Autumn 2024 planting seasonPre-order now for delivery December 2024 - March 2025

Roberts Crab apple trees

(Robert's Crab, Robert's Red)
Malus domestica
Roberts Crab is listed in the RHS Plants for Pollinators
  • Picking season: Mid
  • Self-fertility: Self-fertile
  • Flowering group: 2

Roberts Crab is an unusual crab-apple, grown both for its attractive ornamental qualities, and for culinary uses.

The abundant spring blossom is dark pink, and the leaves have a bronze tint.

Ripening in late summer, the crab-apples have an unusual dark purple colour. They are also very large - the size of small apples.

The main attraction in the kitchen is that the purple fruits have a rich red flesh, making Roberts Crab an excellent variety for crab-apple jams and jellies.

The red flesh also contains anthocynanin compounds, which may have healthy anti-oxidant qualities. A 2009 study by researchers at USDA found Roberts Crab to have particularly high levels of Cyanidin-3-0-galactoside.

The juice is a dark red claret colour, which is darker than that of other red-fleshed crab-apples. The juice flavour is sharp and crab-like, and can be used in cider blends.

Bio / Organic  fruit trees

Roberts Crab organic apple trees for sale

  • 1Maidentree on M9 rootstock22.25€
    Small tree (1.5m-2.5m after 10 years) Bare-root
  • 2Maidentree on M116 rootstock22.95€
    Medium tree (2m-3.5m after 10 years) Bare-root
  • 3Maidentree on MM111 rootstock22.25€
    Large tree (3m-5m after 10 years) Bare-root
  • 4Maidentree on Bittenfelder rootstock22.25€
    Very large tree (5m-6m+ after 10 years) Bare-root
Delivery countries
  • Austria
  • Belgium
  • Croatia
  • Czech Republic
  • Denmark
  • Estonia
  • France
  • Germany
  • Ireland
  • Italy
  • Latvia
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Netherlands
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Slovakia
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
Delivery chargesClick here to view estimated delivery charges.

Growing and Training

Roberts Crab seems to be self-fertile, but we do not think the purple blossom is compatible for pollinating other apple trees.

Roberts Crab is very precocious, and is likely to flower and fruit the first season after planting. We recommend you remove any fruitlets as soon as they form, for the first few years, in order to allow the tree to grow properly.

The tree grows with an attractive upright spreading form and is reasonably vigorous.


Roberts Crab characteristics

  • Gardening skillBeginner
  • Self-fertilitySelf-fertile
  • Flowering group2
  • Picking seasonMid
  • Season of use2-3 weeks
  • Food usesCulinaryJuiceHard cider
  • Country of originUnited Kingdom
  • Period of origin1950 - 1999
  • Flesh colourPink / Red
  • Fruit colourPurple