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.
--
Kay

K wrote:
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.

Sorry to hear about Red Jade, I just planted a full standard this
spring. It's
blooming beautifully at the mo. Any particularities to watch out for?

How about Butterball, sort of pink green?

-E

Emery Davis writes
K wrote:
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.

Sorry to hear about Red Jade, I just planted a full standard this
spring. It's
blooming beautifully at the mo. Any particularities to watch out for?

Maybe mine wasn't Red Jade?
It spreads! It's about 2.5m high and about 4m diameter (about 15 years
old) and always attracts a lot of attention from passers-by when in
bloom. I take the lowest branch out each year to keep it a nice umbrella
shape. Yours may well fruit better - mine is in shade in wet clay in
Yorkshire, which isn't exactly a prime apple situation.

How about Butterball, sort of pink green?

Not heard of that, thanks. Sounds good: "thrives in less than ideal
conditions". Descriptions vary between 'yellow' to 'yellow flushed
green'.
How upright is it? I need one which is not too spreading
--
Kay

K wrote:
Emery Davis writes
K wrote:
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.

Sorry to hear about Red Jade, I just planted a full standard this
spring. It's
blooming beautifully at the mo. Any particularities to watch out for?

Maybe mine wasn't Red Jade?
It spreads! It's about 2.5m high and about 4m diameter (about 15 years
old) and always attracts a lot of attention from passers-by when in
bloom. I take the lowest branch out each year to keep it a nice umbrella
shape. Yours may well fruit better - mine is in shade in wet clay in
Yorkshire, which isn't exactly a prime apple situation.

Mine is actually planted in an old stone road, on top of clay. I dug out a
pretty big area and filled with my heavy soil, so it should have a
little room
to establish. 4m sounds like just about the space I'm trying to fill,
actually.

How about Butterball, sort of pink green?

Not heard of that, thanks. Sounds good: "thrives in less than ideal
conditions". Descriptions vary between 'yellow' to 'yellow flushed green'.
How upright is it? I need one which is not too spreading

It's to 4.5m in 10 years, so it will need some space anyway. I don't
grow it,
although I may within a couple of years. Trying to get more crabapple
in the
garden. But the picture I saw the fruits were flushed quite pink.

-E

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.

echinosum writes

K;787212 Wrote:
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.


OK, thanks - that's useful info about the species.
I had a quick look at Keepers last night. Butterball, which Emrys
suggested, I think they do to order only


--
Kay