Malus John Downie - Crab Apple

The Malus John Downie is a very old variety of ornamental apple tree always appreciated for its abundant and colourful fruiting. This small tree attracts attention in spring with its abundant white-pink flower clusters, and again in late summer with its superb small orange apples that turn red in the sun. Its moderate growth is suitable for gardens of all sizes. When space allows, ornamental apple trees planted in a large hedge create a fairly magical scene in spring and autumn.

Ornamental apple trees come from various botanical species of the genus Malus belonging to the Rosaceae family. Hardy, accommodating, and easy to grow, flowering apple trees can tolerate ordinary soil but prefer deep, loose, and fresh loamy soil and sunny exposures. Once established, they can be perfectly forgotten while maintaining their generous nature. Numerous cultivars have emerged in Europe and the United States, becoming increasingly attractive and disease-resistant. 'John Downie', on the other hand, was obtained in 1875 by Edward Holmes from Lichfield, England.

A large bush or small tree, the ornamental apple tree 'John Downie' has an upright habit in its young age. Over time, the crown becomes rounded, resembling the silhouette of a broad pyramid. Its average dimensions at maturity are around 4m (13 ft 1 in) in height and 3m (9 ft 10 in) in width. It maintains a harmonious shape without the need for pruning and develops fine wood.

Flowering takes place in April-May, depending on the climate, on bare branches, in the form of numerous white buds. They open into single flowers, measuring 3.5 to 4 cm (1.4 to 1.6 in) in diameter, with a barely pinkish-white colour. These flowers, gathered in small clusters, are followed by young leaves. After pollination, a multitude of small oval-shaped apples, often clustered together, form, measuring 3 to 4 cm (1.2 to 1.6 in) in length. They turn from yellow to orange at maturity in September, with the sun-exposed side becoming red. Highly appreciated by birds, these fruits remain on the tree until late autumn, in November. The deciduous foliage consists of ovate, alternate, and toothed leaves.

The Malus 'John Downie', like many flowering apple trees, is a good pollinator for early-flowering fruit trees. Its abundant flowering, although possibly less long-lasting than that of a flowering cherry tree, is extended by the beauty of its fruits in late summer. The habit adds to the charm of this charming plant where many birds venture. It will find its place in a medium to large-sized garden, in a free hedge, accompanied, for example, by large shrub or climbing roses trained as shrubs, evergreen Viburnum, and lilacs.