It’s Crab Apple Time!

27/10/2023

October is Crab Apple month when the dazzling fruits ripen to show off their eye-catching colours. Crab Apple trees are all self-fertile and reliably produce masses of apples each autumn. The colours are superb – from citrus yellow to vivid green and deep purple. In October, Crab Apple trees are often laden, looking as though they are adorned with Christmas decorations. Some varieties hang on to their fruit well past Christmas making excellent natural bird feeders. Crab apples are all edible, though without sugar they can be quite sharp compared to normal eating apples. So what is the difference between crap apples and other apples? It is an unscientific contention that a Malus tree with fruit larger than two inches in diameter is considered and apple whilst those smaller than two inches is known as a crab.

Those of you who subscribe to the RHS magazine ‘The Garden’ will have spotted this month a fascinating article on choosing the perfect Crab Apple tree for your garden by Nick Dunn of FPM. The article includes some beautiful photography by expert photographer Jason Ingram. You might have also noticed that a recent RHS podcast ‘Gardening with the RHS’ also features Nick talking about his favourite Crab Apples. You can listen to the podcast by clicking here.

We grow over a hundred varieties of Crab Apples and have many more coming along in our trial orchards. We love these trees and would recommend every garden has a Crab Apple tree. Like all apple trees, they come under the genus Malus so can sometimes be referred to as Ornamental Malus. Most of our trees are grown on a semi-vigorous Malus rootstock, such as MM106, which produces a tree of about four metres tall. Some varieties are grafted on the dwarfing rootstock M27 to create a much daintier tree which can also be kept in a patio container.

This week we gathered a few of the apples off the nursery and took some photos. The collection below contains (from left to right) Kola, Elk River, Gardeners Gold, Halloween, Evereste, Butterball, Jelly King, Red Sentinel, Laura, Harry Baker, Wedding Bouquet and Robert’s Red.

A collection of crab apples to illustrate their amazing range of beautiful colours

Freshly picked from the nursery in Worcestershire – a collection of ripe Crab Apples.

We have lots of Crab Apple Trees in stock the season. Below are just a few:

Butterball

A small spreading tree with slightly drooping branches and pink budded flowers that open to pure white. The marble sized fruits are yellow with an orange flush and can be used for culinary purposes or left to adorn the tree into winter.

Elk River

An unusual form with single, large, soft pink flowers and bright, rich green, mini Granny Smith type crab apples. Excellent autumn tints to the large and handsome leaves.

Evereste

A conical tree with dark green lobed leaves and large soft pink to white flowers. Small red and yellow fruits, rather like mini apples, holding well into winter.

Halloween

Yellow-orange crab apples are ribbed in appearance looking like mini pumpkins. Spring flowers are white and semi-double, perfect for attracting pollinating insects. This crab apple acts as natural bird feeder in the autumn.

Jelly King

An exciting variety with spectacular large orange-pink fruit that persist much longer than most large fruited crab apples. Strong white blossom covers this vigorous but compact tree in spring. Makes excellent pink jelly.

Laura

A naturally dwarf tree with an upright habit, for even the smallest garden. Dark purple-green leaves and stunning pink and white flowers in April. Persistent large, round, maroon fruit perfect for the best crab apple jelly.

Red Sentinel

A small rounded very ornamental tree, with dark green leaves that turn bronzed yellow in the autumn. White blushed, fragrant flowers emerge from pink buds in April followed by large bright red fruits, which often last all through winter.

Wedding Bouquet

An upright small tree when young, widening with age. Long tapered dark green healthy leaves, and single shell shaped, ivory white flowers. The tiny berry like fruits start light, turning dark red, and persist well into December.

To browse our catalogue of Crab Apple trees, click here, it is a feast for the eyes!

Recipe for Crab Apple Jelly

This simple recipe for Crab Apple jelly is very straightforward and quick to make. The fruit are full of goodness with high levels of antioxidants, vitamin C and pectin. You can use any use any variety for making jelly, we particularly recommend Laura, Jelly Kin g and Rosehip.

Ingredients: Fruit, sugar and water!

Method:

🍏For every 450g (1lb) of washed, unsliced fruit add 570ml (1pt) of water.

🍏Simmer until the fruit has cooked to a pulp.

🍏Strain through a jelly bag. Do not squeeze if you want very clear jelly. If you are in a hurry then squeeze the bag for quicker extraction.

🍏Add 450g (1lb) of sugar for each 570ml (1pt) juice.

🍏Bring to the boil and continue for approximately five minutes (or setting point).

🍏Bottle and store.

Ideal as an accompaniment with lamb and pork, or spread on a toast for a tasty, sweet snack.