Plant Image Data Base                                         

   Malus

                                                       Crabapple

• Form
  • small- to medium-sized ornamental tree
  • maturing at up to 25' tall by 25' wide for the largest cultivars, but often half to two-thirds of that size at maturity, depending upon cultivar
  • various growth shapes include columnar, oval, rounded, spreading, or weeping, ranging from dwarf to medium-sized trees, and either single trunked or multi-trunked
  • usually a medium growth rate
• Culture
  • full sun to partial sun
  • prefers moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soils but is very adaptable to poor soils, various soil pHs, soil compaction, drought, pollution, wounding, and heavy pruning
• Foliage
  • most cultivars have leaves that are medium green to dark green, but some cultivars emerge reddish-purple and persist as a bronzed color for most of the Summer
• Flowers
  • white, pink, or red, sometimes with a darker-colored floral bud
  • flowers emerge before (or with) the foliage and are typically spectacular in April or May
  • flowering of individual Crabapple trees often occurs in "alternate year cycles", meaning that a year of heavy flowering (and fruiting) will be followed by a year of modest flowering (and fruiting)
• Fruits
  • cherry red, maroon, golden-yellow, faded yellow, orange, or green, often in dense showy clusters, maturing in September and October and often persisting at least into December
  • the definition of a Crabapple tree is that its fruits are 2" in diameter or less (most modern cultivars are 1/4" to 3/4" in diameter); if the fruits are more than 2" in diameter, it is defined as an Apple tree

• Function
  • specimen, focal point, entranceway, foundation, border, or street ornamental tree
  • the most common ornamental tree for northern climates
• Assets
  • very showy Spring flowering
  • ornamental Autumn fruits, with many cultivars having Winter-persistent fruits (which also attract wildlife)
  • urban tolerant and highly adaptable to different environments
  • rapid establishment (due to quick root regeneration)
  • abundant availability of many cultivars
  • most modern cultivars have tolerance or resistance to most of the common diseases and pests that plague Rose Family members, including Crabapples
• Purpose
  • Crabapple one of America's favorite ornamental trees, due to its very showy Spring flowers and often having showy Winter-persistent fruits, with many cultivars in existence to choose from.
• Summary
  • Malus is known for its spectacular Spring floral display, various growth habits and sizes, and Autumn/Winter fruits, but also for its potentially serious disease and pest problems that often lead to cosmetic unsightliness on the older cultivars (which are now generally removed from sale).

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