Our range of bare root crab apple plants (Malus sylvestris)

We have bare root crab apple trees or hedging in several sizes.  The 1+0 1 year old specification plants are seedlings (often called whips) which were sown from seed in the spring and are sold during the following November to April months ie they are one year old.  We have crab apple bare root whips in several heights all grown by us in Herefordshire.

Malus sylvestris is an important species for us so we always have several batches of seed including UK provenance and the highest quality imported seed, so if the seed provenance is important to you please give us a call.

All of these plants are suitable as hedging plants or can be allowed to grow as full size trees.

Crab Apple (Malus sylvestris) Summary

There are many cultivated varieties of crab apple but the one we grow is the wild one and the parent of many of the named varieties of crab apple and eating apple trees.  Its common name relates to the small yellow/green “apples” which are devoured by birds in autumn.  It’s a very pretty small tree with white blossom emerging from pinkish buds. It offers very good wildlife value, with over 100 different types of insects feeding and living on it, and those in turn feeding a wide range of birds and small mammals.

Soil and Situation

Crab apples like heavy, moist, well drained soils even clay.  They are commonly used in mixed farm hedging and as small woodland trees or shrubs providing very wildlife friendly low cover.  Best flowering will be achieved if grown in full sun but Malus sylvestris will tolerate partial shade.

Leaves, fruit and flowers

Leaves are small (about 6mcm) green and oval shaped with a serrated edge, dark green on the upper surface and pale grey-green and felted underneath.  Leaf colour changes to yellow in autumn.  Generally flowering is profuse, with pinkish "apple blossom" buds opening to small bee friendly white scented flowers with yellow stamens and pollinated flowers then develop into small apple like fruits which are greenish/yellow in colour and are edible but not particularly tasty for humans.  There are lots of crab apple named varieties that have been bred for culinary purposes, but the wild ones are absolutely loved by birds, especially blackbirds and thrushes, and mammals.   This is one of the few types of tree that can host mistletoe.

The bark is reddish brown when young, becoming grey-brown, rough, furrowed and flaky as it ages.

Eventual height and growth rate

Crab apples are small, compact trees with a mature height of about 10m, and average growth rate.  It is easy to keep at farm hedging height or allow to grow into a hedgerow tree.  The relatively low height and high wildlife value make it a great addition to woodland planting as a small tree or shrub.

Also known as wild crab.  Rosaceae family