Comtesse de Paris

Comtesse de Paris is a popular crab-apple with small dark green leaves and bright yellow fruitlets. The blossom is pure white once fully open, but like many white-flowered crab-apples the buds are initially pink as they begin to open.

The fruits continue to hang on the tree well into December, even after the leaves have fallen.

It grows with an attractive upright spreading form.

Comtess de Paris is also a very good pollinator of late-flowering apple trees and cider-apple trees.

Comtesse de Paris crab-apple trees for sale

• 11-year bare-root tree £36.75
  Medium size (2.5m-3.5m after 10 years)
  

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• 22-year pot-grown tree £61.00
  In a 12L pot
  Medium size (2.5m-3.5m after 10 years)
  

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History

Comtesse de Paris was awarded the RHS AGM in 2013, and is now the recommended yellow-fruited crab-apple, replacing, Golden Hornet. Comtesse de Paris has many of the same qualities as Golden Hornet, but is less susceptible to scab and grows with a more balanced form. However Golden Hornet remains an excellent alternative.

Comtesse de Paris characteristics

• Gardening skillBeginner
• AwardsRHS AGM (current) - 2012
• Attractive featuresAttractive flowersAttractive fruit
• Growth habitUpright-spreading / Vase
• Height after 10 years2.5m-3.5m / 8ft-12ft
• SunlightPrefers full sun
• PruningLight prune
• Growth rateAverage
• Flower colourWhite
• Flower formSingle flower (5-8 petals)
• Flowering monthMay
• Leaf colourGreen
• Leaf colour - autumnGreen
• Fruit colourYellow
• Fruit sizeAverage
• Fruit persistencePersistent
• Food usesJam / Jelly
• Country of originFrance
• Annual cycleDeciduous

Similar varieties

• 
  Malus x zumi
  Golden Hornet
  A traditional yellow-fruited crab-apple.
• 
  Malus x robusta
  Red Sentinel
  Has persistent fruits like Comtesse de Paris - but coloured red.

What will it look like?

Illustrative example of a pot-grown tree of this variety as supplied. Approximate girth: 6/8cm. We try to keep all pot-grown trees down to about 1.5m as supplied, but some may be larger. Trees should reach their mature height after about 10 or more years. We may also have 1-year bare-root trees of this variety - they are not shown here.

How to choose a crab-apple tree

We list more than 40 different crab-apple trees. Choosing can be difficult! See our article explaining the different characteristics of crab-apple trees which will help you narrow down the selection.