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Old 29-04-2008, 12:59 PM
echinosum echinosum is offline
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Feb 2006
Location: Chalfont St Giles
Posts: 1,340
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Quote:
Originally Posted by K View Post
I'm thinking of planting a crab apple, partly for decoration, partly for
fruit. Any recommendations apart form John Downie?

I'd rather have red or bi-coloured fruit (so not Golden Hornet). I've
already got a weeping one (Red Jade?) which is stunning in bloom, but
the apples are a disappointment.
I would say the same of my red jade too.

John Downie is a Malus domestica, ie, a variety of the species we grow for eating, cider, cooking. Many of the other ornamental crabs, eg red jade, which I think is a M x schiedeckerii, are other species or hybrids. Malus floribunda is of course one of the most common ornamentals. But many of the ones with better fruit do often seem to be M domestica.

Keepers nursery has a good website with detailed info on some of the crabs it supplies.