Crab-apple trees

Crab-apple trees are one of our specialities - we have one of the widest selections of crab-apple trees available in the UK.

• Admiration

  

  Malus Admiration is one of the best crab-apples for small gardens, with clouds of white blossom followed by persistent fruitlets.

  £61.00buyBest seller

  • Flower colour: Pink - light
  • Leaf colour: Green
  • Fruit colour: Red
  • Awards: RHS AGM (current)
  Malus halliana

• 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.

  £47.50 - £62.00buy

  • Flower colour: Pink - dark
  • Leaf colour: Bronze
  • Fruit colour: Red - dark
  • Awards: RHS AGM (former)
  Malus toringo

• Belmonte

  An improved form of the traditional Japanese crab-apple species, with white blossom and superb autumn leaf colours.

  • Flower colour: White
  • Leaf colour: Green
  • Fruit colour: Green / Red
  Malus tschonoskii

• Butterball

  

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

  £36.75 - £61.00buyBest seller

  • Flower colour: White
  • Leaf colour: Green
  • Fruit colour: Yellow
  • Awards: RHS AGM (current)
  Malus

• Candymint

  

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

  • Flower colour: Pink - light
  • Leaf colour: Green
  • Fruit colour: Red - dark
  Malus sargentii

• Cardinal

  

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

  £61.00buy

  • Flower colour: Pink - dark
  • Leaf colour: Bronze
  • Fruit colour: Red - dark
  • Awards: RHS AGM (current)
  Malus hupehensis

• Cinderella®

  A naturally dwarf bushy-crab-apple. White blossom followed by tiny golden spherical fruitlets, and yellow autumn leaf colours.

  • Flower colour: White
  • Leaf colour: Green
  • Fruit colour: Gold
  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.

  £36.75 - £61.00buyBest seller

  • Flower colour: White
  • Leaf colour: Green
  • Fruit colour: Yellow
  • Awards: RHS AGM (current)
  Malus

• Coralburst®

  

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

  £72.00buy

  • Flower colour: Pink - dark
  • Leaf colour: Green
  • Fruit colour: Bronze
  Malus

• Crimson Cascade

  

  A new weeping crab-apple with dusky pink blossom and small dark red fruitlets.

  £44.00 - £72.00buy

  • Flower colour: Crimson
  • Leaf colour: Bronze
  • Fruit colour: Red - dark
  Malus x purpurea

• Donald Wyman

  

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

  £36.75buy

  • Flower colour: White
  • Leaf colour: Green
  • Fruit colour: Red
  Malus

• Elk River

  Elk River features large fragrant pink single flowers followed by small bright green crab-apples.

  £36.75 - £72.00buy

  • Flower colour: Pink - light
  • Leaf colour: Green
  • Fruit colour: Green
  Malus coronaria

• Evereste

  

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

  £36.75 - £61.00buyBest seller

  • Flower colour: White
  • Leaf colour: Green
  • Fruit colour: Orange / Red
  • Awards: RHS AGM (current)
  Malus

• Fimbriata

  

  Malus Fimbriata is notable for its double-flowered blossom, very unusual in a crab-apple.

  • Flower colour: Pink - light
  • Leaf colour: Green
  Malus ioensis

• Golden Gem

  

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

  £61.00buy

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

• Golden Glory

  A new British late-flowering crab-apple, with white blossom, russeted fruits, and strong autumn colours.

  • Flower colour: White
  • Leaf colour: Green
  • Fruit colour: Russet
  Malus yunnanensis

• Golden Hornet

  

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

  £36.75 - £61.00buy

  • Flower colour: White
  • Leaf colour: Green
  • Fruit colour: Yellow
  • Awards: RHS AGM (former)
  Malus x zumi

• Gorgeous

  

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

  £61.00buy

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

• Guardsman

  

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

  • Flower colour: White
  • Leaf colour: Green
  • Fruit colour: Green
  Malus trilobata

• HalloweenTM

  

  Malus Halloween is named for its ribbed orange-yellow crab-apples, which resemble little pumpkins.

  £44.00 - £62.00buyBest seller

  • Flower colour: White
  • Fruit colour: Yellow / Orange
  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.

  £36.75 - £61.00buy

  • Flower colour: Crimson
  • Leaf colour: Green
  • Fruit colour: Red
  Malus

• Indian Magic

  

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

  £61.00buy

  • Flower colour: Pink
  • Leaf colour: Bronze
  • Fruit colour: Red
  Malus

• Jelly King®

  

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

  £36.75 - £61.00buyBest seller

  • Flower colour: White
  • Leaf colour: Green
  • Fruit colour: Orange / Red
  • Awards: RHS AGM (current)
  Malus

• John Downie

  

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

  £36.75 - £61.00buy

  • Flower colour: White
  • Leaf colour: Green
  • Fruit colour: Orange / Red
  • Awards: RHS AGM (former)
  Malus

• Laura

  

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

  £36.75 - £62.00buyBest seller

  • Flower colour: Crimson
  • Leaf colour: Bronze
  • Awards: RHS AGM (current)
  Malus

• Louisa

  

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

  £44.00 - £72.00buy

  • Flower colour: Pink - light
  • Leaf colour: Green
  • Fruit colour: Orange
  Malus

• Malus baccata

  

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

  £44.00 - £72.00buy

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

• Malus florentina

  Malus florentina is an unusual crab-apple with white blossom, tiny fruitlets, and serrated leaves which take on good autumn colours.

