Plant Encyclopedia

Other Names:  Roseybloom, Crabapple

Group/Class:  Spire Series

Brand:  Jefferies Nurseries

Description:

A beautiful landscape tree, with sparse pink flowers in spring that give rise to purple fruit in fall; compact, columnar habit of growth with outstanding, glossy purple foliage all summer long; best used as a solitary, needs well-drained soil and full sun

Ornamental Features

Midnite Spire® Columnar Crabapple features airy clusters of fragrant pink flowers along the branches in mid spring before the leaves. It has attractive dark green-variegated deep purple foliage with hints of black which emerges burgundy in spring. The pointy leaves are highly ornamental but do not develop any appreciable fall colour. The fruits are showy purple pomes carried in abundance from early to mid fall. The fruit can be messy if allowed to drop on the lawn or walkways, and may require occasional clean-up.

Landscape Attributes

Midnite Spire® Columnar Crabapple is a deciduous tree with a narrowly upright and columnar growth habit. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.

This tree will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Midnite Spire® Columnar Crabapple is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Shade
• Vertical Accent
• General Garden Use

Planting & Growing

Midnite Spire® Columnar Crabapple will grow to be about 20 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 6 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 50 years or more.

This tree should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid.