The Beauty of Malus For the first time at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Frank P Matthews Trees will present a specialist exhibit dedicated to the single genus Malus. The exhibit will highlight the striking diversity of Malus species, showcasing their rich palette of flower colours, unique leaf shapes, and varied tree forms. See below for the varieties we will be showcasing. These varieties all flower between a 4-6 week period. Kept in our coldstore they have been carefully managed to ensure they are in full bloom for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Malus baccata Description: This is the true Siberian crab. Making a rounded crown with oval, finely toothed dark green leaves leaves. A profusion of white fragrant cup-shaped flowers in spring are followed by small egg-shaped red or yellow fruits. History: Native to North East Asia. Height and Spread (after 10 years): 5m x 3m Find Out More Malus ‘Bali’ Description: Mid green foliage, with large (up to 4cm) pink flowers of a semi double habit. History: New Zealand 2005, bred by Tom Matthews NZ Height (after 10 years): 4m Malus brevipes ‘Wedding Bouquet’ Description: 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 are dark red and persist well into December. Height and Spread (after 10 years): 4m x 3mmost Find Out More Malus ‘Bunbury White’ Description: Malus Crab Apple ‘Bunbury White’ is a beautiful and unusual crab apple that produces a profusion of impressive white blossom in spring. A unique feature of this variety is that the blossom is pure white from flower bud emergence which is very rare in Malus (which often start pink in bud). The fruit of this crab apple look like mini apples hanging from the branches. Long stalks with a slightly pink blush to them which turn dark maroon when ripe. Height and Spread (after 10 years): 4m x 3m Find Out More Malus hupehensis ‘Confetti’ Description: A spectacular showing of light pink opening pure white flowers in the late spring. Each bloom is presented on unusually long flower stems and remains an attractive saucer shape even when at full bloom stage. There follows an excellent crop of small bright yellow fruit in the autumn. Our thanks to Chris Skelmersdale who has raised this spectacular new flowering tree for introduction in the near future. History: Introduced by Chris Skelmersdale Malus ‘Crimson Cascade’ Description: Malus purpurea ‘Crimson Cascade’ is a beautiful compact weeping crab apple. Bright pink flowers in spring are followed by red/purple crab apples in autumn. The foliage is purple turning bronze and green throughout the year. History: Malus purpurea ‘Crimson Cascade’ was raised by retired chemist Alan Warwick in Yorkshire, UK in the 1980s. Shortlisted for the Plant of the Year award at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2017. Height and Spread (after 10 years): 4m x 2.5m Find Out More Malus ‘Diablo Rouge’ Description: There are many pink flowered Malus and this is one of the best for general all-round performance in spring and autumn. History: Bred in France Malus H3708 Description: A selection from Hugh Ermen’s apple breeding programme where good ornamental Malus often appear. Very compact habit, disease resistant and the bearer of small sweet apples all of which is very unusual for a double flowered selection. Each flower has up to 15 petals. This very special variety will be named and introduced in due course. History: Bred by Hugh Erman, Kent Malus ‘Halloween’™ Description: The Halloween Crab Apple. Yellow-orange crab apples are ribbed in appearance looking like mini pumpkins. Perfect for the Halloween season! Spring flowers are white and semi-double, perfect for attracting pollinating insects. This crab apple acts as natural bird feeder in the autumn. Parents: Cox x Red Devil History: Bred by Hugh Ermen, Kent, UK. Height and Spread (after 10 years): 4m x 3mthe Find Out More Malus ‘Hillieri’ Description: An attractive late flowering tree with broad ovoid crown with somewhat pendulous branches. Flowers are semi double, crimson in bud, opening to bright pink. Small red/orange fruit are produced in late summer, which can be made into crab apple jelly. History: In cultivation since 1928. Height and Spread (after 10 years): 4m x 3m Find Out More Malus ‘Indian Magic’ Description: Malus ‘Indian Magic’ is a small, rounded, spreading tree, bearing magenta pink flowers which emerge from dark red buds. Purple flushed foliage with small, glossy red fruit change to orange and persist into January. History: Bred in the U.S.A, and introduced in 2010. Height and Spread (after 10 years): 4m x 4m Find Out More Malus ioensis ‘Fimbriata’ Description: An upright, broad headed tree with expanding buds, brown-red to red, opening to very fragrant, shell pink, double flowers in late spring. Small, dark red fruits are produced before the yellow autumn leaves fall. History: A seedling discovered by Bernard Slavin, Rochester Park, Rochester, NY. Named in 1931 by Slavin’s son Arthur. Height and Spread (after 10 years): 4m x 3m Find Out More Malus ‘Laura’® Description: Malus ‘Laura’® is 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. History: