Malus robusta Dolgo - Crabapple

Malus x robusta 'Dolgo' (also known as 'Pink Glow') is an ornamental Apple tree appreciated for its fragrant flowering and beautiful ruby red, decorative and edible crabapples. In autumn, its foliage takes on beautiful yellow and even orange hues. This tree can be planted as a specimen, in a grove, or in the orchard to pollinate fruit-bearing apple trees. It is a variety known for its disease resistance.

Ornamental Apple trees come from various botanical species of the Malus genus belonging to the Rosaceae family. Hardy, adaptable, and easy to grow, these flowering apple trees thrive in ordinary soil but prefer deep, loose, and moist soil. Once established, they can look after themselves, while maintaining their generous character. Numerous cultivars have emerged in Europe and the United States, becoming increasingly attractive and disease-resistant.

The 'Dolgo' Apple tree comes from seeds of Malus × Robusta collected in 1897 at the Imperial Botanical Gardens in St. Petersburg, Russia, by NE Hansen of the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station. This variety was introduced to the horticultural market in 1917. It is a relatively fast-growing tree with a short trunk and a wide, rounded crown, which generally reaches a height of 5m and a spread of 4m, or even more depending on the growing conditions. Its young leaves, which appear just before flowering, are a tender green and darken later. They turn yellow-orange in autumn before falling. In April-May, depending on the region, pale pink flower buds appear, opening into single flowers with a diameter of about 3.5cm, with pure white petals and protruding yellow stamens in the centre. They are fragrant and nectar-rich and attract pollinators. The fruits ripen around October. They are oval and measure approximately 4cm in length and 2-3cm in diameter. Their colour is a beautiful bright red. These fruits fall quite quickly. This 'Dolgo' Malus fruits at the same time as 'John Downie', which is a similar tree in many ways but with better disease resistance.

Malus 'Dolgo' can be planted as a specimen tree on a lawn or integrated into a flowerbed where it will provide structure. Consider its future growth before planting it in the garden. Its natural appearance pairs well with many spring-flowering shrubs such as Amelanchier lamarckii, a Canadian serviceberry, 'Forest Pansy' Redbud, or lilacs, for example.