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Malus baccata

Malus baccata crab apples
Malus baccata is listed in the RHS Plants for Pollinators

Malus baccata is also known as the Siberian crab. It makes an excellent choice if you want a hardy garden tree for a difficult situation.

In spring the tree produces a fine show of fragrant white blossom in great profusion. In autumn clusters of small red / orange fruitlets are borne.

Malus baccata crab-apple trees for sale

  • 11-year bare-root tree £44.00
    Large size (3m-5m after 10 years)
  • 22-year pot-grown tree £72.00
    In a 12L pot
    Large size (3m-5m after 10 years)
Next deliveries

Order now for delivery from week commencing 6th January.

History

Malus baccata is native to northern Asia, a region with exceptionally cold winters and often hot summers. 

Its excellent cold-hardiness and general disease-resistance have made Malus baccata a popular starting point in apple and crab-apple breeding programmes. It is also used as a rootstock by apple growers in colder zones - it does not have much dwarfing effect on the scion variety, but it does make it more likely to survive harsh winters.

Malus baccata characteristics

  • Gardening skillBeginner
  • Attractive featuresAttractive flowersAttractive fruitAttractive tree / plantScented flowers
  • Growth habitUpright-spreading / Vase
  • Height after 10 years2.5m-3.5m / 8ft-12ft
  • Growth rateAverage
  • WildlifeAttractive to birdsRHS Plants for Pollinators
  • Flower colourWhite
  • Leaf colourGreen
  • Leaf colour - autumnGreen
  • Fruit colourOrange / Red
  • Fruit sizeSmall
  • Fruit persistenceNormal ripening
  • Country of originRussia
  • Annual cycleDeciduous

Similar varieties

  • See also Pink Glow
    Malus baccata
    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.

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.