With its vibrant fruits looking like festive baubles, the crab apple is a real cracker My Christmas star!
FEW trees l i ght up gardens i n winter, but this is the time when crab apples step up their game. Stripped of foliage, their bare branches reveal masses of glossy, colourful fruit. The jewel- like miniature apples are long-lasting, often turning heads well into the New Year.
The showy baubles come in many shapes, colours and sizes. There are varieties with red, yellow, orange, purple or two-tone skin, measuring anywhere from
1⁄4 in to 2in across. Many look like scaled-down versions of domestic eating apples, while others are conical, elongated or even pear-shaped.
Yet these fabulous trees are not one-trick ponies. In spring, crab apples produce clouds of scented, pretty blossom that are loved by wildlife, and many have striking autumn foliage. As far as I’m concerned, their long season of interest and compact size make them ideal for all but pint-sized gardens. Crab apple trees are native to Europe, Asia and North America and are related to cultivated apples (Malus domestica). One species of crab apple is indigenous to our shores – European crab apple (Malus sylvestris) is a rounded tree with white flowers in spring and green-yellow fruit in autumn.
Like many wild plants, crab apple trees are steeped in folklore. Druids considered them sacred and made wands from their wood, while branches were burnt by Celts during fertility rites. Some country folk believed that finding a crab apple tree in flower during autumn was a harbinger of death.
Breeding work on wild crab apple trees has led to scores of different ones being introduced with a range of habits, from columnar to pendulous. Depending on variety, the mature height of trees can vary from 5ft to more than 20ft, with a spread of anything from 5ft to 30ft.
Apart from their ornamental qualities, crab apple fruit is edible. They are too tart to be eaten raw but are i deal for turning i nto preserves, such as chutneys and jams. Many consider the fruit of M. ‘Evereste’ to be the best for making crab apple jelly, a tasty accompaniment to cheeses, roasted meats and game.
An individual crab apple makes a cracking specimen for a lawn, while their addition to an orchard or small collection of fruit trees will attract bees and other pollinating insects in spring. Varieties that are compact or have a narrow form are ideal for providing vertical interest in beds and borders.
Crab apples prefer fertile, moist but well-drained soil in full sun. They might be as tough as old boots – trees can tolerate temperatures down to at least -20C – but it’s best to select a fairly sheltered spot to protect blossom from frost damage and to ensure that strong winds don’t deter wildlife.
Container-grown crab apple trees are available for planting all year round, while bare-root trees are offered for sale when dormant, a period running from November until April. Both types will establish readily if planted correctly, but bare-root specimens tend to be about half the price of their potted counterparts.
Planting container-grown ones is easy. Dig a round hole that’s about twice the diameter of the container and the same depth. Spike the sides and bottom with a garden fork to allow roots to penetrate easily. Place the tree in the centre and fill gaps with soil, firming down as you go to remove air pockets.
Bare-root specimens need planting at the same depth as they were growing before being lifted from the ground – there should be an obvious ‘tide mark’ of soil on the trunk. Dig a hole that’s twice the diameter of the root system and deep enough so the mark on the trunk lines up with the surface.
Fill the hole with the excavated soil and give the ground a good soaking. Spread a 3in layer of bark, leafmould or garden compost over the surface to lock in moisture and prevent weeds growing.
Keep the mulch clear of the trunk, as contact can lead to the bark softening and rotting.
They are ideal for turning into chutneys and jams
Stockists include Chris Bowers & Sons (chrisbowers.co.uk); Crocus (crocus.co.uk); Orange Pippin Fruit Trees (orangepippintrees.co.uk).