Malus domestica 'Ballerina Samba' (Ballerina Series) (D)
A tree with a compact, columnar habit that is notable for the side shoots it produces that grow only a short distance away from the main stem before turning sharply vertical. Small to medium sized fruits have a yellowish base colour that is flushed bright red on the sun-exposed surface and sweet-sharp, jucy and crisp flesh
Size
Ultimate height
2.5–4 metresTime to ultimate height
5–10 yearsUltimate spread
0.5–1 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Pink | Green | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Green | |||
| Autumn | Green Yellow | Yellow Red | ||
| Winter |
Position
- Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H6Botanical details
- Family
- Rosaceae
- Native to the UK
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Columnar upright
- Potentially harmful
- Although generally edible when cooked, seeds contain toxins so these should be removed if you are considering eating the fruit, usually grown as an ornamental shrub. see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants for further information and useful contact numbers
- Genus
Malus are small to medium-sized deciduous trees with showy flowers in spring and ornamental or edible fruit in autumn; some have good autumn foliage colour
- Name status
Unresolved
How to grow
Cultivation
Prefers deep, fertile, moist but well-drained, neutral soil in a sunny sheltered position. Will not thrive on very acid soils, shallow chalk soils or with shade for more than half the day. May require fruit thinning to improve fruit size and quality. See apple cultivation
Propagation
Propagate by chip budding in late summer, or grafting in mid-winter. Plants grown from pips are unlikely to resemble the parent
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- City and courtyard gardens
- Cottage and informal garden
- Patio and container plants
- Wildlife gardens
- Edible fruit
Pruning
Pests
May be susceptible to aphids, including rosy apple aphid and woolly aphid, apple sawfly, fruit tree red spider mite, codling moth, apple leaf-mining moth and other caterpillars
Diseases
May be susceptible to apple canker, apple scab, blossom wilt, brown rot, fireblight, honey fungus and powdery mildews
Get involved
The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.