This proud crabapple cultivar is only a relatively recent introduction, having first been bred in the US back in 2003, but it has enjoyed serious popularity ever since. With its attractive upright habit, spreading somewhat with age, 'Royal Raindrops' certainly has a lot going for it. Deeply-cut purple foliage, crimson-pink spring blossoms and cherry-red autumn fruits result in a tree whose place in any garden is undoubtedly merited. Add to that the excellent resistance to problems like rust and apple scab and you begin to see why we're such big fans. The densely-branched tree takes on evocative autumn shades later in the year, with the leaves turning a burnished burgundy colour, while the fruits themselves will persist on the tree for several months. If you manage to get to the ripe crabapples before the birds do, then you can use them to make your own batch of crabapple jelly, which tastes amazing spread on toast or served with cold cuts. Crabapple trees (in fact, all trees in the Malus genus for that matter) are certified with the RHS's Plants for Pollinators status, indicating its benefits to pollinating insects like bees and butterflies. Please note: this page includes selected AI-assisted imagery for illustrative purposes.
