Crab Apple ‘Raspberry Spear’

Crab Apple 'Raspberry Spear' (Malus 'Raspberry Spear') solves the problem of a narrow bed that still needs height. It reaches about 5m tall and holds to roughly 1.5m wide, growing as an upright column. Pink to red blossom opens in spring, the new foliage comes through purple red, and small dark fruit follows before the leaves colour and fall.

Why you'll love it

• Height without width. At 5m by 1.5m it screens a first floor window from a bed barely wider than a path.
• Something happening most of the year. Blossom, then purple red new growth, then dark fruit, then autumn colour before it goes bare.
• Roots that behave. The root system is non-invasive, so it can sit close to paving, a driveway edge or a service line.
• Cold and dry are fine. Frost hardy, wind tolerant and drought tolerant once it is established.

Where it works best

Screening and privacy. Plant 1.5m apart for a narrow screen. At that spacing the columns touch and read as a single wall in summer, and let winter light through once the leaves drop.

Driveways and avenues. Stretch the spacing to 2.5m if you want each tree read as its own shape. The narrow form keeps branches out of car doors.

Small gardens. It takes up the ground space of a large shrub but delivers the height of a tree, which is the trade most courtyards need.

Growing Crab Apple 'Raspberry Spear' in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, and a genuine winter. This is a tree for cool temperate, warm temperate and Mediterranean gardens, and it needs winter chill to flower well. In subtropical and tropical gardens it grows but blossoms poorly, so it is the wrong choice there.

Soil. Not fussy about type provided water moves through. Dig compost through the backfill, and mulch 75mm deep, kept clear of the trunk.

Water and feed. Deep soak weekly through the first two summers, then only in extended dry spells. Feed a complete fertiliser in late winter, just before bud burst.

Pruning. The columnar habit does the work for you. Prune only when dormant in winter, taking out any branch that breaks the line plus dead or crossing wood. Hard summer pruning costs you next spring's flowers.

What to expect when it arrives

It is supplied in one size, 45L, an advanced tree with a formed trunk and its column already established. Because it is deciduous, a tree arriving in winter may be bare or barely budded. That is dormancy, not a dead plant, and winter is the best time to plant it.

Expect the first season to go into roots rather than height, then a moderate rate after that. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• See the best trees for lining driveways.
• Compare other tall and narrow screening plants.
• Browse the full deciduous trees range.
• Find companions in our autumn colour plants.

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a screen?

1.5m apart in a single row. Closer and the columns compete for light and thin at the base; wider leaves gaps you will not close later.

Will it flower in a warm climate?

Not reliably. It needs winter chill to set a good bud, so cool temperate, warm temperate and Mediterranean gardens get the display. In subtropical gardens expect foliage and little blossom.

Can I plant it near a driveway or paving?

Yes, this is one of its strengths. The roots are non-invasive, so it does not lift paving the way a larger shade tree does. Leave a metre of clearance as good practice.

Does it lose its leaves in winter?

Yes, it is fully deciduous. The leaves colour in autumn and fall, leaving a bare upright frame through winter, then blossom arrives before the new foliage.