The City of Seattle has a rather specific street tree planting program. A permit and approval is required. There are lists of "approved" trees depending on width of the strip and the presence of overhead powerlines. Neither of those trees is on the approved street tree list but that does not necessarily mean they will not be approved on your application. Other flowering crabs are approved.

Blooming of crape myrtles in our area is never a sure thing :-) Typically, our summers seldom get warm enough long enough to encourage a good bloom -- last summer was a bit off the norm. Planting where they receive full sun and reflected heat (like off the road asphalt and sidewalk in a narrow planting strip) will help but still no guarantees.

Here is a link that might be useful: Seattle Street Tree policy

Thanks gardengal. I'm familiar with the list of approved street trees, and I've been considering trees for a few months now. I thought about Malus "Red Barron", which is on the list, but WSU's "Crabapples for Western Washington" has it on their "Varieties to Avoid" list.

Since Malus "Golden Raindrops" is on the list, I was hoping "Royal Raindrops" would also be approved since it shows similar disease resistance. Also, since so many Crape Myrtles were planted along the street near my house, I was hoping they would be approved as well. Blooms on the Crape Myrtles would be really nice, but even without them, I still really like the vase shape, bark and fall color.

I was hoping those who already had Royal Raindrops could tell me more about it and perhaps even share photos. I'm especially interested in knowing whether it's leaves are more purple or bronzy-green here in Seattle. I've seen images of both on the Web.

Malus 'Royal Raindrops' (or 'JFS-KW5') on J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co. site

Malus 'Royal Raindrops' (or 'JFS-KW5') on the JCRaulston Arboretum's site

Also, I was hoping someone could tell me if they're drought tolerant or not.

cornelian cherries are early spring (now) blooming, drought tolerant, smallish, trees with edible fruit.

generally the larger sized ones (better for street tree survival) aren't the ones selected for good fruit.

Actually, I don't think we're allowed to plant any fruit trees in the parking strips because of the mess they can cause. I think only ornamental crabapple, cherry, and plum trees are on the list of approved street trees for Seattle.

I'm actually planning to plant a "Spencer Hollywood" plum tree in my yard, but that's for another thread. =)

i didn't do an exhaustive search of the seattle's site. but i don't see anything that outlaws ALL fruiting trees.

here is a cornelian dogwood street tree in seattle

http://namethatplant.wordpress.com/2009/03/08/a-very-un-dogwood-like-bloom/

just call here and see if you can plant it. there are very few trees explicitly prohibited. 206-684-TREE (8733).

'Royal Raindrops' will green up in summer - not entirely green but with a purplish cast. Just far less intense than the spring foliage color. I included one in a client's garden, as her brother was the one who developed this selection for J. Frank Schmidt nursery and it was important for her to grow it in his honor :-) And I've not encountered any difficulties with the city approving most Malus selections - they tend to remain on the small side and not messy with their fruit. 'Prairie Fire' would be a nice alternate choice....same coloring and very disease resistant but lacking the cut leaf.

IME, most flowering crabs are relatively drought tolerant once they become fully established.

There doesn't seem to be any enforcement of the street tree rules. Many of my neighbors have been putting in Apple, cherry, and plum trees along the planting strips over the last few seasons. So far no one has been told to remove them. There are also quite a few mature apple trees in planting strips nearby as well. I think this is one of those rules that is only enforced when someone complains.

Sometimes its better to ask for forgiveness than permission. Especially if its not a very expensive tree.

Royal is similar to Golden, amounting to a sort of purple version of it. Won't be any big ones around yet, I have seen some fairly big Golden in parking strips in Georgetown or nearby. Low main branches of these seem bound to become a problem at some point.

Pillar apples are making dramatic specimens near Stone Way. Upright habit fits on streets, however liable to be too tall for under wires.

And this species produces fairly large fruits, with attendant problems like wasps and litter. Otherwise a pretty handsome tree, I even find the comparatively inconspicuous flowers appealing.

Trees of Seattle - Second Edition (2006, Arthur Lee Jacobson) should always be checked by anyone interested in addresses of examples of specific kinds of trees. With this second edition he even figured out and located all the many kinds of flowering crabapples that appear to be present (unlike the first edition).

Thanks to everyone for the feedback. I'm just not ambitious and disciplined enough to maintain that many fruit trees on the parking strips, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the 'Royal Raindrops' crabapples will be approved. I may just plant one Crape Myrtle closer to the south side of the house to get more reflected heat.

Thanks gardengal for the info on the 'Royal Raindrops' leaf color. I was hoping it would be more green. Our neighbors have two huge purple-leaf plums, and I wasn't that excited about that many purple-leafed trees around the house.

I actually attended Arthur Lee Jacobson's talk at the NW Flower and Garden Show this year. He recommended Malus Tschonoskii crabapples, but WSU put it on their Discard list due to "ornamental only for its narrowly upright form, no showy flowers or fruit". I really want dark-pink spring flowers. Gardengal, do you know how showy the spring flowers are on the 'Royal Raindrops' you planted for your client?

Also, Arthur Lee Jacobson doesn't have any info on the 'Royal Raindrops' since they're so new, but Urban Forest Nursery, which specializes in street and landscape trees, recommends it.

Urban Forest Nursery Royal Raindrops Flowering Crab profile

I been growing Royal Raindrops on Camano Island for several years. It's in a partial shade position, where I wanted to have a purple-leaved Japanese maple but had no success as these tend to blight off in the garden there. It maintains quite a dark presence throughout the season in that location.

Here north of Seattle I have had Golden Raindrops long enough that it is fairly high up on the local size range scale for this tree in this area. It has been quite a nice acquisition.

I have Golden Raindrops and it is a winner. Mine is about five now.

Flowers are a rather intense magenta-pink......not exactly my choice but a color that many find very appealing.

I love intense magenta-pink :) I wish 'Royal Raindrops' would have been available years ago when I planted Prunus 'Bleriana' I just hate to rip out a mature tree to replace with a sapling.