Synonyms: Malus baccata ’Almey’

Summary: An ornamental crabapple loaded with stunning pink flowers.

Identification: Blooms for about a month.

Uses: Strictly ornamental. Fruits grow to about cherry size.

Origins: Developed at the Experimental Farm at Morden, Manitoba (Canada) and released in 1945. Named in honour of Bob Almey who was the province of Manitoba's first provincial horticulturalist.

Cultivation: Upright. Usually growing to five metres tall but can go to eight metres with matching spreads. Likes full sun and moist, well drained soils. Does well in hardiness zones 4 to 7.

Diseases: Susceptible to scab, fire blight.

Notes: The Almey selected as the centennial crabapple and 50,000 young trees were slated for planting throughout Canada's capital city, Ottawa. Fortunately only a fraction did make it into the ground since the trees were susceptible to scab and, come winter, the fruit dropping on streets and sidewalks became a problem for the municipal government.

Flowers: reddish pink

Foliage: Young leaves have a purple hue, fading to green. Yellow and orange in autumn.

Foliage: Dense, dark green.

Fruit: About acorn size. Maroon. Clings to tree when ripe.

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Apples with a similar sounding name: