Brandywine

Brandywine is a new crab-apple which features a mass of light pink flowers. Unusually in a crab-apple, many of the flowers are "double", with many more petals than the simple "single" flowers of most crab-apples. As a result the blossom looks more like that of a flowering cherry than a crab-apple, and close up the flowers resemble miniature roses.

To add to the spring interest, the blossom also has a rose-like scent.

In autumn there is an abundance of small yellow fruits, which are useful for birds but tend to fall quickly from the tree. In fact, unusually for a crab-apple, the main autumn interest is the foliage, which turns from green to orange-red.

Brandywine crab-apple trees for sale

• 2-year pot-grown tree £54.95
  In a 12L pot
  Large size (3m-5m after 10 years)
  

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How to grow

Brandywine is easy to grow and generally disease-resistant. Its Prarie Crab ancestry ensures it is very cold-hardy. It has a spreading habit and is likely to get wider than it is tall.

As with many double-flowered or dark-blossomed crab-apples, the pollen is sterile and will not pollinate other apple varieties.

Although it flowers quite late in the crab-apple flowering season, Brandywine blossom is very prone to frost, which will create ugly brown patches on the flowers. If a cold snap is forecast try to cover the tree with horticultural fleece.

History

Brandywine was developed from a well-known purple-blossom crab-apple Malus x purpurea 'Lemoinei', crossed with a cultivar of the Prairie Crab, Malus ioensis 'Klehm's Improved', from which it inherits its fragrant double flowers.

Brandywine characteristics

• Gardening skillBeginner
• Attractive featuresAttractive flowersAttractive fruitAttractive tree / plantAutumn foliage colourScented flowers
• Growth habitSpreading / Flat-topped
• Height after 10 years3m-5m / 10ft-16ft
• SunlightPrefers full sun
• PruningLight prune
• Growth rateAverage
• WildlifeAttractive to birds
• Flower colourPink
• Flower formDouble flower (25-50 petals)
• Flowering monthApril
• Leaf colourGreen
• Leaf colour - autumnOrange / Red
• Fruit colourOrange
• Fruit sizeAverage
• Fruit persistenceFruit drops when ripe
• Country of originUnited States
• Annual cycleDeciduous

Similar varieties

• Malus x purpurea x ioensis
  Scarlet Brandywine
  A new crab-apple featuring stunning pink scented double-flowers and good autumn colour.

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.