Crab-apple trees

Crab-apple trees belong to the genus Malus, and are therefore closely related to the mainstream apple (Malus domestica). They are grown primarily for their attractive blossom, and for the ornamental appeal of their pretty fruitlets in the autumn.

The fruitlets of many varieties are valuable in the kitchen for making crab-apple jelly. Several varieties retain their fruitlets into early winter (known as 'persistent'), providing a useful food resource for wildlife.

Many crab-apples also make excellent pollinators for fruiting apple trees, thanks to their profuse blossom and close genetic compatibility.

See this article for more advice on how to choose a crab-apple tree.

• In stockBest seller

  Malus halliana
  Admiration

  

  Also known as Malus Adirondack. A dwarf upright crab-apple with masses of light-pink / white flowers.

  • Growth habit: Columnar / Fastigiate
  • Fruit colour: Red
  • Flower colour: Pink - light
  • Leaf colour: Green

• Malus
  Aros®

  A small slow-growing upright crab-apple, with bronze-green leaves, beautiful dark pink flowers with white centres, and maroon fruits in the autumn.

  • Growth habit: Upright
  • Fruit colour: Red - dark
  • Flower colour: Pink - dark
  • Leaf colour: Bronze
• In stockBest seller

  Malus
  Butterball

  

  Malus Butterball is named for its bright yellow fruits, which are also good for crab apple jelly.

  • Fruit colour: Yellow
  • Flower colour: White
  • Leaf colour: Green

• Malus sargentii
  Candymint

  

  A pretty and graceful spreading tree with a mass of pink / white flowers, and small red fruits.

  • Growth habit: Spreading
  • Fruit colour: Red - dark
  • Flower colour: Pink - light
  • Leaf colour: Green
• In stock

  Malus hupehensis
  Cardinal

  

  Also known as Princeton Cardinal, a bronze-leaved crab-apple with pink-red spring blossom and red fruitlets in the autumn.

  • Growth habit: Spreading
  • Fruit colour: Red - dark
  • Flower colour: Pink - dark
  • Leaf colour: Bronze
• In stockBest seller

  Malus
  Comtesse de Paris

  

  Comtesse de Paris can be considered as an improved Golden Hornet. It features the same white blossom and persistent yellow fruitlets, but grows with a better form.

  • Growth habit: Upright-spreading
  • Fruit colour: Yellow
  • Flower colour: White
  • Leaf colour: Green

• Malus
  Coralburst

  

  Malus Coralburst is a naturally compact crab-apple with a superb blossom display and small persistent yellow-orange fruitlets.

  • Growth habit: Spreading
  • Fruit colour: Bronze
  • Flower colour: Pink - dark
  • Leaf colour: Green
• In stock

  Malus x moerlandsii
  Directeur Moerlands Profusion Improved

  

  Directeur Moerlands (also known as Profusion Improved) is a classic crab apple variety, with dense clusters of deep pink blossom followed by small crimson berry-like fruitlets.

  • Growth habit: Upright-spreading
  • Fruit colour: Red - dark
  • Flower colour: Crimson
  • Leaf colour: Bronze
• In stock

  Malus
  Donald Wyman

  

  Donald Wyman is a classic white-flowered crab-apple, with very small red fruits, which persist into mid-winter.

  • Growth habit: Upright-spreading
  • Fruit colour: Red
  • Flower colour: White
  • Leaf colour: Green
• Best seller

  Malus
  Evereste

  

  Malus Evereste is a popular traditional crab-apple with masses of white blossom, then red-yellow fruits.

  • Growth habit: Upright
  • Fruit colour: Orange / Red
  • Flower colour: White
  • Leaf colour: Green
• In stock

  Malus
  Golden Gem

  

  A traditional crab-apple featuring a mass of white blossom in spring, followed by yellow crab apples.

  • Fruit colour: Yellow
  • Flower colour: White
  • Leaf colour: Green

• Malus x zumi
  Golden Hornet

  

  Malus Golden Hornet has pink / white blossom then small yellow crab apples which hang on late in the year.

  • Growth habit: Upright-spreading
  • Fruit colour: Yellow
  • Flower colour: White
  • Leaf colour: Green

• Malus
  Gorgeous

  

  Malus Gorgeous has pink/white blossom and spherical cherry-like red fruits which are good for jelly.

