Malus 'Indian Summer'
crab apple 'Indian Summer'
A deciduous crab apple tree, with oval-shaped leaves that emerge flushed with purple, mature to bronzed green, and turn shades of red and orange in autumn. Masses of fragrant pink flowers are produced in late spring, followed in autumn by small, bright red fruits that persist into winter
Size
Ultimate height
4–8 metresTime to ultimate height
10–20 yearsUltimate spread
4–8 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drained, Well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Pink | Green Purple Bronze | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Green Bronze | |||
| Autumn | Green Red Orange | Red | ||
| Winter | Red |
Position
- Full sun
- Partial shade
Aspect
East–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered Hardiness
H6Botanical details
- Family
- Rosaceae
- Native to GB / Ireland
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Columnar upright, Spreading branched
- Potentially harmful
- Although generally edible when cooked, seeds contain toxins so these should be removed if you are considering eating the fruit, usually grown as an ornamental shrub. see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants for further information and useful contact numbers
- Genus
Malus are small to medium-sized deciduous trees with showy flowers in spring and ornamental or edible fruit in autumn; some have good autumn foliage colour
- Name status
Accepted
How to grow
Cultivation
Grow in fertile, deep, moist, loamy soil in a sunny position; will tolerate partial shade
Propagation
Propagate by chip budding in late summer, or grafting in mid-winter
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- City and courtyard gardens
- Cottage and informal garden
- Wildlife gardens
- Flower borders and beds
- Edible fruit
Pruning
Pests
May be susceptible to aphids, including rosy apple aphid and woolly aphid, apple sawfly, fruit tree red spider mite, codling moth, apple leaf-mining moth and other caterpillars
Diseases
May be susceptible to apple canker, apple scab, blossom wilt, brown rot, fireblight, honey fungus and powdery mildews
Get involved
The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.