About

Professor Sprenger' is a dense, compact, rounded, deciduous tree to about 7m, with mid-green foliage turning yellow in late autumn. The very scented flowers open white from pink buds in mid- and late spring, and are followed by large quantities of small, round, yellow and orange fruit that hang on into winter.

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, Partial shade
Soil typeChalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained
AspectNorth-facing, West-facing, East-facing, South-facing
ExposureExposed, Sheltered
UK hardinessH6

Plant details

Plant typeTrees
HabitSpreading branched
FoliageDeciduous
Height4-8 metres
Spread4-8 metres
Time to full height10-20 years
Suggested usesCottage and informal garden, Patio and container plants, City and courtyard gardens, Wildlife gardens
FragranceFlower
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; will tolerate partial shade
PruningPruning group 1
PropagationPropagate by chip budding in late summer. Grafting can be carried out in midwinter
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to aphids, including woolly aphid and rosy apple 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