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Malus 'Butterball'

Malus 'Butterball'

Butterball Crabapple

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Description

Malus 'Butterball' (ornamental apple 'Butterball') is an ornamental apple tree with a characteristic, whimsical growth habit, rich flowering in spring and an abundance of yellow apples afterwards. The tree was introduced in 1956 by the Washington Park Arboretum, Seattle, United States. 'Butterball' is a seedling of Malus x zumi 'Calocarpa', which in turn originates from Malus toringo x Malus baccata var. mandshurica. Malus 'Butterball' eventually reaches a height of four to six metres with a five to six metre wide, open crown. This crown is picturesque with widely spreading, upright branches, which later hang down more.

In May, Malus 'Butterball' produces beautiful flowers: starting with pink buds that unfold into white flowers three to four centimetres in size. After flowering, the tree develops small, shiny butter-yellow, apple-shaped fruits with an orange blush - they have a diameter of two to three centimetres. These fruits often remain on the tree for a long time, provided they are not all eaten by birds, which gives them extra decorative value in winter. The light green leaves are fairly broad, egg-shaped to elongated, and have a serrated edge. In autumn, the foliage turns yellow-orange.

Malus 'Butterball' is a very strong, elegant ornamental apple tree for gardens and park-like environments. Its limited height and wide spread make it ideal for places where larger trees are not suitable, or where planting at eye level is preferred. Butterball is also valuable for biodiversity: its spring blossoms attract pollinators such as bees and butterflies, and its fruits provide food for birds and can also be made into a delicious jelly. In terms of soil, the 'Butterball' crab apple is quite demanding in terms of soil fertility and moisture supply and performs best in humus-rich, well-drained soils in full sun. On the other hand, crab apples are often more tolerant than ornamental cherries, for example, and the 'Butterball' crab apple is also scab-resistant.

Types of planting

Tree types

standard trees multi-stemmed trees characteristic trees solitary shrubs

Use

Location

park central reservation in containers roof garden large garden small garden cemetery traffic areas, industrial zones

Pavement

none none

Planting concepts

food forest eco planting

Characteristics

Crown shape

flattened spherical flattened spherical

Crown structure

semi-open semi-open

Height

4 - 6 m

Width

5 - 6 m

Winter hardiness zone

5B - 8B

Aspects

Wind

tolerant to wind

Soil

loess sabulous clay peaty heavy clay light clay sand loamy soil all soils

Nutrient level

moderately rich in nutrients rich in nutrients

Soil moisture level

dry moist

Light requirements

sun

pH range

acidic neutral alkaline

Host plant/forage plant

bees butterflies birds nectar value 3 pollen value 3

Extreme environments

tolerates air pollution

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Order this plant? Or would you like further information about Malus 'Butterball'? Make an appointment for a detailed planting recommendation.
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Photos

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high-stem standard tree
Malus 'Butterball' standard tree
multi-stem multi-stem
Malus 'Butterball' multi-stem
multi-stem multi-stem
Malus 'Butterball' multi-stem
multi-stem multi-stem
Malus 'Butterball' multi-stem
multi-stem multi-stem
Malus 'Butterball' multi-stem
multi-stem multi-stem
Malus 'Butterball' multi-stem
multi-stem multi-stem
Malus 'Butterball' multi-stem
multi-stem multi-stem
Malus 'Butterball' multi-stem
multi-stem multi-stem
Malus 'Butterball' multi-stem
flowers flowers
Malus 'Butterball' flowers
leaves leaves
Malus 'Butterball' leaves
fruits fruits
Malus 'Butterball' fruits
fruits fruits
Malus 'Butterball' fruits
fruits fruits
Malus 'Butterball' fruits
fruits fruits
Malus 'Butterball' fruits
bark bark
Malus 'Butterball' bark
bark bark
Malus 'Butterball' bark

Seasonal colours

Malus 'Butterball' seizoenskleur
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Flowers

Flowers

star-shaped striking singular

Flower colour

white

Flowering period

May

Self-pollinators

yes

Cross-pollinators

Leaves

Leaf colour

bright green underside felty white

Leaves

deciduous ovate wide slightly hairy serrate

Autumn colour

yellow-orange

Fruits

Fruit colour

golden yellow orange

Fruits

striking rich fruit yield small raceme crabapple/ornamental apple

Bark

Bark colour

grey-brown

Bark

furrowed smooth

Twigs

Twig colour

grey-brown

Twigs

bare with lenticels horizontal branches pendulous finely branched

Root system

Root system

shallow extensive highly branched central root

For and by green professionals

The TreeEbb is a platform for and by green professionals, in which we collect knowledge and experience from the sector and make this available for users. All the details and photos are free to use for non-commercial purposes. Want to share your tree knowledge? Send photographs and additional information to treeebb@ebben.nl

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Winter hardiness

A plant's winter hardiness is the coldest area in which it is frost-resistant. This is based on the average annual minimum temperature. Winter hardiness zones are thirteen different frost zones in steps of 5.5 degrees Celsius. This format is an international standard for the hardiness of plants. The zones in which the plant is frost-resistant are always included in the description of trees and other vegetation.

Winter hardiness is a genetic characteristic and is not influenced by the location in which the plant is cultivated. This means that a plant that has been cultivated for many years in winter-hardiness zone 6 but has a winter hardiness of 3 is perfectly suited for replanting in a colder zone. It will thrive there thanks to its genetic characteristics.

When choosing planting for a project, the winter hardiness of the plants is extremely important. By choosing species that match the zone in which the project is being created, it is possible to ensure that plants can withstand the minimum temperature in that area.

Winter hardiness map
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MVO-Nederland
ISO-9001
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