The Malus ‘Crimson Knight’ is a sensational deciduous Crabapple tree, highly valued for its all-season colour and elegant form. Unlike many other Crabapples, this variety is grown for its deep purplish-red foliage that remains vibrant throughout the spring and summer, creating a dramatic, dark backdrop in the garden. In spring, it provides a spectacular show with a heavy display of deep pink flowers.
Its ornamental value continues into autumn, where it holds small, deep-red, persistent fruit. These colourful crabapples are prolific and remain on the branches well into the colder months, adding a fantastic splash of winter colour and providing a food source for local birdlife.
Caring for Your ‘Crimson Knight’
- Growing Conditions: This tree thrives in a position with full sun. Maximum sun exposure is essential to bring out the deepest colour in the foliage. It is a tough and cold-hardy tree, making it suitable for temperate climates with cold winters. It prefers well-draining, fertile soil.
- Watering: Water deeply and regularly while the tree is young and establishing its roots. Once established, it is relatively drought-tolerant, but will perform better with supplemental watering during long, dry summer periods.
- Feeding: Feed your Crabapple tree with a balanced, slow-release fertiliser in early spring just as the new growth begins to appear.
- Pruning: Pruning is best done during the dormant winter period to maintain a pleasing shape, remove any dead or crossing branches, and encourage good air circulation.
Usage in the Garden
The ‘Crimson Knight’ Crabapple is an excellent ornamental feature tree due to its persistent deep-red foliage, making it a perfect foil for green-leaved plants. It looks magnificent as a standalone feature in a lawn, or it can be used in a row to line an avenue or pathway. Its manageable size and year-round colour ensure it provides high visual impact in the garden across all four seasons.
