Purpurea Evelyn crab apple trees

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• Self-fertility: Self-fertile
• Blossom colour: Pink - dark
• Fruit colour: Green / Yellow

Malus 'Evelyn' is an attractive purple-leaved form of the native American Prairie Crab.

The leaves are unusually large, purple in the spring, turning a fiery red in the autumn. The large dark pink flowers have a characteristic fragrance.

The fruitlets are of variable colours - green, yellow, red. They are larger than those of many other purple or bronze-leaved crab apples, but still not really large enough for crab-apple jelly. Also, the fruiting tends to be a bit too light for serious jelly production.

Purpurea Evelyn crab apple trees for sale

Pot-grown

All our pot-grown trees are grown for us to our specification by the Frank P Matthews nursery.

• PG12-year 12L pot-grown tree, Semi-vigorous rootstock£65.00
  Large tree (3m-5m after 10 years)
  

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Need help?

Ask our fruit tree experts on 01759 392007 or fill in our contact form.

Tree specification

Photos of trees as supplied | Tree sizes and forms

Next deliveries

Delivery from week commencing 2nd February 2026 onwards.

Delivery charges

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

Growing and Training

Malus Evelyn has a poor reputation in the USA where it originates, on account of its great susceptibility to fireblight, a disease which is widespread in many areas of North America. Fortunately this disease is rarely encountered in the UK.

History

Malus 'Evelyn' is a hybrid crab-apple, related to the species Malus ioensis, a crab-apple which used to be native to the mid-west of North America. Malus ioensis is often known as the Prairie Crab, but is now rarely found growing wild. Malus 'Evelyn' inherits two of the key features of the Prairie Crab, its scented blossom, and the large tri-lobed leaf shape.

British-grown trees

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

All our trees are certified under the Plant Healthy scheme, supervised by the Plant Health Alliance. Other stakeholders include Defra and the RHS. 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 while 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.

More about crab apple trees

We have a huge range of crab-apple trees, with blossom colours from white to dark crimson, and fruitlet colours from red to orange to yellow, and lots of different sizes and forms.

It is well-known that many crab-apples (especially the ones with white blossom and green leaves) are excellent pollinators for mainstream apple varieties. This is because they produce huge quantities of pollen, usually over a long period, and with good compatiblity. Evereste, Golden Gem, Golden Hornet, John Downie and Red Sentinel are popular for this purpose.

While crab-apples are primarily used for their ornamental value, many are also useful for crab-apple jelly, and providing natural pectin for cooking with.  Have a look at Laura, Jelly King, Pink Glow, and Harry Baker.