Bred by Hugh Ermen (Kent) and introduced around 1990. Received the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit. Height and Spread (after 10 years): 3m x 1.5m Find Out More Malus ‘Louisa’ Description: Malus ‘Louisa’ is a charming graceful tree, one of the best weeping Malus, forming an umbrella shape. Dark green, glossy leaves, rose coloured buds opening to true pink flowers. Small lemon-gold ripening to golden-orange fruit festoon the branches in the autumn. History: Named by Polly Hill, Martha’s Vineyard, MA for her daughter. Height and Spread (after 10 years): 3m x 2m Find Out More Malus ‘Madonna’ Description: Malus ‘Madonna’ is something quite special when seen in flower in the spring. Stunning large double white flowers resembling pure white roses. The flowers are fragrant with hints of jasmine and gardenia followed by small brown/orange and red crab apple fruit. Young shoots are red/bronze when they first emerge turning green in the summer. Tree of compact neat habit, particularly upright when young. Flowers over several weeks. History: Bred by father John Fiala and brought onto the market by Lake County Nursery, USA 1979 Height and Spread (after 10 years): 3.5m x 2.5m Find Out More Malus ‘Mary Potter’ Description: Malus ‘Mary Potter’ produces fragrant white flowers in spring, opening from pink buds. Blossom is followed in autumn by glossy red, small crab apples which hang on the tree throughout the winter, becoming a natural bird feeder. Parentage: A cross between M. sargentii Rosea and atrosanguinea. (USA) Height and Spread (after 10 years): 4m x 3m Find Out More Malus ‘Maypole’ Description: The only Malus of the original 5 Ballerina (Columnar) fruit trees to be released in the late 1970’s from East Malling Research bred by Dr Ken Tobutt. The flower quality both for size and intensity of pink is outstanding and the columnar shape brings a special dynamic to this lovely crab apple. The fruit are large, dark maroon with an intense purple flesh colour making an excellent crab apple jelly. History: East Malling Research. Bred by Dr Ken Tobutt, Part of the Columnar series Malus ‘No 4’ Description: The tree on display is one of its kind; 17 years old and part of an original trial area on our nursery devoted to the breeding of Hugh Ermen. The columnar habit and profuse pink flowers with attractive yellow anthers offers a very special insight into this breeder’s lifelong passion. History: Bred by Hugh Erman, Kent Malus ‘Prairifire’ Description: A superb small tree, upright in habit, with dark purple to green narrow leaves. Vibrant deep pink, single flowers in spring are followed by attractive, small, spheroid, purple fruit in the autumn. History: Developed by D.F Dayton, Department of Horticulture, University of Illinois in 1982. Height and Spread (after 10 years): 4m x 3m Find Out More Malus ‘Princeton Cardinal’ Description: A beautiful foliage and flowering tree with large, intense pink, sumptuous flowers and dark almost black spring leaves changing to glossy red in summer. Deep red, small fruit cover the branches in the autumn. History: Developed by Wellington, one of the progeny of M. x arnoldiana. Received the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit. Height and Spread (after 10 years): 4m x 3m Find Out More Malus ‘Rudolph’ Description: A medium tree of upright habit with glossy bronze-red, later dark bronze-green leaves on red young shoots. Rose red flowers, deeper in bud, followed by long persistent, orange-yellow oblong fruits. History: Raised by F.L Skinner, Canada in 1954. Height and Spread (after 10 years): 4m x 3m Find Out More Malus sargentii ‘Candymint Sargent’ Description: A beautiful dainty and graceful tree with horizontally tired branches covered with carmine buds opening to white tinted soft pink flowers. The flowers are followed by long lasting purple fruit in autumn. The leaves are green in the summer with yellow/orange autumn tints before they fall. History: Seedling of Malus sargentii, developed at the Simpson Nursery in Vincennes, Indiana, USA in 1987. Height and Spread (after 10 years): 3m x 3m Find Out More Malus sargentii ‘Tina’ Description: A charming, small, almost dwarf variety smothered in gold anthered pure white flowers followed by small, red, cherry like fruits in autumn. Ovate, lobed, dark green leaves turn golden shades in autumn. Ideal as a patio tree. History: Selected by William McReynolds, of Hook’s Nursery, Lake Zurich, IL from an open pollinated seed obtained from Japan. Named for McReynolds granddaughter. Height and Spread (after 10 years): 1.25m x 1m Find Out More Malus ‘Scarlet Brandywine’ Description: Considered to be an improved version of Malus ‘Brandywine’. Rounded shaped tree with oval green leaves, tinged with maroon. Pink buds open in spring to fragrant, deep rose-pink flowers. Followed by small, pumpkin-orange crab apples that mature in autumn and provide showy winter interest. Height and Spread (after 10 years): 4m x 3m Find Out More Malus spectabilis ‘Riversii’ Description: Upright branches hold deep rose red buds opening to semi-double, rosy pink flowers, followed by yellow