  • Fruit colour: Red
  • Flower colour: Pink - light
  • Leaf colour: Green

• Malus trilobata
  Guardsman

  A very upright columnar species of crab-apple, with white flowers and small green fruitlets.

  • Growth habit: Columnar / Fastigiate
  • Fruit colour: Green
  • Flower colour: White
  • Leaf colour: Green

• Malus
  Harry Baker

  

  Malus Harry Baker is a popular crab-apple with deep pink flowers and dark red fruits which are very good for crab-apple jelly.

  • Fruit colour: Red
  • Flower colour: Crimson
  • Leaf colour: Green
• In stock

  Malus
  Indian Magic

  

  An excellent all-round crab apple, with attractive bronze leaves, dusky pink blossom, and small persistent red fruits.

  • Growth habit: Spreading
  • Fruit colour: Red
  • Flower colour: Pink
  • Leaf colour: Bronze
• In stockBest seller

  Malus
  Jelly King

  

  White blossom followed by large orange-red fruits which are ideal for making crab-apple jelly.

  • Growth habit: Upright
  • Fruit colour: Orange / Red
  • Flower colour: White
  • Leaf colour: Green

• Malus
  John Downie

  

  John Downie is a traditional crab-apple, with white blossom and orange-red fruits, ideal for making crab apple jelly.

  • Fruit colour: Orange / Red
  • Flower colour: White
  • Leaf colour: Green
• Best seller

  Malus
  Laura

  

  Malus Laura is a very upright dwarf crab-apple, with bronze leaves, crimson blossom and maroon fruitlets.

  • Growth habit: Columnar / Fastigiate
  • Flower colour: Crimson
  • Leaf colour: Green
• In stock

  Malus
  Louisa

  

  Malus Louisa is a pretty weeping crab apple with light pink blossom and small yellow fruitlets.

  • Growth habit: Weeping
  • Fruit colour: Orange
  • Flower colour: Pink - light
  • Leaf colour: Green
• In stock

  Malus baccata

  The Siberian crab-apple, noted for its exceptional cold-hardiness, disease-resistance, attractive blossom and clusters of cherry-like fruitlets in autumn,

  • Growth habit: Upright-spreading
  • Fruit colour: Orange / Red
  • Flower colour: White
  • Leaf colour: Green

• Malus ioensis
  Malus Fimbriata

  Unusually for a crab-apple, Malus Fimbriata features true double-flower blossom.

  • Growth habit: Upright-spreading
  • Flower colour: Pink - light
  • Leaf colour: Green

• Malus floribunda

  

  Malus floribunda is also known as the Japanese Crab. Pink / white blossom then red / yellow fruits.

  • Fruit colour: Yellow / Red
  • Flower colour: White
  • Leaf colour: Green

• Malus hupehensis

  A traditional garden crab-apple from China, with white blossom and small red-tinged fruitlets, a good choice as a specimen tree.

  • Growth habit: Spreading
  • Fruit colour: Green / Red
  • Flower colour: White
  • Leaf colour: Green

• Malus transitoria

  

  Malus transitoria is known as the Cut-leaf crab-apple, has a mass of small white flowers, and clusters of tiny yellow fruitlets.

  • Growth habit: Spreading
  • Fruit colour: Yellow
  • Flower colour: White
  • Leaf colour: Green
• In stock

  Malus
  NUVAR® Marble

  

  A modern English crab-apple, with large fruits, ideal for early-season crab-apple jelly.

  • Growth habit: Upright-spreading
  • Fruit colour: Orange / Red
  • Flower colour: White
  • Leaf colour: Green
• In stock

  Malus baccata
  Pink Glow

  

  Malus Dolgo, also known as Pink Glow, offers early-season white flowers and very attractive dark pink fruits. It is exceptionally cold-hardy.

  • Growth habit: Upright-spreading
  • Flower colour: White
  • Leaf colour: Green

• Malus
  Pink Perfection

  

  Malus Pink Perfection is a small crab-apple with unusual double pink scented flowers.

