{"product_id":"ruby-dayze-crabapple","title":"Ruby Dayze Crabapple","description":"\u003ch1\u003eA Ruby-Flowered Crabapple Built for Easy Color\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRuby Dayze Crabapple (\u003cem\u003eMalus\u003c\/em\u003e 'Ruby Dayze') lights up the spring landscape with vibrant ruby-pink blossoms set against handsome bronze-purple foliage, then carries the show into fall and winter with abundant glossy dark-red fruit that feeds the birds. Bred for strong disease resistance, it sidesteps the leaf-spotting and defoliation that plague older crabapples, staying clean and attractive all season. At a manageable 15 to 20 feet, it's a reliable, low-fuss choice for yards and boulevards alike. Whether you're adding spring color in Edina, a four-season specimen in Woodbury, or a tough boulevard tree in St. Paul, Ruby Dayze delivers dependable beauty with minimal care.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eRuby Dayze Crabapple Plant Details\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAttribute\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDetail\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eScientific Name\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eMalus\u003c\/em\u003e 'Ruby Dayze'\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCommon Names\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eRuby Dayze Crabapple, Flowering Crabapple\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMature Height\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e15–20 feet\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMature Width\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e12–18 feet\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eGrowth Rate\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eModerate\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSun\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFull sun (6+ hours) — essential for the best flowering and color\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWater\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eModerate. Tolerant of dry spells once established; appreciates consistent moisture while young.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eUSDA Zones\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e4–8 (Twin Cities is zone 4b–5a) — hardy across the metro\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSoil\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHighly adaptable. Tolerates Minnesota clay-loam, urban soil, and road salt.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFlowers\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eRuby-pink single flowers in mid-spring\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFruit\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAbundant glossy dark-red persistent fruit — ornamental and good for birds\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFoliage\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDeciduous — bronze-purple leaves, turning bronze-purple in fall\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDisease Resistance\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eGood — selected to resist apple scab and other common crabapple diseases\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWinter Hardiness\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eReliable to -30°F once established\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDeer Resistance\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLow to moderate — protect young trees in high-pressure yards\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eRuby Dayze Crabapple Uses in Minnesota Landscapes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eSpring Flowering Specimen\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe ruby-pink spring bloom against bronze-purple leaves makes Ruby Dayze a standout focal point on a front lawn or by an entry in Edina or Plymouth. Its mid-size, rounded form suits most residential yards without overwhelming them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFour-Season Interest and Bird Food\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter the flowers fade, glossy dark-red fruit holds on the branches into winter, providing food for cedar waxwings, robins, and finches and adding color to the snowy landscape. The persistent fruit means little messy drop on the lawn.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eTough Boulevard Tree and Apple Pollinator\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDisease-resistant and salt-tolerant, Ruby Dayze is a solid boulevard and street-side choice. As a flowering crab it also makes an excellent pollination partner for nearby eating apples like Honeycrisp and Haralson.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eBest Time to Plant Ruby Dayze Crabapple in Minnesota\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCrabapples are deciduous, so you have two good planting windows in the Twin Cities:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpring (late April–May)\u003c\/strong\u003e, once the ground has thawed, is excellent — the tree gets the full growing season to establish before its first winter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFall (September–mid-October)\u003c\/strong\u003e also works well. Plant at least six weeks before the ground freezes so roots can settle in. Avoid mid-summer planting when heat stress is highest, and never plant into frozen ground.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eHow to Plant Ruby Dayze Crabapple\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDig wide, not deep — the hole should be 2–3 times the root ball width but only as deep as the ball itself. In heavy clay, dig even wider.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCheck drainage — if water pools in the hole, break through clay hardpan or mound-plant slightly to keep roots out of standing water.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBackfill with the native soil mixed with 20–30% compost. Don't create a pure-compost \"container\" in clay.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSet the tree so the top of the root ball sits at or just above grade. Allow room for the 12–18 foot mature spread.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBuild a 3–4 inch water basin around the root zone to direct water to the roots; flatten it before winter.