‘York Imperial’ apple seedlings (Malus domestica Borkh.) were continuously supplied via the roots with paclobutrazol [(2RS, 3RS)‐1‐(4‐chlorophenyl)‐4,4‐dimethyl‐2‐(1,2,4‐triazol‐1‐yl)pentan‐3‐ol)], a triazole GA biosynthesis inhibitor, at 0.68 μM in a nutrient solution. In comparison to controls, seedlings treated with paclobutrazol for 66 days showed a 91% reduction in shoot length, a 66% reduction in leaf area but only a 17% reduction in leaf number. This effect could be reversed by GA3 applied to the foliage at 71.4 μM 0, 19 or 35 days after paclobutrazol was initially supplied and leaf area values for paclobutrazol‐treated seedlings given both treatments did not differ significantly from controls. Plots of growth data indicate linearity of shoot longitudinal growth of GA3‐treated seedlings. Leaf area increase was non‐linear after GA3 treatment up to approximately 30 days, when the rate dropped. On a per shoot basis, leaf weight closely followed leaf area but on a per unit area basis, paclobutrazol‐treated leaves were heavier than controls; GA3 applications temporarily reversed this trend.