Malus ‘John Downie’

Planted: 2006

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This tree is on the north side of the Malus Avenue, near to the top.

Distribution:	Raised as a hybrid and common in British gardens.
Planting Date:	March 2006, supplied by Barcham Trees, Soham, Cambridgeshire to replace Mr Hammond’s 1916 specimen.
Growth Habit:	Small spreading tree 6 m to 8 m, often 10 m. Upright, later arched.
Bark:	Deep brown bark, smooth at first, cracking into small oblong plates with maturity..
Leaf:	Glossy rich green, lanceolate and finely serrated, 6 cm by 2.5 cm
Flowers:	Late May, soft pink buds open to 3cm white flowers with yellow anthers. Petals oblong-ovate, narrowing to the slender stalk.
Fruit:	Comparatively large (3 cm) fruit, conical, light orange-yellow and red in long-stalked bunches. Refreshing flavour.
Potential height:	10 m
Uses:	Famous for making the best crab apple jelly, because the liquid extracted has a beautiful pale pink colour.
Plant Hunter:	Raised, as a hybrid, by Edward Holmes at his nursery at Whittington, near Lichfield. He named it after his Scottish friend and fellow nurseryman John Downie.
Introduction Date:	1875 and frequent by 1891. Award of Merit 1895
Comments:	Self fertile and make excellent pollinators for any apple variety.