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMulch with 2–3 inches of shredded bark or wood chips, kept 2 inches from the trunk, and wrap the young trunk to deter rabbits and deer.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWatering Ruby Dayze Crabapple in Minnesota\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFirst Year Watering Schedule\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWeeks 1–2: water every 1–2 days, deep and slow. Month 1–2: every 3–4 days. Month 3 through fall: every 5–7 days during active growth, less when rainfall is adequate. Stop watering 2–3 weeks before the ground freezes in late October so the tree can harden off for winter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAfter Year One\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEstablished Ruby Dayze Crabapple is fairly tough and drought-tolerant, needing supplemental water mainly during extended dry spells (2+ weeks with no rain). Water deeply to 6–8 inches every 7–14 days during drought, and let natural rainfall do most of the work.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWill Ruby Dayze Crabapple survive a Minnesota winter?\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes — it's hardy to about -30°F and well adapted to the Twin Cities.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs it messy?\u003c\/strong\u003e Not very — the small dark-red fruit is persistent, meaning it clings to the branches into winter rather than dropping in a sticky mess, and the birds clean up much of what falls.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes it resist disease?\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes — Ruby Dayze was selected for good resistance to apple scab and other crabapple diseases, so it stays cleaner and healthier than older varieties through Minnesota's humid summers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCan it pollinate my apple tree?\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes — flowering crabapples are excellent pollinators for eating apples that bloom at the same time, such as Honeycrisp and Haralson.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eYou May Also Like\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePrairiefire Crabapple\u003c\/strong\u003e — a disease-resistant crab with deep pink-red flowers and dark fruit.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRoyal Raindrops Crabapple\u003c\/strong\u003e — a purple-leaf crab with magenta flowers and cutleaf foliage.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpring Snow Crabapple\u003c\/strong\u003e — a fruitless white-flowered crab for a mess-free lawn specimen.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHoneycrisp Apple\u003c\/strong\u003e — Minnesota's famous eating apple, pollinated well by flowering crabs.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- tt-enriched --\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eHow Many Ruby Dayze Crabapples Do I Need?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRuby Dayze works best as a specimen — one tree with 14–18 feet of clear width anchors a front yard. For an informal flowering row along a driveway or property line, space trees 15 feet on center (a 60-foot run takes 5 trees). A group of 3 set 14–15 feet apart on a larger lawn doubles as a spectacular spring show and a winter bird-feeding station.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eRuby Dayze Crabapple Season-by-Season in Minnesota\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpring:\u003c\/strong\u003e Vibrant ruby-pink single flowers open against bronze-purple new foliage in mid-May, alive with bees and pollinating nearby apple trees.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSummer:\u003c\/strong\u003e Clean bronze-purple foliage holds its color on a tidy rounded crown — no mid-summer scab defoliation thanks to the bred-in disease resistance.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFall:\u003c\/strong\u003e Foliage deepens to rich bronze-purple while heavy clusters of glossy dark-red fruit color up.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWinter:\u003c\/strong\u003e Persistent dark-red fruit decorates the snowy branches and feeds cedar waxwings, robins, and finches deep into the cold months.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eAt a Glance\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e✔ Pollinator-Friendly   ✔ Salt-Tolerant   ✔ Drought-Tolerant   ✔ Four-Season Interest\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlant It With\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/prairiefire-crabapple\"\u003ePrairiefire Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e — deep pink-red bloom that layers beautifully with Ruby Dayze's ruby-pink.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/royal-raindrops-crabapple\"\u003eRoyal Raindrops Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e — magenta flowers and lacy cut-leaf purple foliage in the same color family.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/spring-snow-crabapple\"\u003eSpring Snow Crabapple\u003c\/a\u003e — fruitless pure-white bloom for crisp contrast beside the patio.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/honeycrisp-apple\"\u003eHoneycrisp Apple\u003c\/a\u003e — Minnesota's favorite eating apple, reliably pollinated by a nearby Ruby Dayze.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eIs Ruby Dayze Crabapple Right for Your Yard?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRuby Dayze wants full sun (6+ hours) and adapts to nearly any Minnesota soil — clay-loam, urban fill, salted boulevard strips — in a manageable 15–20 foot package with genuine disease resistance. Protect young trunks from rabbits and deer in high-pressure yards. It's not a fit for shady sites (bloom and foliage color both fade) or for anyone who wants zero fruit — choose fruitless Spring Snow for a completely clean patio tree.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Three Timbers Minnesota","offers":[{"title":"1.75\"BB","offer_id":54260816216369,"sku":"GT-T2953","price":370.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"2\"BB","offer_id":54260816249137,"sku":"GT-T2954","price":397.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"2.5\"BB","offer_id":54260816281905,"sku":"GT-T2955","price":439.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0986\/0694\/0465\/files\/ruby-dayze-crabapple.jpg?v=1779426697","url":"https:\/\/threetimbersmn.com\/products\/ruby-dayze-crabapple","provider":"Three Timbers Minnesota","version":"1.0","type":"link"}