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John Downie is a popular ornamental and culinary crab apple tree valued for its vigorous growth, abundant white spring blossom and large, colourful fruits. The tree develops a rounded to spreading habit with fresh green foliage and produces orange-red, apple shaped fruits that are larger than most crab apples. The flesh is sharp and aromatic, making it especially useful for cooking, jellies, preserves and crab apple sauces.

In spring, John Downie is covered in masses of white flowers that are rich in nectar and pollen, making it highly beneficial to bees and other pollinators. It grows reliably in fertile, well drained soil and performs best in a sunny position where flowering and fruiting are at their strongest. Well suited to UK gardens, orchards and wildlife planting schemes, John Downie combines ornamental appeal, environmental value and excellent culinary usefulness.