COURAGEOUS® CRABAPPLE

COURAGEOUS® CRABAPPLE Homeowner Growing & Maintenance Tips

• Recommended Soil:
• Choose well-drained garden soil with moderate moisture for dependable growth.
• Courageous® Crabapple adapts to a range of soil types, including heavier clay and sandy soils.
• Avoid locations where water remains consistently saturated around the roots.
• Good drainage supports healthy roots and helps the tree handle seasonal weather changes.
• Sun Exposure:
• Full sun is best for abundant spring flowers and strong foliage color.
• Aim for at least 6 hours of direct sunlight during the growing season.
• Ample sunlight helps maintain the tree's sturdy, upright form and flowering performance.
• Use open locations where the developing canopy has room to receive plenty of light.
• Irrigation Needs:
• Provide consistent moisture while newly planted trees establish their root systems.
• Water deeply rather than relying on frequent, shallow irrigation.
• Once established, monitor the tree during extended heat or drought and water when soil becomes excessively dry.
• Avoid keeping the root zone constantly saturated, particularly in heavy soils.
• Feeding & Nutrients:
• Begin with reasonably fertile soil and avoid unnecessary heavy fertilization.
• A balanced, slow-release fertilizer in early spring can support healthy growth when soil fertility is lacking.
• Follow fertilizer label directions carefully and avoid excessive nitrogen.
• Healthy soil, adequate moisture, and full sun are more important than aggressive feeding for flowering performance.
• Pruning & Maintenance:
• Prune in late winter or early spring before vigorous new growth begins.
• Remove dead, damaged, or poorly positioned branches to maintain a strong canopy.
• Avoid unnecessary mid-summer pruning, particularly because crabapples can be susceptible to fire blight.
• Maintain good branch spacing as the tree develops to encourage an attractive upright, rounded structure.

Family: Rosaceae · Common Name: Apple / Crabapple

FREE with every plant purchased:

• The Sooner Guarantee: For details, click here!
• A pre-applied, pre-measured amount of time release fertilizer that keeps your plant well nourished for up to one year.
• Pre-hydrated Hydro-Gels are included in the top of each container to use when planting as they help retain soil moisture, and plants will establish more quickly with less transplant shock. Plants will also survive drought-like conditions and accidental missed waterings better.
• Planting and Care Instruction brochure.
• Catalogs of new and exciting plant brands, such as Garden Debut® and Proven Winners®.

We use and recommend www.dripdepot.com for our irrigation needs, from simple to install micro and drip systems, to commercial grade irrigation parts and supplies.

Interesting Notes About COURAGEOUS® CRABAPPLE

• A Name Earned in the Snow: The story behind Courageous® starts in Manitoba, where breeder Sheldon Falk collected seed from a surviving crabapple growing near Portage la Prairie during a brutally cold January. With temperatures around -30°C and snow piled roughly three feet deep, he made the trek to collect the seed before the tree was removed.
• One Seed, Two Heroes: That collected seed ultimately produced both Courageous® and Gladiator® crabapples. After years of growing, selecting, budding, and evaluating seedlings, the two stood out for their combination of attractive form and disease resistance.
• Courage Has a Namesake: The cultivar name 'DurLawrence' contains a little history of its own. "Dur" honors developer Rick Durand, while "Lawrence" honors Lawrence Aubin, whose courage through serious heart disease and later cancer inspired the commercial name Courageous®.
• A Crabapple With a Secret Weapon: Courageous® was selected partly because it produced very few tiny fruits, and those fruits were seedless. That means the tree can deliver the classic spring crabapple spectacle while generally keeping the fruit cleanup to a minimum.
• The Pink Sister of Spring Snow: Courageous® has been described as a pink-blooming counterpart to Spring Snow, but it brings its own personality to the landscape with maroon spring foliage, green-bronze summer leaves, and yellow-orange fall color.