  • Growth habit: Upright-spreading
  • Fruit colour: Yellow / Orange
  • Flower colour: Pink
  • Leaf colour: Green
• In stockBest seller

  Malus
  Prairie Fire®

  

  Malus Prairie Fire is a medium-size upright crab-apple tree, notable for its dark pink flowers.

  • Growth habit: Upright-spreading
  • Fruit colour: Red
  • Flower colour: Pink - dark
  • Leaf colour: Green

• Malus x zumi
  Professor Sprenger

  A well-proportioned crab-apple with profuse white blossom, and golden-orange fruitlets in autumn.

  • Growth habit: Spreading
  • Fruit colour: Orange
  • Flower colour: White
  • Leaf colour: Green
• In stock

  Malus ioensis
  Purpurea Evelyn

  

  Malus Purpurea Evelyn is a purple-leaved form of the Prairie crab.

  • Growth habit: Upright
  • Fruit colour: Green / Yellow
  • Flower colour: Pink - dark
  • Leaf colour: Dark purple

• Malus
  Red Obelisk

  

  Malus Red Obelisk is a compact upright crab-apple with white flowers, purple / green leaves, and red fruits.

  • Growth habit: Upright
  • Fruit colour: Red
  • Flower colour: White
  • Leaf colour: Green
• In stockBest seller

  Malus x robusta
  Red Sentinel

  

  A deservedly popular crab-apple, Malus Red Sentinel has classic white apple blossom and a profusion of tiny scarlet persistent fruits.

  • Growth habit: Upright-spreading
  • Fruit colour: Red
  • Flower colour: White
  • Leaf colour: Green

• Malus
  Roberts Crab

  

  An unusual red-fleshed crab-apple which has large purple fruits. The juice is a claret red colour.

  • Fruit colour: Purple
  • Flower colour: Pink - dark
  • Leaf colour: Bronze

• Malus
  Rosehip

  

  Malus Rosehip features white blossom and large rosehip-shaped red fruits.

  • Fruit colour: Orange / Red
  • Flower colour: White
  • Leaf colour: Green

• Malus
  Royal Beauty

  

  Royal Beauty is a compact weeping crab apple with crimson blossom and small crimson berry-like fruitlets.

  • Growth habit: Weeping
  • Fruit colour: Red - dark
  • Flower colour: Crimson
  • Leaf colour: Green
• In stock

  Malus pumila
  Royalty

  

  Malus Royalty has bright purple-red blossom, dark green-bronze leaves, and dark red fruitlets.

  • Fruit colour: Red - dark
  • Flower colour: Red - dark
  • Leaf colour: Bronze
• In stock

  Malus
  Rudolph

  

  Malus Rudoph features very large single deep pink flowers, and small dark purple fruits.

  • Fruit colour: Purple
  • Flower colour: Pink
  • Leaf colour: Green
• In stock

  Malus toringo
  Scarlett

  

  Malus toringo Scarlett is an ornamental crab apple with bronze leaves, dusky pink blossom, and dark red fruitlets.

  • Fruit colour: Purple
  • Flower colour: Pink
  • Leaf colour: Bronze
• In stock

  Malus
  Sun Rival

  

  Malus Sun Rival is a popular weeping crab-apple, with pale pink blossom and small red berry-like fruitlets.

  • Growth habit: Weeping
  • Fruit colour: Red
  • Flower colour: Pink - light
  • Leaf colour: Green
• In stock

  Malus sargentii
  Tina

  

  Malus Tina is a small spreading crab-apple, useful as a patio tree.

  • Growth habit: Spreading
  • Fruit colour: Red
  • Flower colour: White
  • Leaf colour: Green
• In stock

  Malus brevipes
  Wedding Bouquet

  

  Malus Wedding Bouquet features ivory-white blossom and tiny red berry-like fruitlets.

  • Growth habit: Upright
  • Fruit colour: Red - dark
  • Flower colour: White
  • Leaf colour: Green
• In stock

  Malus
  White Star

  

  A modern English crab-apple with white star-like flowers followed by attractive russeted fruitlets.

  • Growth habit: Upright-spreading
  • Fruit colour: Russet
  • Fruit colour: Yellow / Orange
  • Flower colour: White
  • Leaf colour: Green