Summer 2021 - important noticeWe are now accepting pre-orders for delivery from September for pot grown trees and December for bare-rooted trees. More>
Pippin Trees banner logoChoose from over 280 flowering cherries, crab apples, rowans and other ornamental trees.

Donald Wyman

Donald Wyman crab apple blossom

Malus 'Donald Wyman' is a typical white-flowered crab-apple, which grows into a reasonably large spreading tree, with good presence.

This variety is particularly notable for its small red fruitlets (1cm diameter), which are very persistent, hanging on the tree well into the winter.

In a good autumn (with sunny days and cold nights) the leaves take on yellow-orange tints.

Donald Wyman crab-apple trees for sale

  • 11-year bare-root tree £27.95
    Large size (3m-5m after 10 years)
  • 22-year pot-grown tree £47.50
    In a 12L pot
    Large size (3m-5m after 10 years)
Pre-ordering
You can pre-order now for delivery from early September 2021 for pot grown trees (or early December for bare-root). You do not need to pay at this stage - just add items to the basket and checkout as usual.

How to grow

Donald Wyman crab-apple trees have a poor reputation in the USA for their susceptibility to the disease fireblight. However don't let this put you off - fireblight is not virulent in the UK, and in this country Donald Wyman is usually problem-free. It is also very cold-hardy.

History

This variety was discovered as a chance seedling growing at the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University in the USA in the 1950s. It was named after Dr. Donald Wyman, a horticulturalist who worked at the Aboretum for many years.

Donald Wyman characteristics

  • Gardening skillBeginner
  • Attractive featuresAttractive flowersAttractive fruit
  • Growth habitUpright-spreading
  • Height after 10 years3m-5m / 10ft-16ft
  • Growth rateAverage
  • Flower colourWhite
  • Flower formSingle flower (5-8 petals)
  • Flowering monthApril
  • Leaf colourGreen
  • Leaf colour - autumnOrange / Gold
  • Fruit colourRed
  • Fruit sizeVery small
  • Fruit persistencePersistent
  • Country of originUnited States
  • WildlifeRHS perfect for pollinators
  • Annual cycleDeciduous

What will it look like?

Illustrative example of a pot-grown tree of this variety as supplied. Approximate girth: 6/8cm. Trees should reach their mature height after about 10 or more years. We may also have 1-year bare-root trees of this variety - they are not shown here.

Malus Donald Wyman crab apple tree

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.