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Crimson Cascade

Malus x purpurea

Crimson Cascade is a new weeping crab-apple, featuring long whippy branches which flow down almost to the ground.

The main spring attraction is the mass of dusky pink blossom. The blossom is a combination of single and semi-double flowers.

In summer the cascading branches and green-bronze leaves make the tree a useful focal point in the garden.

In autumn the tree displays small round dark red/purple fruitlets.

Crimson Cascade crab-apple trees for sale

  • 11-year bare-root tree £44.00
    Medium size (2.5m-3.5m after 10 years)
  • 22-year pot-grown tree £70.00
    In a 12L pot
    Medium size (2.5m-3.5m after 10 years)
Next deliveries

Order now for delivery from week commencing 25th March where these items are showing as in stock.

How to grow

Weeping crab-apples usually remain fairly small, up to 2m or so but Crimson Cascade will eventually become a fairly large weeping tree, up to 3m or more in good conditions.

History

Crimson Cascade was raised by retired chemist Alan Warwick in Yorkshire, UK in the 1980s. At a time when almost all new plants are developed in huge university breeding programmes, Crimson Cascade was discovered the old-fashioned way - by planting a pip and watching it grow. In this case the pip was from a crab-apple called Malus x purpurea 'Aldenhamensis'. Crimson Cascade resembles Aldenhamensis in almost every respect except one - Aldenhamensis grows with a regular upright-spreading habit, whereas Crimson Cascade is strongly weeping. However, the branches of Aldenhamensis are quite long and whippy and it is not hard to see how a weeping form could have arisen from it.

Crimson Cascade was shortlisted for the Plant of the Year award at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2017.

Crimson Cascade characteristics

  • Gardening skillBeginner
  • Attractive featuresAttractive flowersAttractive fruitAttractive tree / plantAttractive foliage
  • Growth habitWeeping
  • Height after 10 years2.5m-3.5m / 8ft-12ft
  • SunlightPrefers full sun
  • PruningNo need to prune
  • Growth rateAverage
  • WildlifeAttractive to birds
  • Flower colourCrimson
  • Flower formSemi-double flower (10-20 petals)
  • Flowering monthApril
  • Leaf colourBronze
  • Leaf colour - autumnBronze / Purple
  • Leaf/Flower sequenceLeaves and Flowers appear together
  • Fruit colourRed - dark
  • Fruit sizeSmall
  • Fruit persistencePersistent
  • Country of originUnited Kingdom
  • Annual cycleDeciduous

Similar varieties

  • See also Louisa
    Malus
    Louisa
    Malus Louisa is a pretty weeping crab apple with light pink blossom and small yellow fruitlets.
  • See also Royal Beauty
    Malus
    Royal Beauty
    Royal Beauty is a compact weeping crab apple with crimson blossom and small crimson berry-like fruitlets.
  • See also Sun Rival
    Malus
    Sun Rival
    Malus Sun Rival is a popular weeping crab-apple, with pale pink blossom and small red berry-like fruitlets.

How to choose a crab-apple tree

We list more than 40 different crab-apple trees. Choosing can be difficult! See our article explaining the different characteristics of crab-apple trees which will help you narrow down the selection.