One of the prettiest purple-leafed crabapples, Malus 'Royal Raindrops' is an upright, spreading deciduous tree of broadly rounded habit with a long season of interest. Masses of fragrant, magenta-pink single appear in mid spring. Draped in clusters along the branches, they stand out against the reddish-purple, cutleaf foliage. The eye-popping blossoms are followed by abundant sparkling red fruits, 1/4 in. (0.5 cm), in late summer that persist into early winter and are prized by birds. Emerging glossy deep purple in spring, the uniquely shaped, deeply lobed leaves maintain their rich color through the heat of summer, and turn attractive shades of bronze, orange and purple in the fall. Noted for its excellent disease resistance, heat and drought tolerance, this easy-care flowering crabapple provides an all-season appeal and is regarded as one of the best new cultivars.
Grows up to 15-20 ft. tall (4-6 m) and 12-15 ft. wide (3-5 m).
A full sun lover, this tree is easily grown in moderately fertile, well-drained soils. Once established, it is drought tolerant.
Perfect as specimen plant, in city gardens or cottage gardens.
Require only minimal pruning in late winter, to remove damaged, diseased or misplaced growth.
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