Fimbriata

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Malus Fimbriata is an unusual and distinctive crab-apple.

Most crab-apples have single flowers (with a relatively small number of petals) but the flowers of Malus Fimbriata have a profusion of petals, rivalling some of the showiest of the flowering cherries.

The flowers can be very large by crab-apple standards, and have a subtle fragrance, reminscent of roses.

The flower colour is also a bit different, being peach-pink rather than the more usual rose-pink of most crab-apples.

Fimbriata crab-apple trees for sale

• 11-year bare-root tree £44.00
  Medium size (2.5m-3.5m after 10 years)
  

  Out of stock
  Sorry we have sold out for this season
• 22-year pot-grown tree £65.50
  In a 7L pot
  Medium size (2.5m-3.5m after 10 years)
  

  Out of stock
  Sorry we have sold out for this season
• 32-year pot-grown tree £72.00
  In a 12L pot
  Medium size (2.5m-3.5m after 10 years)
  

  Out of stock
  Sorry we have sold out for this season

How to grow

Like other forms of the Prarie Crab species, Malus Fimbriata flowers relatively late in the crab apple blossom season. It does not always produce fruitlets and is possibly not self-fertile. Unusually for a crab-apple, it is not a good pollinator of mainstream apple trees either.

The blossom of Malus Fimbriata is quite prone to frost damage, which will create ugly brown patches on the flowers. If a cold snap is forecast try to cover the tree with horticultural fleece.

History

Malus Fimbriata belongs to the crab-apple species Malus ioensis, known as the Prairie Crab, a native of the central plains for North America.

It was discovered as a chance seedling growing in Rochester, New York, in the 1930s by Bernard Slavin and named by his son. It is sometimes known as the Fringe Petal Crabapple, on account of its spectacular blossom.

Fimbriata characteristics

• Gardening skillAverage
• Attractive featuresAttractive flowersAttractive tree / plantScented foliage
• Growth habitUpright-spreading / Vase
• Height after 10 years3m-5m / 10ft-16ft
• Growth rateAverage
• Flower colourPink - light
• Flower formDouble flower (25-50 petals)
• Flowering monthMay
• Leaf colourGreen
• Fruit sizeSmall
• Fruit persistenceRipens over a period
• 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.