Our Variety Assessment

Its strengths, growing requirements and the conditions in which it performs best.

Van Eseltine is primarily distinguished by its double pink blossom, which is highly ornamental and unusual among pollinating crab apples. Its upright habit allows it to fit into relatively narrow gardens, and the flowers are followed by small yellow fruit flushed with red. We recommend it mainly for combining ornamental value with supplementary blossom rather than as the sole pollinator in a large orchard.

Van Eseltine

Price range: 26,50 € through 59,75 €

An upright ornamental crab apple with fragrant double pink flowers and excellent pollinating value.

Pre-orders are open

No payment today. You are reserving your trees before the inventory in early August.

After inventory, we will confirm the available trees and send you a payment link.

Dispatch generally takes place from late November to February, depending on the weather and the progress of lifting the trees.

Choose your tree form

1 year old grafted tree – approx. 1–2 m

Half-standard – 1 to 1.5 m stem

Low-stem tree – approx. 60 cm stem

Standard tree – 1.8 m stem and over

Apple rootstock options

Bittenfelder – approx. 6 m mature height

EM9 – approx. 2.5 m mature height

M116 – approx. 4 m mature height

MM111 – approx. 4 m mature height

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Tree size guide

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SKU: 21567 Categories: Apple trees, Cider apple trees, Eating apple trees, Red flesh apple trees

Description

Van Eseltine Crab Apple Tree is an elegant ornamental crab apple variety appreciated for its narrow upright habit and spectacular spring blossom. Deep rose-red buds open into large fragrant double flowers, pale pink to white, creating a very attractive two-tone flowering effect.

This slow-growing variety is particularly suitable for gardens where space is limited, as it naturally forms a compact, upright and vase-shaped tree. The glossy green foliage turns yellow in autumn, adding further seasonal interest.

After flowering, Van Eseltine produces small yellow crab apples with reddish cheeks, which mature in autumn and are appreciated by birds.

Like many ornamental crab apples, Van Eseltine is also useful in orchards as a pollinator for nearby apple varieties flowering at the same period. Its abundant blossom attracts bees and other pollinating insects, helping to improve fruit set in mixed apple plantings.

Variety characteristics

Variety origin

Old American selection from 1942, grown as an ornamental apple with large semi-double carmine-pink flowers.

Origin

Period of origin

USDA zone

Flowering

Harvest period

Use

Disease resistance

Self-fertility

Pollinator value

Ploidy

Origin and identity

Parentage

Malus spectabilis × Malus × arnoldiana

Growth and adaptation

Vigour and habit

Small tree of 4 to 6 m, initially narrow then broadly vase-shaped habit, very floriferous, few yellow-green to reddish fruits

Disease behaviour

Scab

Very susceptible

Pollination

Compatible pollinating varieties

For reliable fruit set, plant at least one variety with a compatible flowering period nearby. Flowering period: 4 - late.

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Quarantaine d’Hiver View this variety

Harvest calendar

Extend your harvest season

Discover varieties from the same category harvested just before, at the same time or just after.

At the same time

September 15-30

Bardsey View this variety

Peasgood’s Nonsuch View this variety

Belle Fleur Rouge View this variety