Crabapple - Weeping Red Jade
The Weeping Red Jade Crabapple is a stunning ornamental tree with cascading branches, fragrant white flowers in spring, and persistent red fruit that attracts birds. Its graceful, weeping form adds elegance and charm to any landscape, providing year-round beauty with minimal maintenance.
15'-20'
15'-20'
Full to Partial Sun
up to 4 ft.
4
Rounded
If you believe that a tree can be a living piece of sculpture, a work of art that brings grace and movement to the garden, then you are ready to fall in love with the Weeping Red Jade Crabapple. This is not your typical shade tree. It is a spectacular specimen plant, celebrated for its beautiful, cascading branches that create a waterfall of flowers in the spring and fruit in the fall.
The Red Jade Crabapple, or Malus 'Red Jade', is a classic weeping variety that has been cherished for decades. It’s a relatively small, elegant tree that makes a dramatic statement wherever it is planted. It’s the perfect choice for a focal point in a garden bed, near a pond or patio, or any place where its beautiful, cascading form can be truly appreciated.
If you believe that a tree can be a living piece of sculpture, a work of art that brings grace and movement to the garden, then you are ready to fall in love with the Weeping Red Jade Crabapple. This is not your typical shade tree. It is a spectacular specimen plant, celebrated for its beautiful, cascading branches that create a waterfall of flowers in the spring and fruit in the fall.
The Red Jade Crabapple, or Malus 'Red Jade', is a classic weeping variety that has been cherished for decades. It’s a relatively small, elegant tree that makes a dramatic statement wherever it is planted. It’s the perfect choice for a focal point in a garden bed, near a pond or patio, or any place where its beautiful, cascading form can be truly appreciated.
Why You'll Love the Weeping Red Jade Crabapple
This tree is a timeless favorite because it is simply enchanting in every season.
- A Cascade of Spring Flowers: In mid-spring, the Red Jade puts on a breathtaking display. Its long, weeping branches are completely smothered in delicate pink buds that open into a shower of fragrant, single white blossoms. It truly looks like a fountain of flowers.
- A Graceful, Weeping Form: This is its defining feature. The branches grow up and then cascade dramatically down towards the ground, creating a beautiful, mushroom-like or umbrella-shaped canopy. This architectural form is stunning year-round, especially in the winter when the branch structure is dusted with snow.
- Jewel-Like Red Fruit: After the flowers fade, the tree produces a heavy crop of tiny, egg-shaped crabapples. They ripen to a bright, glossy red and hang from the weeping branches like little jewels. The fruit is very persistent, often lasting all winter, which provides a valuable food source for birds.
- A Perfect Size for Any Garden: Because of its weeping habit and smaller stature, the Red Jade is a perfect fit for smaller gardens, courtyards, or large container gardens where a traditional tree would be too large.
Finding the Perfect Spot
The Weeping Red Jade is easy to grow. Just give it a sunny spot where its unique form can be the star of the show.
- Hardiness Zones: This very hardy tree is a reliable performer in a wide range of climates, thriving in USDA Zones 3-8.
- Sunlight: To get the most spectacular flower display and the best fruit set, you must plant your Red Jade Crabapple in full sun. A location that receives at least six hours of direct sunlight per day is essential.
- Soil: It is adaptable to a variety of soil types but will perform best in a moist, well-drained, slightly acidic loam. Good drainage is the most important factor for its long-term health.
- Can it grow in a container? Yes. Because of its smaller size and weeping habit, the Red Jade is one of the few crabapples that can be successfully grown in a very large container for many years, making it a stunning patio feature.
Simple Care for an Artistic Tree
For the dramatic show it provides, the Red Jade is wonderfully low-maintenance.
- Watering: Water your new tree regularly and deeply for its first year or two in the ground. This helps it establish a strong root system. Once mature, it has good drought tolerance.
- Pruning: The Red Jade looks best when allowed to weep naturally. You should only need to prune in late winter to remove any dead or broken branches, or any branches that are dragging too much on the ground. You can also prune out any suckers that may sprout from the base of the trunk.
- Feeding: In most average garden soils, your crabapple will not need much fertilizer.
- Disease Resistance: The Red Jade can be susceptible to some common crabapple diseases like apple scab, fire blight, and powdery mildew. Planting it in a sunny spot with good air circulation is the best way to keep it healthy. Choosing a disease-resistant variety is recommended if these are common issues in your area.
A Closer Look: Flowers and Fruit
The flowers emerge from deep pink buds into single, 1.5-inch wide, fragrant white blossoms that cover the weeping branches. They are followed by a profuse crop of small, 1/2-inch, oval-shaped crabapples that ripen to a brilliant red. The fruit is very firm and tart. It is not intended for human consumption but is a beautiful, long-lasting ornamental feature and a favorite of birds.
Your Tree’s Journey: From Sapling to Sculpture
The Red Jade grows at a moderate pace, developing its graceful form over a few years.
- Years 1-3: The young tree will focus on developing its main trunk and root system, with the weeping branches beginning to lengthen and cascade.
- Years 4-6: The weeping form will become much more pronounced, creating the classic umbrella shape. Flowering and fruit production will become very heavy and reliable.
- At Maturity: The Weeping Red Jade Crabapple will typically reach a mature size of about 12 feet tall with a spread of about 20 feet wide. Its ultimate height is often determined by how high it was grafted at the nursery.
The Perfect Choice for a Garden Focal Point
For the gardener who wants to add a touch of drama, elegance, and artistry to their landscape, the Weeping Red Jade Crabapple is a perfect choice. It is a wonderful tree for families, creating a magical, tent-like hideaway for children under its cascading branches. It’s a conversation piece, a wildlife habitat, and a source of four-season beauty.
