Of great importance in apple breeding, considered to be the original source for nearly all red-fleshed and pink-flowered apples. Red flowers, reddish foliage and 2" red-fleshed fruit that may be too tart for fresh eating but is recommended for cider, pies and sauce. Dark red skin with a small russeted stem area and a scattering of pinpoint white dots. The flesh fades from whitish to solid pink.

John Fiala says that Niedzwetzkyana and Almata may be identical, but we think not. For a decent attempt to sort it all out, see Fiala’s book, Flowering Crabapples. Scab prone. Blooms early. Z4.

(Standard: 3–6' bare-root trees; semi-dwarf: 2½–5' bare-root trees)