Crabapples

Outstanding Features

  • Versatile ornamental tree; many forms available from weeping, horizontal, and vase shaped to rounded.
  • Spring blooming with white, pink or red flowers in single, semi-double or double flowered forms.
  • Fruit vary in size from 1/4" to 2" in diameter; red, orange or golden color.
  • Many disease resistant cultivars available.

Landscape Use

  • Tree forms used as specimen plants for residential, municipal and commercial landscapes.
  • Smaller species useful in the shrub border.
  • Fruit provides food material for wildlife.

Cultural Requirements

  • Tolerant of a wide range of soil conditions.
  • Prefer a pH in the range of 5.0 to 6.5.
  • Plant in full sun for best flowering.
  • Some pruning required to remove sucker growth or unwanted branches
  • Hardy to zones 3 - 5.
  • Some cultivars extremely susceptible to foliar diseases.

Key Pests

Diseases:

  • Apple scab
  • Cedar apple rust
  • Fireblight

Insects:

  • Aphids
  • Japanese beetles

Selected Disease Resistant Species and Cultivars

Malus 'Adams' - 20'H x 20'W
Single flowers, deep red in bud, opening red and fading to pink. Rounded, dense habit; deep red fruit, 5/8" in diameter, persistent.

Malus 'Coral Cascade' - 15'H x 25'W
Single flowers, coral-red in bud opening to white. Semi-weeping habit; coral fruit, 3/8" in diameter, becoming deep coral with frost, persisting until mid-winter.

Malus 'Donald Wyman' - 20'H x 25'W
Single flowers, 1 3/4" in diameter, pink in bud opening to white. Large, spreading habit; glossy red fruit, 3/8" in diameter, persistent.

Malus floribunda - 20'H x 30'W
Single flowers, deep red in bud opening to pink then fading to white. Strong horizontal habit; fruit yellow to amber, 1/4" in diameter, relished by birds.

Malus hupehensis - 20'H x 25'W
Single flowers, 1 1/2" in diameter, pink in bud opening to white. Vase shaped habit; yellow to red fruit, 3/8" in diameter.

Malus 'Indian Summer' - 20'H x 20'W
Single flowers, rose red. Broad, globe shape; bright red fruit, 3/4" in diameter, persistent.

Malus 'Molten Lava' - 12'H x 15'W
Single flowers, 1 1/2" in diameter, pink in bud opening to white. Horizontal-weeping in habit; glossy red fruit, 3/8" in diameter.

Malus 'Prairifire' - 20'H x 20'W Single flowers, dark red in bud opening to red-purple. Upright and spreading in habit; fruit small, dark red-purple. Winter bark resembles Prunus.

Malus 'Professor Sprenger' - 25'H x 25'W
Flowers single, pink in bud opening to white. Upright and spreading in habit; fruit orange-red, 5/8" in diameter, persistent.s.

Malus sargentii - 8'H x 15'W
Single flowers, red in bud opening to white, fragrant. Shrub-like in habit; bright red, tiny fruit, relished by migrating birds.

Written by: Roberta Clark
Revised: 08/2011