Malus × purpurea ‘Neville Copeman’

We’ve grown ‘Neville Copeman’ on our Thurning ground for years, and it’s a reliable performer. Its real appeal starts in spring, when dark red buds open into a mass of light purple-pink flowers which are a magnet for bees. The young leaves emerge with a rich purple hue, providing a perfect backdrop for the blossom.

This is a small, deciduous tree with a spreading habit, reaching an ultimate height of around 5 metres. It’s a tolerant crab apple that does well in most conditions, from full sun to partial shade in fertile, well-drained soil. Once established on our nursery, we find it holds its own without much fuss.

For care, just a light prune in late winter or early spring to remove any crossing or damaged branches is all that’s needed. The resulting orange-red crab apples are quite large and hang on the branches well into winter, providing a welcome food source for birds and a splash of colour in the bare season. It’s a superb choice for a specimen tree in a lawn or as part of a mixed border.