fruit. History: Named for Thomas Rivers, a famous English nurseryman who introduced the clone in 1872. Height and Spread (after 10 years): 4m x 3m Find Out More Malus ‘Sun Rival’ Description: A charming semi weeping, umbrella shaped tree with arching branches. The profuse blossom opens from pink buds to fragrant white flowers, followed by stunning bright red fruits in autumn. History: A chance seedling from Long Ashton Research Station, Bristol, and introduced around 1975. Received the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.. Height and Spread (after 10 years): 4m x 3m Find Out More Malus ‘Aros’® Description: A stunning dwarf, upright tree. Leaves emerge shiny dark burgundy to black turning slightly green with age. Bright purple/pink flowers in the spring turn to very dark red/maroon persistent crab apples in the autumn. Ideal for patio growing or small spaces. History: Bred in Denmark. Received the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit. Height and Spread (after 10 years): 3m x 1m Find Out More Malus transitoria ‘Thornhayes Tansy’ Description: M. transitoria is well regarded as one of the most attractive Malus species with glorious displays of white flowers and small translucent yellow fruit and attractive rich golden leaves in the autumn. This selection was raised and selected by Kevin Croucher of Thornhayes Nursery. The tree is a worthy small garden edition, less vigorous with attractively lobed leaves with flowers and fruit being typical of the species. History: Bred by Thornhayes nursery Devon. Find Out More Malus x magdeburgensis Description: A Smal, broad-headed treelike the domestic apple, with somewhat spreading branches and beautiful, large, semi-double flowers, deep red in bud, opening to purplish pink-clouded whited up to 15 petals per bloom. Fruits light green to yellow. History: Introduced to the UK in 1850 and received an Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society in 1933. Apple ‘Kidd’s Orange Red’ Description: Kidd’s Orange Red is a high quality dessert apple, a good Cox alternative. Flushed bright deep orange-scarlet with short, broken red stripes. A creamy white flesh that’s firm, crisp, juicy and sweet with rich aromatic flavour, a good balance of sugar and acidity. Grown commercially in New Zealand and in the UK. Well worth a place in the garden! Parentage: Cox’s Orange Pippin x Delicious History: Raised by J.H. Kidd at Greytown, Wairarapa, New Zealand in 1924. Introduced to the UK in 1932 and received an Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society in 1993. Find Out More Apple ‘Sunset’ Description: Sunset is a high-quality dessert apple. Similar to Cox but more disease resistant and slightly earlier to fruit. Greenish yellow becoming golden or almost orange with short, broken stripes and fine brown russet. Flesh is creamy white. Firm, crisp, fine-textured, and a little juicy, with good, aromatic flavour. A reliable cropper and an excellent garden apple. History: Raised by G.C. Addy at Ightham, Kent, England in about 1918 from seed of Cox’s Orange Pippin. Names in 1933. Received an Award of Merit from Royal Horticultural Society in 1960. Find Out More Apple ‘Cox Self Fertile’ Description: Cox Self Fertile is a self fertile form of Cox’s Orange Pippin. Heavy, late crop of the best eating apple in the world. The fruit is orange over greenish-yellow with deep cream flesh that has sweet, aromatic flavour and is juicy and crisp. Best when it’s picked and eaten straight from the tree or can be made into home-pressed apple juice. Good variety for growing in northern areas of the UK. Striking pinkish-white clusters of blossom during the spring. A highly recommended variety for less than ideal Cox areas. History: Introduced in 1975 in Bristol, England. The original Cox’s Orange Pippin was raised by Richard Cox at Colnbrook Lawn, Slough, Buckinghamshire, England in about 1825. Said to be seedling of Ribston Pippin. Find Out More Pear ‘Clapp’s Favorite’ Description: One of the earliest Pears. A good reliable variety that produces heavy crops of medium sized yellow green fruits with a red blush. Delicious, Sweet and juicy. History: Introduced in 1860, Massachusetts, USA at Colnbrook Lawn, Slough, Buckinghamshire, England in about 1825. Said to be seedling of Ribston Pippin. Link Pear ‘Conference’ Description: Conference is one of the most consistent varieties and a firm garden favourite with good self fertility. Heavy crops of medium sized yellowish-green fruits with brown russet over areas, occasionally pink flushed on chalk soil. Flesh is pale yellow with a slight pinkish tinge towards the core. Sweet and juicy, melting with a pleasant pear flavour. The most popular variety that’s commercially grown on a wide scale throughout the UK and other countries. History: Raised by Rivers of Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire during the 19th Century. Thought to be a seedling of Can Mons Leon Leclerc. Exhibited at the National British Conference of 1885 which is the event which gave the variety its name. Received an Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society. Find Out More