Top Crab Apple Trees for Stunning Visuals: Color and Shape
Discovering the Spectacular World of Crab Apple Trees
Crab apple trees, with their vibrant blooms and colourful fruits, are a delightful addition to any garden. Hailing from temperate regions, including Great Britain and parts of continental Europe, these trees offer a variety of visual and culinary delights.
One such striking variety is Malus toringo 'Scarlett', which boasts pink spring flowers, long-lasting purple fruits, and leaves that unfurl purple, then mature to fiery orange and yellow in autumn. Its slightly weeping growth adds to the appeal, and it reaches a height of 4m. The Royal Horticultural Society has awarded it the AGM (Award of Garden Merit).
For those seeking a tree suitable for smaller spaces, Malus 'Adirondack' (also known as 'Admiration') is an excellent choice. It boasts deep, carmine-pink buds, white flowers, and pinkish-red fruits. Growing to a height of 5.5m, it is valued for its upright habit.
Another standout variety is Malus x zumi 'Professor Sprenger', which offers pink flower buds that fade to blush before opening white. The scented flowers are followed by amber fruits that deepen to orange. The tree also benefits from yellow autumn foliage and exceptional disease resistance, growing to a height of 6m.
Malus 'Harry Baker' is another favourite, with huge purplish-pink flowers that open against purple foliage, followed by ruby-red fruits. It has good disease resistance and is particularly valued for its ability to make a superb crab apple jelly. Reaching a height of 5m, it too has earned the AGM.
Malus 'Butterball' is a spreading crab apple tree with an appealing, slightly pendulous habit, especially when in fruit. Pink buds open to blushed-white flowers, and the golden-yellow fruits that follow develop reddish tints on the tops or sides wherever they are not shaded. It grows to a height of 4m.
Malus 'Indian Magic' is known for its deep-pink flowers that open from even darker buds. Later, small, rather elongated orange fruits become red and last well into winter. It also offers good disease resistance and grows to a height of 5m.
Malus x robusta 'Red Sentinel' is a tall crab apple tree, reaching a height of 8m. It features fragrant white spring flowers that open from pale pink buds, followed by large, glossy, deep-red fruits that last almost until spring. It also offers yellow autumn leaf colour and impressive disease resistance.
A smaller variety, Malus 'Wisley Crab', features rich, purplish-pink flowers and purplish-red fruit the size of a small eating apple, growing to a height of 3m.
For those interested in exploring the diversity of crab apple trees, there are several National Collection holders to visit. These include Brogdale Collections, Christabella Charitable Trust, and Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre. Each offers a unique opportunity to appreciate the beauty and variety of these delightful trees.
