Help me decide between these two trees please :)

We are going to be creating space to add another tree and we've found two that we like the look of, but I can't decide which one to go for!

This is the first one

Crataegus Crimson Cloud - Midland Hawthorn Tree – Mail Order Trees

And this is the second one

Malus Royalty - Crab Apple Tree | Mail Order Trees

Which one do you prefer?

We get a lot of birds in the garden and so thought that either of these trees would be good for them and attracting wildlife so its a difficult decision!

 

No doubt either would be good but my vote is for the Hawthorn, slightly biased living in the Midlands and having a tall Hawthorn hedge at the back of the garden.

 

The hawthorn I do like, as it is one I was supposed to have received previously, but they ended up sending me a different hawthorn, I think possibly Paul's Scarlet, which we have kept anyway, even though I really wanted the crimson cloud as I liked the single flowers.

The crab apple I like the purple foliage which would contrast with the greenery we currently have out there.

They're both so lovely! If only I had the space for both

 

I had a dark Malus in my last garden, it's a pretty tree. I liked the idea of breaking up all the surrounding green but unfortunately it suffered in my coastal sandy soil and never looked healthy.

 

I think the Hawthorn might be best regarding the birds.

 

Both excellent trees for birds, but I think the Hawthorn would attract a greater diversity of insects and so would certainly be my choice, @Sienna's Blossom.

Nick

 

Crab Apples are best for attracting Voles that could become a problem when they start nibbling your seeds.

Birds don't eat Crab Apples, but they are an essential ingredient of home made cider.

 

Well we have crab apples as street trees around here and nothing eats them.
They just lay all over place, even block the street drains.

 

Weird, my wildlife gardening book says some large Thrushes, Redwings and Fieldfairs eat them and I thought Blackbirds also enjoyed them...

Nick

 

Its seeming like the hawthorn is getting the majority vote so far.... decisions, decisions!

RSPB says that crab apples are also good for birds, but I guess they have their preferences depending on whats available to them!

 

The Fieldfares around here prefer Buckthorn berries and the Thrushes prefer Holly berries.

 

Blackbirds around here eat cat food,, but seriously they do eat apples, but in my experience its desert apples, just before they are ripe, also grapes and figs.
They dont touch the tonnage of crab apples we get round here, nothing does.

 

WE have both, at the mow the field fares, black birds are eating the crab apples but they are early crabs (Malus John Downie)(and early flowering which bees love) but some crab are not ready for the birds till later in the winter ie the red ones

 

Hawthorn for me too.

Since my son hasn't been able to come over to me, we've been walking around my ex's along the canal. There are a lot of crab apples along the hedgerows. I really don't see anything eating them on the tree. Maybe some things eat them once they've fallen to the ground, but mainly what you get is a patch of ground covered in rotting crab apples. And that's out in the countryside - in town there's even less that'll eat them.

 

Well you're all helping me make my decision easier here, think it's going to be the hawthorn.