Malus Ivory Spear - Crab Apple

The ‘Ivory Spear’ apple is a patented cultivar (PP 34121), introduced in 2020 by Keith Warren of J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co. (Oregon, USA). It is part of the Spear® series, known for its disease-resistant, columnar trees. 
This grafted tree has a naturally narrow and upright habit; it reaches approximately 6m tall and 2.5m wide at 10 years old. Its growth rate is around 15 to 30cm per year. In spring (April-May), ‘Ivory Spear’ becomes covered in a profusion of single, white flowers with 5 petals, 2.5 to 3 cm in diameter, lightly fragrant and visited by pollinators. This blossom gives way to deciduous, bright green foliage, composed of ovate, 5 to 8 cm long, deeply veined leaves. In autumn, the leaves turn golden yellow before falling. In September, small, spherical red fruits form, 10 to 12 mm in diameter, persisting into winter and eaten by birds. The root system is that of grafted apple trees: a shallow taproot with balanced lateral branching, ideal for planting in containers or rows.
Malus ‘Ivory Spear’ tolerates a wide range of well-drained soils — clay, loam, sand — with a preference for slightly acidic to neutral pH (between 5.5 and 7). Once established, it withstands moderate drought periods. Hardy down to -34 °C, it shows strong resistance to common fungal and bacterial diseases such as apple scab, fire blight, rust and powdery mildew.

A pretty little column laden with flowers, leaves and fruit, Malus ‘Ivory Spear’ embodies discreet elegance. Use it to punctuate a contemporary garden or mark an entrance. It also works well in a dense row to create a vertical hedge. Its golden autumn foliage echoes the warm-toned perennials of Rudbeckias, common yarrow or Helenium. In a more subdued scene, it can also be combined with snow-in-summer (Cerastium) for a soft, luminous atmosphere.