Malus 'Louisa'

Last spring I removed a Newport Plum (good riddens I say) from a raised bed on the NE corner of our house. While I never took to this purple-leaved plum, my wife was fond of it. I replaced it with a small Blue Spruce (Sester's Dwarf), that is simply too small and too slow growing to have an impact anytime soon. I've agreed to pull it out and replace it with another tree of her choice (unless, of course, I don't like it...). She definitely wants a weeper, and has become smitten with 'Louisa.' We've got a very nice Pagoda Dogwood at the NW corner, and I'm thinking this might make a decent companion on the other corner. Any opinions on this tree? It's supposed to be resistant to the foliar problems common to crabs, but I'd like to hear some firsthand experience to this affect. Any other weeper suggestions?

Basic

Ask and ye shall recieve. I happen to have a "Louisa" and absolutely love it. The form is great, the foliage remains clean, and the floral display is always fantastic. Furthermore, the flowers are a wonderful fragrance. If you want a small weeping and flowering tree, I couldn't recommend this one more.

Scott

I feel compelled, after reviewing that last photo, to disclose that a maple tree I cut down last year happened to fall on my "Louisa." Consequently, it might take a bit of imagination to fill in the normally fuller form this tree gets.

Scott

I must also add that the landscaper who planted this "Louisa" for a previous owner also included a Pagoda Dogwood in the design. Unfortunately, the Pagoda is no longer with us, but the combination was very nice...and rather unique.

The one downside of "Louisa" is that the fruit display is a little on the lame side. The fruit is a weak yellow, the fruit is small and not terribly numerous, and the upshot is tend to get lost. However, clean up is minimal.

Scott

MAJUSCULE:

'Louisa' is certainly no slacker, but...

Stretch your Malus mental muscles, and consider some of the Father Fiala crabapple collection. This kind, gentle, and humble horticultural soul developed some exceedingly fine small flowering trees eminently suitable for the upper midwest garden, and impressive enough for me to trial solo down here in the pedestrian Ohio River valley region. If you can access Flowering Crabapples: The Genus Malus by Father John L. Fiala, take a gander at some unknown and certainly underused gems.

Amongst the individuals submitted for your consideration:

Spreading forms:
'Firedance'
'Lullaby'
'Luwick'
'Ming Dynasty'
'Molten Lava'

Cascading forms:
'Autumn Treasure'
'Dancing Elf'
'Egret'
'Fiesta'
'Firecloud'
'Firecracker'
'Flamingo'
'Flaming Star'
'Henry Ross'
'Little Troll'
'Mollie Ann'
'Pagoda'
'Red Swan'
'Royal Splendor'
'Sinai Fire'
'Snow Ballerina'
'White Cascade'

Semi-weepers:
'Goldilocks'
'Maria'
'Red Peacock'
'Rhapsody'
'Sensation'
'Serenade'
'Wildfire'
'Woven Gold'

I've personally planted 'Luwick', 'Molten Lava', 'Little Troll', 'Red Swan', and 'White Cascade'. In the next month I expect to have in hand at the Valley 'Henry Ross', 'Mollie Ann', 'Red Peacock', and 'Woven Gold'.

You could at least try one of them.

Snakebark -- Thanks for submitting the pictures. I had no idea the flowers were fragrant...that could be the clincher. If weak fruit production is the only negative, I think I could live with that. BTW, I think you should share with us how you managed to drop a Maple onto Louisa. Also, do you intend to offer this service as part of your new business? ;)

VerboseValley -- Poor little Louisa may be a commoner, but I don't think she should be shunned just for this. Her life has not always been easy. You know, having Maples dropped on and such.

When it comes to trees, I'm a patient person...unfortunately my wife is not. She's calling the shots on this one and wants something of decent size when planted. While I would love to plant Father's top two dozen, I doubt if I could find any sufficient to satisfy her need for size. On the other hand, she is from a good Catholic family of 15 kids, and may want to impress her dad by honoring Father Fiala.

Are all of those on your list Father Fiala hybrids? I've got White Cascade, which is a nice little tree. Unfortunately, by midsummer the foliage is damaged from rust. Beautiful when in flower though.

Crabs are SOOOO 1980s. Plant an oak, and tell her to shut up and be patient or you'll slap her upside the head! (He said from a secure bunker position hundreds of miles away from her reach . . . )

Guy S.

Ouch. You can tell that Guy didn't get much in his Easter stocking.

Maasculinity:

Not that I have any intention of learning or wanting to know what it takes to satisfy Mrs. Maack...but Fr. Fiala's finest are available in some impressive dimensions. One nursery has these:

'Henry Ross' in 8' clump
'Little Troll' in 7' clump
'Louisa' at 3" caliper
'Luwick' at 2", 2.5", and 3" caliper
'Red Peacock' from 2-3" up to 9' clump
'Woven Gold' in 6' clump

You have to make her want it (or at least sound like it was her idea all along). Working the dad angle might be odd, but hey.

Oh, yeah, the maple falling on the "Louisa." Not one of my prouder moments. It was one of those days when nothing was going right and I should've just stopped and come back to it another time, but I was in a hurry...and, well, you know...

It wasn't a huge (sugar) maple, but it had a huge girdling root and its form was all distorted by bad pruning and competition from other trees. Actually, I climbed up in it and cut off one major branch, which promptly fell into the "Louisa." And then, later, I cut if off at the base and what was left of it also fell onto the "Louisa." I did a fair imitation of a hopping mad Yosemite Sam by the time the second half of the tree fell onto the crabapple.

All in all, the "Louisa" wasn't too badly damage, and the maple was, but I'm trying to learn more patience and to get help when help is needed.

scott