Crab apple

Crab apple flowers in spring and fruits small, often colourful apples that can persist for months, giving a two-season display most flowering bonsai don't manage. It needs consistent feeding to support both flower and fruit without exhausting itself, and older bark develops a rough, orchard-tree texture.

Care at a glance

Watering

Check daily in growing season; never let it dry out while fruiting. Roughly every 2 days in spring, 1 in summer, 2 in autumn and 5 in winter.

Light

Full sun.

Winter

Hardy once established; needs winter cold to flower well next spring. Protect it when the forecast drops below -15 °C.

Feeding

Every 14 days, Apr to Sep, paused in the hottest weeks.

Repotting

Every 2 to 3 years, as buds swell, in Mar.

Growth

Moderate growth. Hardy in zones 4 to 8.

The work calendar

Styles that suit it

MoyogiChokkanHokidachi

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