Scarlet Brandywine Crab?

12 years ago

Since we moved to a new home 3 years ago I've been slowly developing a garden landscape. I've wanted Scarlet Brandywine Crabapple for years, and had been planning a spot for one. But this year, when I started looking to buy one, they are suddenly entirely missing from all markets. I have been looking for over a month now, with absolutely no luck. I can't even find info on what happened. I even emailed the nursery that supposedly developed the variety, and never received a response. They were available last year and prior years, and none at all this year.

Does anyone know what happened to the variety? I've been told that when a tree is suddenly missing everywhere there's usually some issue with disease affecting the variety. But these trees are somewhat common in my area, and they all seem to be doing just fine. And they are supposed to be fairly resistant to most of the diseases that affect apples... The most any nursery has said is "We tried to get some this year and we couldn't." I'm really kind of saddened by this turn of events, and could also use some advice as to what to do next. As I reckon it, my choices are:

a) I could see if any of the local trees still has some fruit and try to raise seed, or I could take a cutting and try to propagate it, but neither of these solutions are ideal - I have no experience doing either.

b) I could wait till next year, but if there's really a problem with the variety, do I want to - and will they be back?

c) I could go with something else, but there's not a lot of options I'm aware of in the crabs that put on quite the same, stunning show a Brandywine does.

Does anyone have experience with varieties of Crabapples and any suggestions for a substitute? I know I sound really picky saying this, but for me an absolute must is a tree with double-blooms, and preferably pink. I don't want a Pink Brandywine though, because as I understand it they are pretty susceptible to disease. Are there other double-bloomed Crabs out there that are on the current market?

I've thought about Prairie Fire, it seems so popular, is supposed to be very disease resistant, and the leaves and blooms are the same color as the Scarlet Brandywine, but I'm kind of underwhelmed by the single blooms. I'm not sure I want to plant something I won't be entirely happy with, especially as it will last decades.

d) I've also been thinking in an entirely different direction and started considering a Wisteria Tree. Does anyone have any recommendations for an entirely different Ornamental? I don't want anything too large, 15 - 20 feet tall when mature is ideal. I was thinking about the wisteria because the garden I'm planning will be blue and purple for most of the growing season, with splashes of pinks in the early spring.

Any help would be hugely appreciated, I haven't been able to garden for a very long time and am finding I have a lot to re-learn on top of the new info on plants I've never worked with before. And thank you all for this fantastic resource here - very sorry for the long-winded post. =)

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bake-neko
Original Author

12 years ago

last modified: 9 years ago

Thank you so much! Again, apologies for another double post but I wanted to report back.

I called both nurseries, as promised. I left a message for Simpson Nurseries, but they seem like more of a farm from their voicemail. Lake County Nursery in OH has a customer service call line, and they are incredibly kind and helpful! The woman I spoke with stated they do have the trees, which they supply wholesale as seedlings and saplings. But this year their spring came so early, the saplings leafed before they could dig them, and it's best not to dig up a Crab after it has started to leaf. This makes sense, I have noticed fewer varieties of Crab in general at nurseries in my area this year, and this may be why.

She also said that their smaller, potted crop would be ready for shipment in the fall - which is brilliant as I know it's the best time for me to plant one in my zone. So I've bookmarked their information and am going to start asking the nurseries I frequent if they will make an order in the fall - probably best to start the conversation now. =) I'm sure one of them will, they all stock trees and shrubs year round and some are cultivars I recognize on Lake County's website.

I forgot to ask, and so still don't know if they developed the cultivar or if it really was Simpson Nurseries, and I'm curious if anyone knows? Maybe Mr. Simpson licensed the cultivar or something?

Regardless, I am hugely grateful and also relieved. Thank you so much for that, bboy! I have all season to make sure everything in the vicinity is ready for it come fall, not just its spot in the garden. And since I've been looking at other options, I now have some new ideas for a couple more areas. =)

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Comments (7)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
12 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
GO TO ... none of this phone call or email stuff ... the local HIGH END nursery ... ask to talk to the manager ...

and ask him if he can order one in for fall delivery ... in whatever size you want..

repeat with every nursery in town.. until you succeed ...

and heck.. you might even find one in stock ...

otherwise .. mail order ..

me bets.. though your facts dont say.. that you are hoping and praying about what the bigboxstore will get in any given delivery .. and you will simply grow old.. along with your GOTTA HAVE list.. if that is the source you are relying on ...

when you gotta have something.. you gotta pay thru the nose ...

i have no clue about this particular crab .. i hope it is disease resistant.. and all that other stuff ...

good luck

ken

ps: phone and email during a nurseries VERY BUSY SPRING season.. may not be the most efficient method .. FOR THEM ...
bake-neko
Original Author
12 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Thank you Ken, and I apologize for not being more exact about describing my methods for trying to find the Crab I want. To address your responses:

I most definitely do not buy from Box Stores, this is not at all what's going on. I have not had a yard to garden in for about 20 years, but I do research carefully before doing or planting anything. =)

I have indeed been doing as you suggest and have been calling all Nurseries within a 5 hour drive of my home, looking for the Scarlet Brandywine. I am willing to drive for hours for one. I started with the high-end ones and slowly worked my way down. I stopped at the 5 hur drive mark, because I don't think I could manage a drive any farther than that.

Not one of them has that tree. Many carried it in previous years, as I mentioned in my OP, and they stated they were unable to get one this year. A few offered to try and see if they could order one, and not one has ever gotten back to me. I have called a few back and they stated they were not able to locate one.

I also checked all of the best online stores - I found lists of good ones to order from here on this very site by reading through post threads. None of them have any. Some had them last year and stated they couldn't get them this year.

So, all of you suggestions were what I did, and it was a no-go on every front. None of them were able to tell me what happened to the tree or why it was unavailable this year. Either they really don't know, or didn't want to say, but I coould find no information even on a search, aside from speculation about possible disease.

I did do my homework on crabs fairly thoroughly when I was deciding what to get. The Scarlet Brandywine (Malus Scbrazam) is an improved cultivar of the Pink Brandywine (Malus Branazam), developed to create a much more disease resistant strain. And the foliage and fruit are also more attractive, giving it a better year-round appeal. That said, I understand that what may be resistant to start with may not be as resistant when the pests and fungi start adapting to the cultivar's defenses, so perhaps it was disease that took it off the market.

So, do I wait or do I try to propagate one or do I go with something else - and if the last, I could use some suggestions?
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bake-neko
Original Author
12 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Sorry for double post - I have also gone to all of the best local nurseries I can get to easily - same results.
Embothrium
12 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
The zam in the cultivar names indicates these are introductions of Lake County nursery in Perry, OH. See their web site, although a wholesale company maybe they would be willing to assist you anyway.
bake-neko
Original Author
12 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Wow, thank you bboy, that's great info! I will try them.

I am a little confused though. I had read that the variety had been developed by Bob Simpson of Simpson Nurseries in Indiana - I found that information here on GardenWeb, actually. Unfortunatly I can't easily find the thread now, but a search shows that Dave's Garden and several other sites also make this assertion.

I have tried to contact them and not gotten a reply, though as Ken points out perhaps email is not the best way. I will try and call both nurseries today. =)
Debora Pisani
8 years ago
I was wondering if you successfully planted the brandywine crabapple in your garden. I am looking for one myself but in the Netherlands they don't sell it I am afraid.

Scarlet Brandywine Crab?

bake-neko
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

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Scarlet Brandywine Crab?

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