This small crab apple is a brilliant all-rounder, with delightful pinkish-white flowers in the spring, a profusion of orangey-red berries in the winter, and in-between, in the autumn, its bright green foliage turns golden yellow. Traditionally grown as a standard, it is becoming increasingly available as a multistem tree, and it can also successfully be pleached. Bonus: a good cultivar for making crab apple jelly.
H x S: 4m x 4m
Aspect and soil: Very tolerant of a variety of conditions but best in fertile, well-drained soil, in full sun (although it will cope with dappled shade).
Use: Perfect for small gardens and in nature-friendly, sustainable gardens.
Care: Prune, if necessary, when dormant in late autumn or very early spring.
Wildlife: Bees and pollinators throng on the flowers; by the end of winter the birds and small mammals will have eaten the berries, but these seem to stay on for a long time.
Hazard: —
Origin: Originally descendant from wild apple in the near-East, Malus are regarded as native to Europe, this cultivar is of garden origin.
Hardiness: H6
GILG GARDEN DESIGN 