Cut-leaf crabapple
Sometimes, quite unexpectedly you come across a plant that is so stunning, it becomes etched into your memory, and this exceptional tree is just one of those. I first saw it at RHS Wisley; it was autumn, and we were wandering through the model gardens (possibly they no longer feature there now?), when I turned a corner and saw this perfect picture of glowing autumn colour in the late afternoon sunshine. Its golden yellow leaves combined with masses of small amber fruits were an amazing combination and I remember it to this day.
The cut-leaved crabapple is a small (4m +), spreading, almost umbrella shaped deciduous tree whose blossoms are a deep pink in bud and then open to star-shaped single white flowers. They are hardy, happiest in sun, self-fertile and need little or no pruning.
As always, it’s well worth doing some homework before buying any tree and there are several national collections of malus in the UK, so you can visit one and then be absolutely sure of what you’re getting.
We planted ours four or five years ago and it’s already giving us a lot of pleasure, so was I gilding the lily when I planted Clematis ‘Kermesina’ at its feet? Only time will tell, and that’s the enormous pleasure to be had from gardening!
NB Louise has published a beautifully produced book of her plant profiles – A Plant for Each Week of the Year. It costs £9.99 and is for sale in our online shop here.
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One reply on “Malus transitoria AGM”
Caroline, you make me laugh out loud.
I have an open garden, open to deer. Hardly a garden of delights, more a garden of mis-shaped shrubs and stunted growth.
I’m having another go at encouraging a clematis through a Kilmarnock willow. Perhaps Louise’s suggestion might work as opposed to my £2 clematis from Morrisons.