advice on mouldy Crab Apple

I purchased a Malus sargentii 'Tina'crab apple in the spring, which did look really healthy.

It gave a gorgeous show of blossom, but is now looking rather sick.
It's in a pot/tub with tree &shrub compost, in a fairly shady area of garden.

The fruit is fairly small, and most of the leaves have dropped.
At the weekend, I noticed some pale grey/white mould on some of the branch ends, that looks almost like cotton wool.

Any ideas would be appreciated, as I am new to gardening and have no idea what is wrong with it (or how to treat it).
Thanks in advance,
Carol

 

First of all the fruit on M. sargentii is small, it is never more than small cherry size. It is also in the habit if being biennial fruiting, so do not be surprised if you get very little fruit next year. Secondly, unless it is on a very dwarfing rootstock, it makes a fairly large tree eventually. Ours has been in about 5 years and is a good 15 feet tall. It may not be too happy in a pot. Third is a different trouble altogether. The 'cotton wool' is probably a pest know as woolly aphid or American blight (same thing) This is a sort of aphid which covers itself in a wax for protection, the 'wool'. You need to get rid of the wax to kill the aphid. Get some methylated spirits and dab the wool with it. That will remove the wax and kill the bug. You may weel have to repeat the treatment until it is all gone.
Personally I would plant the tree in the garden myself, if possible. It will grow almost anywhere from sun to dappled shade.

 

Thanks for your help - I'll give it a go.

With ref. to planting in the garden, I've tried to avoid it; the back garden is just patio & the front garden is a mixture of clay, sand, bricks & stones...with very little soil.
I dug up 1/2 a breeze block the other week, and unfortunately most plants I've tried putting in the ground have died on me!

 

Hi Carol S

I had this on my apple tree, I got up on a ladder and scrubbed all the woolly bits off with soap (fairy liquid) and water. This worked for me, they never came back.

Don't worry, if you catch it now your tree should be fine.

Cheers EGW

 

OK, thanks for the tip.

Carol.

 

These are Malus sargentii apples.