  £44.00 - £72.00buyBest seller

  • Flower colour: White
  • Leaf colour: Green
  • Fruit colour: Green / Red
  Malus florentina

• Malus floribunda

  

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

  £44.00 - £72.00buy

  • Flower colour: White
  • Leaf colour: Green
  • Fruit colour: Yellow / Red
  • Awards: RHS AGM (current)
  Malus floribunda

• Malus hupehensis

  

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

  £72.00buy

  • Flower colour: White
  • Leaf colour: Green
  • Fruit colour: Green / Red
  • Awards: RHS AGM (current)
  Malus hupehensis

• Malus sylvestris

  

  Malus sylvestris is the native wild crab apple, easy to grow and ideal for native planting schemes.
  Malus sylvestris

• 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.

  £44.00 - £61.00buy

  • Flower colour: White
  • Leaf colour: Green
  • Fruit colour: Yellow
  • Awards: RHS AGM (current)
  Malus transitoria

• Malus tschonoskii

  A traditional Japanese crab-apple species, with white blossom and superb autumn leaf colours.

  • Flower colour: White
  • Leaf colour: Green
  • Fruit colour: Green / Red
  Malus tschonoskii

• Niedzwetzkyana

  

  Niedzwetzkyana is a unique red-fleshed, red-skinned, red blossom crab-apple, originating from central Asia.

  • Flower colour: Red - dark
  • Leaf colour: Green
  • Fruit colour: Red - dark
  Malus domestica

• NUVAR® Marble

  

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

  £37.95buy

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

• 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.

  £61.00buy

  • Flower colour: White
  • Leaf colour: Green
  Malus baccata

• Pink Perfection

  

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

  £44.00buy

  • Flower colour: Pink
  • Leaf colour: Green
  • Fruit colour: Yellow / Orange
  Malus

• Prairie Fire®

  

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

  • Flower colour: Pink - dark
  • Leaf colour: Green
  • Fruit colour: Red
  Malus

• Professor Sprenger

  

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

  • Flower colour: White
  • Leaf colour: Green
  • Fruit colour: Orange
  Malus x zumi

• Profusion

  

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

  £36.75 - £61.00buy

  • Flower colour: Crimson
  • Leaf colour: Bronze
  • Fruit colour: Red - dark
  Malus x moerlandsii

• Purpurea Evelyn

  

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

  £72.00buy

  • Flower colour: Pink - dark
  • Leaf colour: Dark purple
  • Fruit colour: Green / Yellow
  Malus ioensis

• Red Obelisk

  

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

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

• Red Sentinel

  

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

  £61.00buyBest seller

  • Flower colour: White
  • Leaf colour: Green
  • Fruit colour: Red
  • Awards: RHS AGM (current)
  • Awards: RHS AM
  Malus x robusta

• Roberts Crab

  

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

  £61.00buy

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

• Rosehip

  

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

  £36.75 - £61.00buy

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

• Royal Beauty

  

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

  • Flower colour: Crimson
  • Leaf colour: Green
  • Fruit colour: Red - dark
  • Awards: RHS AGM (former)
  Malus

• Royalty

  

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

  • Flower colour: Red - dark
  • Leaf colour: Bronze
  • Fruit colour: Red - dark
  Malus domestica

• Rudolph

  

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

  £44.00buy

  • Flower colour: Pink
  • Leaf colour: Green
  • Fruit colour: Orange
  • Fruit colour: Orange / Red
  • Fruit colour: Yellow / Orange
  Malus

• Scarlet Brandywine®

  

  A new crab-apple featuring stunning pink scented double-flowers and good autumn colour.

  £44.00 - £72.00buy

  • Flower colour: Pink
  • Flower colour: Pink - dark
  • Leaf colour: Green
  • Fruit colour: Orange
  Malus x purpurea x ioensis

• Scarlett

  

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

  £36.95 - £61.00buy

  • Flower colour: Pink
  • Leaf colour: Bronze
  • Fruit colour: Purple
  • Awards: RHS AGM (current)
  Malus toringo

• Snowcloud

  

  Snowcloud is named for its profusion of large white semi-double flowers.

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

• Sun Rival

  

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

  £36.75 - £61.00buy

  • Flower colour: Pink - light
  • Leaf colour: Green
  • Fruit colour: Red
  • Awards: RHS AGM (current)
  Malus

• Thornhayes Tansy

  A form of the Cut-leaf crab-apple, with particularly dissected leaves.

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

• Tina

  

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

  £61.00buy

  • Flower colour: White
  • Leaf colour: Green
  • Fruit colour: Red
  Malus sargentii

• Wedding Bouquet

  

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

  £72.00buy

  • Flower colour: White
  • Leaf colour: Green
  • Fruit colour: Red - dark
  • Awards: RHS AGM (current)
  Malus brevipes

• White Star

  

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

  • Flower colour: White
  • Leaf colour: Green
  • Fruit colour: Russet
  • Fruit colour: Yellow / Orange
  Malus

How to choose 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.

If planting a weeping variety it is generally best to tie the leader to a tall bamboo cane for the first few years. In the case of 2-year pot-grown examples you can cut back the tip by 3-5cm after planting, this will encourage more shoots to develop.

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