Malus 'RED JADE'

Red Jade is one of the most fantastic crabapple varieties combining the beauty of a weeping crown and abundance of coloured fruit. It produces masses of slightly fragrant, white blossoms opening from pink buds in May, which are followed by cherry-like, yellow and red fruit that is in fact tiny apples that can be eaten if you like somewhat astringent taste. There is plentiful of them and on the strictly weeping branches they do look like maturing cherries in the middle of autumn. Seedling selected already in 1935.

Leaves are deciduous, broadly ovate, glossy, and rich green. The weeping branches form a rather symmetrical canopy which will get as much as 5-6m wide on old trees, but can be kept slimmer by removing side branches in early spring or after flowering. The tree height is dependent on the location of grafting point from which the tree makes only some 50 cm upwards. Pruning will also help modeling a canopy shape – left to its own devices it will be like a mushroom head, and regularly pruned after flowering to the very top will form a flat umbrella under which other plants can thrive.

Apple and crabapple trees will grow in most soils but do best in well-drained but evenly moist, fertile soil. When planting it, make sure the root-ball is well soaked with water. Newly transplanted trees need good support for 2-3 years. Fully hardy to about -29°C (USDA zone 5).

Last update 03-03-2017