About
This tree with a compact, columnar habit that is noteworthy for the side shoots it produces that grow only a short distance away from the main stem before turning sharply vertical. Small to medium sized fruits have a yellowish base colour that is flushed bright red on the sun-exposed surface and sweet-sharp, jucy and crisp flesh.
About the genus
Malus are small to medium-sized deciduous trees with showy flowers in spring and ornamental or edible fruit in autumn; some have good autumn foliage colour
Growing conditions
SunlightFull sun
Soil typeClay, Loam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained
AspectSouth-facing, West-facing
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH6
Plant details
Plant typeFruit Edible, Trees
HabitColumnar upright
FoliageDeciduous
Height2.5-4 metres
Spread0.5-1 metres
Time to full height5-10 years
Suggested usesCity and courtyard gardens, Cottage and informal garden, Patio and container plants, Wildlife gardens
Care notes
CultivationPrefers deep, fertile, moist but well-drained, neutral soil in a sunny sheltered position. Will not thrive on very acid soils, shallow chalk soils or with shade for more than half the day. May require fruit thinning to improve fruit size and quality. See apple cultivation
PruningPruning group 1
PropagationPropagate by chip budding in late summer, or grafting in mid-winter. Plants grown from pips are unlikely to resemble the parent
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to aphids, including rosy apple aphid and woolly aphid, apple sawfly, fruit tree red spider mite, codling moth, apple leaf-mining moth and other caterpillars
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to apple canker, apple scab, blossom wilt, brown rot, fireblight, honey fungus and powdery mildews