Tree Categories: Fall Color Trees, Flowering Trees, and Ornamental Trees
Mature Tree Height: Less than 20 feet tall | Mature Tree Width: 10-20 feet wide
Tree Growing Zones: Zone 4, Zone 5, Zone 6, Zone 7, and Zone 8
The Royal Raindrops Flowering Crabapple- sproutfree™ (Malus ‘Royal Raindrops’ sproutfree™) is a small-sized ornamental flowering tree. This is another crabapple cultivar with multiple seasons of ornamental interest. Brilliant deeply lobed, deep purple and shiny foliage emerges in the spring and maintains its color through the summer. Following the leaves are a beautiful display of fragrant flowers that appear light magenta and decorate the branches in clusters, providing a stunning sight against the purple leaves. In late summer, the tree erupts with small glossy red fruits that attract different species of birds and stay on the tree into the winter long after the handsome bronze, orange, and purple fall foliage falls to the ground.
The Royal Raindrops Flowering Crabapple- sproutfree™ was developed as an open-pollinated seedling of Golden Raindrops Crabapple (Malus transitoria ‘Schmidtcutleaf’). It is a J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co. introduction that was released in 2003. This crabapple cultivar is very popular for its appealing upright and spreading form, disease resistance, purple leaves, and its ornamental flowering and fruiting abilities. It is also a low maintenance tree that is heat and drought tolerant. It does well in full sun and prefers well-drained soils.
