What is an apple tree with red leaves
A garden can be not only useful, but also beautiful. This is not about flowering, because during this period all the trees stand like adorable brides in a snow-white veil. There are varieties of fruit trees that attract the eye throughout the season, not just when they bloom. They are called decorative and one of them is the apple tree with red leaves.
View characteristic
Already from the name it becomes clear that the main difference between the decorative look and the others varieties of apple trees consists in the color of the leaves. If in classical species the leaf plate is green, then in hybrids it is red. Depending on the specific variety, its shade can vary from dark red to brownish, brick. The very shape of the leaf blade is slightly more elongated and slightly curved. Interestingly, some varieties of apple trees with red leaves are able to change color from red to green at the end of the season.
The red-leaved apple tree is a hybrid obtained as a result of the work of breeders on the varieties Blood Red and Nedzvetsky.
In addition to leaves, such decorative species are also quite modest in size. The maximum tree height does not exceed 5 m, while the crown width reaches 4 m.
Another characteristic feature of the apple tree that sets it apart from other horticultural crops is flowering. The inflorescences of most decorative varieties are not white, but painted in different shades of red, sometimes even purple. Such species bear fruit in small, also dark red, edible fruits, which are most often used for conservation.
It is noteworthy that the fruiting of the decorative apple tree is abundant, and the apples themselves can hang on the branches until the hard December frosts.
Growing such crops is a pleasure. In addition to their beautiful appearance, they also have increased winter hardiness and easily endure the most severe winters. But the bright color of the crown requires good lighting, and in order for the flowering to be abundant, it is better to plant the trees in fertile soil.
Popular types
There are more than 50 varieties of apple trees with a red deciduous crown, and each of them has its own characteristics. Some have darker leaves, others have a more saturated color of the inflorescence.
Among the bright decorative species, it is worth noting the following varieties:
- Royalty... The short trunk of the tree is crowned with a spreading, up to 4 m wide, crown of dark, almost purple, leaves covered with a slight sheen. Inflorescences are dark pink, fruits are red, small.
- Ola... Differs in large pink inflorescences (up to 4 cm in diameter) and the ability to change the color of the leaves: young leaves are light red, then they turn green.
- Royal Beauty... A low tree with drooping branches resembles a willow crown. Young leaves are purple, turning dark green over time. Reddish buds bloom with pink inflorescences.