Harry Baker

Malus 'Harry Baker' is a popular crab-apple with good spring and autumn appeal. The spring blossom is and intense dark-pink blossom, whilst in autumn the maroon-coloured fruits are very attractive and hang on the tree after the leaves have fallen.

Harry Baker is one of the best varieties for making crab-apple jelly. The fruits, which ripen fairly late in the season, have a pink / red flesh which lends an attractive dark red hue to the resulting jelly, rather like the colour of red wine. The flesh is usefully high in pectin too.

Unusually for a variety with dark-pink blossom and dark red fruits, the leaves are green rather than bronze, although young leaves have a hint of bronze.

Malus 'Harry Baker' produces a reasonably compact tree, likely to reach 3m-4m in height.

This crab-apple variety was named in honour of Harry Baker, Fruit Officer of the RHS at Wisley in the 1980s, and the author of several books on fruit trees and soft fruits.