, self-fertile, eater
Falstaff – pollination group 3, self-fertile, eater
Fiesta – pollination group 3, partially self-fertile, eater
Gala – pollination group 4, partially self-fertile, eater
Golden Delicious – pollination group 4, partially self-fertile, eater and cooker
Granny Smith – pollination group 3, self-fertile, eater and cooker
Grenadier – pollination group 3, partially self-fertile, cooker
Honeycrisp – pollination group 4, self-sterile, eater
Howgate Wonder – pollination group 3, partially self-fertile, cooker and eater
James Grieve – pollination group 3, partially self-fertile, cooker and eater
The full list of apple tree varieties which we have reviewed is listed below. Select any one of them and then click the “More Information” button to be taken to the in depth review:
Rootstocks and Size
Guide to Planting
Care Plan
Pruning Apple Trees
Harvest and Storage
Pests and Disease
Pollination Groups
WINSTON APPLE TREE
Winston is a direct descendant of Cox’s Orange Pippin and when stored for a couple of weeks the similarities in taste becomes very clear.
Good reasons for growing this variety of apple tree include:
PARENTS OF WINSTON
The parents of Winston are Cox’s Orange Pippin and Worcester Pearmain, both top quality apples as far as taste is concerned. This variety was bred in Berkshire during the 1920s and first released to the public in 1935.
APPEARANCE, TASTE AND CHARACTERISTICS OF WINSTON
The apples are slightly smaller than average which is probably the key reason that this variety is not grown commercially. For the amateur however, the size is not a drawback because smaller apples are frequently less prone to diseases and less likely to attract the attentions of pests.
Winston apple
When harvested straight from the tree there is a definite acidity to the flavour which is too tart for some. But leave the apples in storage for a couple of weeks and the sweetness soon emerges making this a very tasty apple. Storage is one of the key advantages with Winston, it will keep to March if kept in cool conditions, even to April if storage is spot on.
The skin is flushed red on the sun side and green-yellow on the shade side. The flesh is very pale, crunchy and juicy.
Crunchy flesh of a Winston apple
Far easier to grow than many apple trees, Winston requires little pruning and grows as a compact tree well suited to even small gardens.
Overall tree size is of course primarily dependant on the rootstock but also on the growing conditions. On average the following tree sizes by rootstock are for a fully grown tree after 7 years:
GROWING A WINSTON APPLE TREE
Winston is a very trouble-free apple tree to grow and has no special requirements. Follow our simple pruning rules here, and our cultivation methods here.
PESTS, DISEASES OF WINSTON APPLE TREES
Some exaggerate its disease resistance but it is well above average as far as scab, canker and mildew are concerned. It is rarely affected by bitter pit.
BUYING A WINSTON APPLE TREE
This apple tree variety is not common in garden centres but is readily available from online fruit specialists.
SUMMARY CHARACTERISTICS OF WINSTON
USE: Eating
SKIN COLOUR / TEXTURE: Yellow, green and red
FLESH COLOUR: Light cream
TASTE AND TEXTURE: Acidic when eaten fresh, a good balance of sweetness when stored for two weeks or longer
FRUIT SIZE: Slightly smaller than average
STORAGE: Five months
SUITABILITY FOR CORDONSPALIER GROWTH: Yes
TREE SIZE: Compact
REGULARITY OF CROPPING: Very regular
POLLINATION: Group 4, partially self-fertile, benefits from a nearby pollination partner
AWARDS: Awarded an RHS AGM 1993, reconfirmed in 2013.
SSPECIAL FEATURES: Stores exceptionally well, good disease resistance, grows well in almost all areas of the UK, good for small gardens.
FLOWERING AND HARVEST TIMES FOR WINSTON
The average flowering time (optimum time for pollination) and date when fruits are ripe in the UK for Winston are set out below. If you have set your home town we can give you a more accurate estimate, if you have not set your home town (do it now by clicking here) the dates below will be the average for the UK. Winston resists frost damage to its blossom better than average.
Your town has not been set, the average main flowering time for Winston in the UK is the third week of May. Fruit will be ready for harvesting in the third week of October. Click here if you want to set the dates to your home town.
Flowering and fruit picking dates vary according to the weather in any particular growing season so the above dates may well change slightly from one year to the next. The flowering date above is when the apple tree produces the maximum number of blossoms, it will also produce blossom, although less, a week or two either side of the date given.
WINSTON APPLE TREE POLLINATION
Winston is in pollination group four and is self-fertile. We list below varieties which are
suitable pollination partners.
The full list of apple tree varieties which we have reviewed is listed below. Select any one of them and then click the “More Information” button to be taken to the in depth review: