Crabapple trees are a wonderful addition to the landscape. They offer showy blooms and ornamental fruit that clings to the branches all winter. The fruits are smaller and more sour than those of their apple cousins.

They are well suited for today’s smaller residential lots. However, they need proper care to flourish. Diseases such as cedar apple rust, powdery mildew and fire blight can threaten them.

CRABAPPLE BASICS

Botanical name:

Malus

Zones:

4-8

Size:

The majority grow between 15 and twenty feet high and broad. There are the dwarfs and semi-dwarfs which vary in height from less than 5 feet up to 10 feet.

Forms:

It can be round or spread, columnar, vase-shaped, or weeping that is, depending on cultivar.

Exposure:

Full sun, at least six hours every day.

Bloom Time:

From mid-to late spring in length, with blooming ranging from one or 2 weeks.

Flowers:

Semi-double, single or fully double in pink, white or magenta. The scent is very pleasant. A variety of varieties has dark buds that change hue when the flowers begin to bloom.

Foliage:

The majority of the time, green, but some varieties feature foliage with red, purple, or even bronze shades. Fall leaves can have colors of gold, orange, red or bronze, depending upon the variety.

Fruit:

Ripens in late summer until mid-fall and is often attached to the branches throughout the winter. Most often, the fruit is red, and resembles tiny cherries, however certain cultivars yield maroon, yellow, or orange-colored fruit.

The rate of growth:

Moderate

PLANTING CRABAPPLE TREES

Planting time:

The ideal moment to start planting a crabapple is in autumn or spring because the soil will be damp and the temperatures are cool.If you stay clear of extreme heat and freezing temperatures you can grow a crabapple nearly every season.

Planting where:

Crabapples flourish in the full sun, but they do not like hot temperatures they prefer temperate warm summers as well as cold winters. They can adapt to all soil types, so long as they’re planted in a well-drained soil. To prevent foliar diseases ensure that you plant them in an area that has an air circulation that is good.

What to do when you plant

The general guidelines to plant trees dig the hole that is twice the size and long as your rootball. Then place the tree in the hole, keeping the uppermost part of the rootball just higher than the ground. To enhance the soil, add the peat moss and compost. If you need to stake, soak the soil in water after planting.

CRABAPPLE TREE CARE & PRUNING

Watering:

The first year following planting, make sure to provide additional water in dry weather to ensure that the tree receives 1-inch of moisture every week and possibly 2 inches of water during scorching periods. Once the roots are established, you’ll only require watering in dry, long-lasting periods. To decrease the frequency of watering put some mulch at the root zone on the plant (but not over the tree’s trunk) to keep the soil’s water.

Amendments & Fertilizer:

If they are planted in a good soil that is moderately fertile crabapples generally don’t require additional fertilizer. If you observe a lack of bloom and production of fruit, you can enhance soil fertility by topping soil with compost in the spring, or by applying fertilizers that slow release just before new growth starts to appear.

Pruning:

A few times of pruning can maintain the health of crabapple trees and maintain their gorgeous silhouettes. Crabapples are prone to the growth of water sprouts (shoots that sprout upwards from the tree’s branches) and suckers that develop at the bottom of the tree. They could grow to form additional trunks. The growths must be removed together with dead, diseased or overcrowded branches.

Pruning should be done in the winter months or prior to the flowering time in the early spring. Avoid excessive pruning. Trees require time to develop callus over wounds so it’s better to only remove the branches that require it. For more pruning tips,

Diseases:

Apple scab, cedar apples fire blight, rust as well as powdery mildew are the most frequent illnesses that affect crabapples especially those that are not resistant. Apple scab, an ailment that typically occurs in wet, cool springs and is the most significant problem that can cause leaf spotting as well as defoliation. This can be prevented through planting more vigorous cultivars developed to fight off these diseases, and by replacing trees that are susceptible to disease with varieties that are resistant to disease. The branches that are damaged by disease will usually will re-leaf the following spring.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. Can You Eat Crabapple Apples?

• Yes, you can eat crabapples! While they are typically smaller and more tart than regular apples, they are safe to eat and can be quite nutritious. Most people find them too sour to eat raw, but they are excellent for making jams, jellies, sauces, and ciders. Cooking helps mellow out the tartness, making them more palatable.

2. Why Is It Called a Crabapple Tree?

• The name “crabapple” likely originates from the Old English word “crabbe,” which referred to something that was small, tart, or sour—apt descriptions for crabapple fruit. The term “crab” may also have been used to describe anything crooked or small, which fits the tree’s often gnarled appearance and its small, bitter fruits.

3. What Are the Drawbacks to Crabapple Trees?

While crabapple trees are beautiful and beneficial in many ways, they do have some potential drawbacks:

Moderate Maintenance: Regular pruning and cleaning up fallen fruit may be needed to keep the tree healthy and looking good. They also sometimes need treatments to manage pests and diseases.

Messy Fruit Drop: If not harvested or eaten by wildlife, crabapple fruit can drop and create a mess on the ground, which can attract insects and be slippery.

Disease Susceptibility: Some crabapple varieties are prone to diseases like apple scab, fire blight, and cedar-apple rust, which can impact their appearance and health. However, many disease-resistant cultivars are available.

Pest Attraction: Crabapples can attract pests such as aphids, caterpillars, and Japanese beetles, which may require treatment or management.