Malus Royal Beauty Variegata - Crab Apple

Malus Royal Beauty Variegata is an original cultivar of ornamental apple tree. It naturally adopts a particularly compact weeping habit, whose dome is literally covered in spring with small, single flowers of intense dark pink. These flowers then develop into small dark red fruits gathered in clusters, also very decorative. Its foliage is an additional asset, with the cream yellow that randomly speckles the original green, giving a luminous aspect to the dense vegetation. This fairly hardy, small flowering apple tree with an architectural habit grows in full sun and adapts to most soils.

Ornamental apple trees are derived from various botanical species of the genus Malus belonging to the large botanical family Rosaceae. This family gives us most of our temperate climate fruit trees (Apple trees, Pear trees, Plum trees, Apricot trees, Peach trees, etc.), but also many ornamental plants (Hawthorn, Cotoneaster, Rose, Photinia, Prunus...) as well as numerous wild plants that brighten our countryside. Hardy, accommodating and easy to grow, flowering apple trees are content with ordinary soil, but prefer loamy, deep, loose and moist soils and sunny positions. Once established, they tolerate being forgotten while retaining their generous nature. Numerous cultivars have appeared, both in Europe and the United States, each bringing its own touch of originality.

This variegated flowering apple tree is a mutation of the variety Royal Beauty. Just like it, it forms a small tree with a weeping habit, but of slightly more compact dimensions, since it reaches approximately 2.5m in height and 1.75m in width after 10 years, and at maturity (around 20 years), 3m x 2m at most. Its irregular crown naturally forms a well-rounded dome, from which very slender twigs hang down towards the ground. In spring, these dark purple twigs produce young green leaves irregularly variegated with yellow or cream. Elliptical to almost lanceolate in shape and with a pointed tip, they are medium-sized, borne on petioles a few centimetres long. From April to May, the purple flower buds open into pretty single flowers of a strong pink, slightly tending towards red or purple. This extremely abundant flowering completely covers the tree, eye-catching for metres around. The flowering, visited by bees, is followed by the formation of many small, dark red apples reminiscent of cherry clusters. These persist on the tree until winter, after leaf fall, adding yet another ornamental interest to this apple tree, and also helping to feed birds in winter.
Hardy to at least -20°C, this small tree grows in any good garden soil, with a preference for clay soils, moist and loose. It particularly appreciates sunny positions, but also tolerates partially shaded situations, where its flowering will be slightly less intense.

Malus 'Royal Beauty Variegata' is a real gem for small urban gardens, in which its architectural and compact habit will bring a touch of originality without taking up too much space. With its multiple assets, it will easily occupy the centre of a lawn, but can equally be integrated into a bed of varied plants. To create a strong contrast, plant it beside purple shrubs such as Physocarpus opulifolius Little Devil. This dwarf shrub, not exceeding 1m in height, has a pretty cut foliage of an almost black purple in spring, which will contrast well with the yellow variegation of the apple tree, and in autumn turns a coppery orange. It also produces small white flowers from May to July, which will take over from your crab apple tree. Equally compact, Caryopteris clandonensis Sterling Silver will add a very complementary grey-silver tone, and above all extend the flowering season even further thanks to its superb deep blue flowering that stretches from August to October.