Crab Apple ‘Royal Raindrops’

Crab Apple 'Royal Raindrops' (Malus 'Royal Raindrops') is the deciduous feature tree that keeps working long after the flowers finish. It reaches about 6m tall and 4m wide, opens magenta pink flowers along every branch in spring, then holds deeply cut purple foliage through summer. Small red fruit hangs on the bare branches into winter, so there is only a short window each year when the tree has nothing to show.

Why you'll love it

• Four seasons from one tree. Magenta spring flowers, purple summer foliage, bronze autumn colour, then red fruit on bare wood.
• Foliage that carries the summer. The finely cut leaves hold their purple far better than older crab apples, which green off in the heat.
• Sized for a real garden, and tough. About 6m by 4m, with non-invasive roots, frost hardiness and real drought tolerance once established.
• Birds and pollinators use it. Bees work the blossom, and the fruit feeds birds through the leanest months.

Where it works best

Driveways and avenues. Plant 5m to 6m apart in a row. That spacing lets each canopy develop its own shape while the line still reads as a matched avenue from the road.

Feature planting. One tree in lawn is enough. The purple foliage does the work of a mass planting, so keep any underplanting pale and simple.

Small gardens. Non-invasive roots let it sit closer to paving and services than most trees this size. Allow about 4m of clear width.

Growing Crab Apple 'Royal Raindrops' in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, and plenty of it: shade thins the canopy and dulls the purple to a muddy bronze. This is a cool temperate, warm temperate and Mediterranean tree, and it needs winter chill to flower well, so it is not a pick for subtropical gardens.

Soil. Not fussy about type as long as water moves through. On heavy clay, plant on a raised mound with compost dug through the bed. Mulch 75mm deep, kept clear of the trunk.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first two summers, then taper off as the roots go down. A complete slow release fertiliser in early spring is all the feeding it asks for.

Pruning. Prune in winter while the structure is visible. Remove crossing branches and any shoots from the base, and keep it light, because flowers form on older wood.

What to expect when it arrives

It comes in three sizes: a 400mm pot, a 45L and a 100L. The 400mm is a young grafted tree, usually well under 2m, and the value option for an avenue. The 45L is the middle ground for a single feature, and the 100L arrives with real height and a formed canopy.

Ordered between late autumn and late winter it will arrive bare of leaves, which is normal for a deciduous tree and the ideal time to plant. Expect 30 to 50cm of growth a year once established, and a proper display from the second or third spring. Plants are 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

• Browse more deciduous trees for seasonal colour.
• See the full range of driveway trees for a matched avenue.
• Read our guide to the best trees for lining driveways in Australia.

Common questions

How far apart should I plant them for a driveway?

Space them 5m to 6m apart. Tighter than 5m and the canopies crowd each other into narrow, one sided shapes. Wider than 6m and the avenue never reads as continuous from a car.

Is the fruit edible?

It is small, hard and very tart, so it is not a snacking apple, though crab apples of this type are traditionally used for jelly. Most gardeners leave it for the birds.

Will it grow in a warm coastal garden?

It is happiest with cold winters. In subtropical gardens the lack of winter chill gives patchy flowering and weak autumn colour, so warm coastal gardeners are better served by a tree suited to their climate.