Crabapples are an early season bloomer and should be in bloom or near bloom in most regions of western Canada.  Bright pink flowers fill the branches that will produce small fruit in the fall.  Crabapple trees host beautiful purple foliage that is much more intense in autumn.  Bylands grows many varieties that are prairie cold hardy.  Below are the four most disease resistant varieties: Dreamweaver, Purple Spires, Gladiator and Thunderchild.  The trees that have more columnar growth patterns are the Purple Spires, the Gladiators and the Dreamweavers. 

Purple Spire Crabapples have an outstanding compact, columnar Crabapple with purple-green foliage, good disease resistance, sparse pink flowers in spring and purple fruit in fall. Purple foliage colour is especially intense in the fall.

Dreamweaver Crabapples are a beautiful narrow accent feature tree that fits today's smaller yards, great for highlighting entrances. Bright pink spring blossoms cover the plant from top to bottom with a glossy purple foliage lasts all season. In the fall you can enjoy the small purplish fruit.

The Thunderchild Crabapple variety is an upright, spreading tree with purple foliage and delicate pink flowers in spring followed by small red fruit. Orange-yellow fall colour and is very resistant to fireblight. 

The Gladiator Crabapple is a small, columnar and highly decorative ornamental tree which bears masses of beautiful rosy pink spring blossoms. Dazzling purple foliage clothes the upright branches all season and small purple fruit adds late season interest.

For a great white variety that does not fruit, try the Spring Snow Crabapple. This tree is a beautiful ornamental variety with showy pink buds and fragrant, glistening white flowers that are followed by glossy green leaves in the spring. It makes an excellent upright oval shaped lawn specimen.

If you are considering a tree that shows beautiful early spring colour that also has summer and fall interest as well, consider a Crabapple tree!