About
A small, upright tree to about 4m, with single, pink and white flowers in late spring to early summer, followed by large, glossy, bright red fruits with red flesh that are good for jelly-making.
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 typeChalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pHNeutral, Acid, Alkaline
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained, Well-drained
AspectSouth-facing, West-facing
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH6
Plant details
Plant typeFruit Edible, Trees
HabitSpreading branched
FoliageDeciduous
Height4-8 metres
Spread2.5-4 metres
Time to full height10-20 years
Suggested usesCity and courtyard gardens, Cottage and informal garden, Patio and container plants, Wildlife gardens
ToxicityAlthough generally edible when cooked, seeds contain toxins so these should be removed if you are considering eating the fruit, usually grown as an ornamental shrub. see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants for further information and useful contact numbers
Care notes
CultivationGrow in moderately fertile soil in a sunny position
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 woolly aphid, fruit tree red spider mite, codling moth and other caterpillars
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to apple canker, apple scab, blossom wilt, brown rot, fireblight, honey fungus and powdery mildews