Rudolph Purple Crab Apple Trees

• Variety: Rudolph, an upright Crab Apple with rose-red flowers
• Latin name: Malus 'Rudolph'
• Sold as: Bareroot standards, 6/8 and 8/10cm girth, and half-standards. Pot-grown half-standard, 10 litre
• Flowers: Single, rose-red, up to 4.5cm across, from dark buds
• Fruit: Elongated and reddish-yellow, lasting well. Good for jelly
• Leaves: Copper-red at first, glossy dark green in summer, yellow in autumn
• Mature size: 6 to 7m tall
• Time to full size: 10 to 20 years
• Position: Sun or partial shade. Exposed or sheltered
• Soil: Any moderately fertile, well-drained soil, chalk and clay included
• Wildlife: RHS Plants for Pollinators
• Hardiness: H6, hardy through the British winter
• Delivered: Bareroot, November to April. Pot-grown, all year when in stock. Collection from Castle Cary also available

Rudolph is an upright Crab Apple of 6 to 7 metres, with single rose-red flowers opening from dark buds, copper-red young leaves, and elongated fruit that lasts well on the tree. It is on the RHS Plants for Pollinators list and suits a small garden.

Rudolph Purple Crab Apple Trees

Malus Rudolph crab apple trees are perfect for injecting some purple, red and pink tones into your garden. They have great purple-red young leaves borne on red stalks, maturing to a dark purple blush in summer and a fabulous purple-gold in autumn. The large, profuse flowers are purple-pink; they don't last long, but are a fine sight at their peak in late spring.
The elongated, reddish-yellow fruit aren't abundant compared to most other varieties, but still good for making jelly or pressing for juice to add to a cider mixture. If you don't pick them, they'll stay in the tree into Autumn, unless the squirrels and birds snatch them.

They're quite small, upright trees that will squeeze into most small gardens.
Browse our variety of crab apple trees or our full range of ornamental garden trees.

Delivery season: Crab apple trees are delivered bareroot from late autumn to early spring, November to April, and pot-grown in any month when in stock.
Choosing a size: Small trees are cheaper, easier to handle and more forgiving of less than ideal aftercare, so they're best for a big planting project. If instant impact is your priority, or if you are only buying a few plants for use in a place where it's convenient to water them well in their first year, then you may as well use bigger ones. Our standard trees are measured by the girth of the trunk in centimetres, one metre above the ground, not by their height.

Growing Rudolph Crab Apples

Any well drained soil, as long as it isn't too dry: their roots are on the shallow side, which does make them suitable for large containers designed for trees. Full sun or partial shade. Tolerant of pollution and recommended for the coldest frost pockets.

History & Trivia

Rudolph was bred from M. baccata (Siberian crab apple) by Frank. L. Skinner in Manitoba, Canada and released in 1954

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is not a traditional character, but was invented in 1939.

Standard trees are measured by their girth in centimetres 1 metre above ground level: their trunk's waist measurement. Unlike sapling trees and hedge plants, standards aren't measured by their height, which will vary quite a bit both between and within species.
So, a 6/8cm standard tree has a trunk with a circumference of 6-8cm and an 8/10 standard has a trunk 8-10cm around. This measurement makes no difference to the tree's final height.
On average, standard trees are 2-3.5 metres tall when they arrive, but we cannot tell you precisely how tall your trees will be before we deliver them.

Planting Companions

For red flower over a dark leaf, the Crab Apple to set beside Rudolph is Royalty. In the same colour and the same season, Paul's Scarlet Hawthorn is a tree of similar size. Our guide to pruning a Crab Apple covers the little cutting it needs. Dust bareroot roots with Rootgrow as you plant.

Why Ashridge for Crab Apple Trees?

Ashridge has sold trees since 1949 and is a Which? Best Plant Supplier 2025. Your Rudolph Crab Apple comes bareroot, lifted while dormant, or pot-grown for planting in any month. Bareroot trees are guaranteed for 12 months, and so is a potted tree delivered leafless between November and March.

Frequently Asked Questions

How big does Rudolph grow?

An upright tree, 6 to 7 metres tall.

Can you use the fruit?

Yes. The fruit is edible when cooked, and it makes jelly. Remove the seeds first.

Is Rudolph good for bees?

Yes. It is on the RHS Plants for Pollinators list.

What soil does it need?

Any moderately fertile soil that drains. It grows in chalk, clay, sand and loam, acid or alkaline, in sun or partial shade.

Does a Crab Apple need pruning?

Very little. It is in pruning group 1: take out dead, damaged or crossing wood in winter.

Can it grow in a pot?

The pot-grown half-standard can stay in a large container for a few years. After that, plant it out.

When are the trees delivered?

Bareroot trees are delivered from November to April, while they are dormant. Pot-grown trees can be delivered and planted in any month when you find them in stock.