Christmas 2024Order now for delivery from week commencing 6th January.More>

John Downie crab apple trees

Malus
Check pollinators >
  • Self-fertility: Self-fertile
  • Blossom colour: White
  • Fruit colour: Orange / Red
  • Awards: RHS AGM (former) 1999

JJohn Downie is one of the most popular crab-apples in the UK, featuring traditional white blossom and very attractive bright orange-red fruitlets, with a distinctive upside-down pear shape.

It is perhaps the definitive variety for making crab apple jelly, which will usually be a pale pink colour.

It grows with a more upright habit than most other crab-apple varieties, and will fit in a relatively small space.

John Downie crab apple trees for sale

Pot-grown

All pot-grown trees are suitable for planting out in the garden, some are suitable for growing in containers.

  • PG12-year 12L pot-grown tree Semi-vigorous rootstock £60.50
    Large tree (3m-5m after 10 years)

Bare-root

  • BR11-year bare-root tree Semi-vigorous rootstock £36.95< 5 in stock
    Large tree (3m-5m after 10 years)

Need help? Ask our fruit tree experts

Call us on 01759 392007 or fill in our contact form.

Next deliveries

Order now for delivery from week commencing 6th January.

Delivery charges

Delivery for a single tree starts at £9.95, it is calculated based on your postcode.

Growing and Training

John Downie is not as disease resistant as most other crab apple varieties as it can be somewhat prone to apple scab (although this does not affect the cooking quality of the fruit), however it is still easy to grow.

It grows in a more upright style than most crab apple varieties.

 

History

John Downie was raised in the 1870s by Edward Holmes, a nurseryman from Lichfield, England. He named it after his friend and fellow nurseryman John Downie.


John Downie characteristics

Growing

  • Gardening skillAverage
  • Self-fertilitySelf-fertile
  • Flowering group4
  • Pollinating othersGood
  • Fruit bearingSpur-bearer

Using

  • Picking seasonLate
  • CroppingGood
  • Food usesCulinary

Problems

  • Disease resistancePoor

Identification

  • Country of originUnited Kingdom
  • Period of origin1850 - 1899
  • Blossom colourWhite
  • Fruit colourOrange / Red
  • AwardsRHS AGM (former)

British-grown trees Trees grown in the UK.

Unlike many garden centres and online retailers, the vast majority of our fruit trees are grown in the UK. Find out more.

In addition, all our trees are certified under the Plant Healthy scheme, supervised by the Plant Health Alliance. Other stakeholders include Defra and the RHS. The scheme aims to improve UK biosecurity by setting standards for all growers and retailers involved in selling plants in the UK. Find out more

Guaranteed fruit trees

When you buy your fruit tree from Orange Pippin Fruit Trees we guarantee it for the first season in your garden whilst it gets established. If it doesn't grow successfully, we'll either replace it the following season or offer a refund - subject to some conditions. Find out more.