Malus domestica 'Blue Moon' (D)
apple 'Blue Moon'
A non-branching, columnar tree about 2.5m tall and 50cm wide, producing flowers and fruit from short shoots all along the main trunk. Dull, bluish-purple and green apples have crisp, juicy, sweet-sharp flesh, cropping in late summer and storing for a few weeks. A self-fertile cultivar, but will crop better with a pollination partner
Size
Ultimate height
1.5–2.5 metresTime to ultimate height
5–10 yearsUltimate spread
0.1–0.5 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drained, Well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
Spring | Pink White | Green | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Summer | Green | Green Purple | ||
Autumn | Green | |||
Winter |
Position
- Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H6Botanical details
- Family
- Rosaceae
- Native to the UK
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Columnar upright
- 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
Unresolved
How to grow
Cultivation
Prefers deep, fertile, moist but well-drained, neutral soil in a sunny sheltered position. Will not thrive on very acid soils, shallow chalk soils or with shade for more than half the day. Ideal for containers. May require fruit thinning to improve fruit size and quality. See apple cultivation
Propagation
Propagate by chip budding in late summer, or grafting in mid-winter. Plants grown from pips are unlikely to resemble the parent
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- Architectural
- City and courtyard gardens
- Cottage and informal garden
- Patio and container plants
- Wildlife gardens
- Edible fruit
- Flower borders and beds
- Wall side borders
Pruning
Prune side shoots to two or three buds in summer
Pests
May be susceptible to aphids, including rosy apple aphid and woolly aphid, fruit tree red spider mite, codling moth and other caterpillars
Diseases
May be susceptible to apple canker, blossom wilt, brown rot, fireblight and honey fungus. Has some resistance to apple scab and powdery mildews
Get involved
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