Botanical profile

Malus 'Purple Wave'

Latin name
Malus Purple Wave
Common name
'Purple Wave' ornamental crabapple
Type
Tree
Family
Rosaceae

Malus 'Purple Wave' is a distinctive ornamental apple tree with a spreading, weeping habit, offering abundant spring blossoms of rosy-red to purplish-pink flowers, followed by a prolific fruiting of small, decorative purple fruits that persist on the tree for a long time. Its dark purplish foliage, turning coppery in autumn, provides continuous colorful presence throughout the season. Its wide, arching silhouette makes it particularly suitable for solitary plantings, driveway borders, or landscape arrangements with great visual impact. Very hardy, not very susceptible to scab, and easy to maintain, 'Purple Wave' prefers a sunny exposure and well-drained soil. It combines graceful form, rich foliage, vibrant flowering, and persistent decorative fruits, making it a **structuring and ornamental element of choice in any type of garden.

Care guide

Growing conditions

Light, soil, water and hardiness

Hardiness zone
Zone 3
Exposure
Sun
Watering
Moderate, depending on precipitation
Fertilization
Spring, compost, or balanced fertilizer
Soil type
Well drained, fertile
Minimum temperature
-40°C
Plant appearance

Blooming, foliage and shape

Blooming period
Spring
Flower color
Purplish pink to rosy red
Fruiting
Small, persistent, very decorative purple berries
Foliage color
Dark purple → copper
Foliage type
Obsolete
Shape
Drooping habit
Garden structure

Size and growth

Height
4–5 m (13–16 ft)
Width
16–20 ft (5–6 m)
Growth rate
Moderate
Vegetable garden and yield

Companion planting, spacing and harvest

Fruit tree type
Crabapple
Not recommended for pets
Not recommended for pets

Pets

Pollinators
Attracts or supports pollinating insects

Pollinators

Butterflies
Plants that attract butterflies

Butterflies

The availability of our plants varies depending on arrivals, seasons, nursery production and supplier availability. Some varieties may be offered for a limited time only, depending on their natural cycle or current stock. These plant profiles are designed to guide and inspire you when choosing plants for the garden, landscaping projects, containers or long-lasting outdoor arrangements.