Michigan State University Extension
Ornamental Plants plus Version 3.0 - 00000938
11/12/99
Malus spp--Crab Apple
Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8 (some cultivars may be hardier)
Habit: Varies from shrub-like to 30-foot trees with
rounded, upright or weeping forms.
Type: deciduous tree or shrub
Annual Growth Rate: 12 to 18 inches
Flowers: White, red, pink, and single or double
Fruit: Red, yellow, orange or blush combinations of these
Comments: Crab Apple flowers in the spring, the showy
blossoms make their appearance before the lilacs bloom.
Although the actual time of bloom will vary from year to
year, depending on temperature, a total bloom period of up
to four weeks can be expected. Very-early blooming Crab
Apples may flower as early as the Star Magnolia, while
late bloomers may coincide with the Black Locust. The
bloom period of an individual cultivar may vary from two
days to almost two weeks depending on weather conditions.
Crab Apple buds may be pink, white or red, and open
blossoms may be white to dark purplish red, with many
variations in between. Most Crab Apples have single
flowers, but a few have semi-double or double blossoms.
Some cultivars bloom heavily only every other year. Avoid
these alternate-bearing trees. The majority of Crab Apple
cultivars produce consistent flower displays each year.
Foliage
Most Crab Apples have attractive green foliage. Some have
a distinct reddish or bronze leaf color for the first
month or so of the growing season. Most Crab Apple
cultivars do not have especially attractive fall colors.
Fruits
A flowering Crab Apple is defined as any apple (genus
Malus)with fruit 2 inches or less in diameter. The color
of the 1/4- to 2-inch fruits ranges from bright red to
purple and bright yellow to orange, with intermediate
shades and combinations. Fruits of some cultivars begin
to color in August, while the fruits of others do not
reach their true color until September or October.
The fruits of some cultivars ripen and drop by the end of
August, but the fruits of others may still be present in
the spring. Cultivars with fruits persisting into winter
can add a good deal of color to the early winter
landscape. Birds may eat these fruits in winter and early
spring.
Fruits follow the flowers, so alternate-bearing cultivars
will fruit heavily only in those years when they produce
many flowers.
Growth Habit
Flowering Crab Apples can be less than 20 feet tall, but
some may grow to 30 or 40 feet. Most Crab Apples are
rounded and dense, but growth habit varies widely from
narrowly upright to weeping. In summer, each form of Crab
Apple lends a distinctive character to the landscape, and
the twisted limbs of older specimens add a picturesque
beauty to the winter scene. The various plant forms,
flowers and fruit colors make Crab Apples a very useful
species in the landscape.
Diseases
Disease susceptibility or resistance should be given as
much consideration as the ornamental traits when selecting
a Crab Apple. Four diseases--apple scab, fire blight,
cedar-apple rust and powdery mildew--are the major disease
problems affecting Crab Apples.
This information is for educational purposes only. References
to commercial products or trade names does not imply
endorsement by MSU Extension or bias against those not
mentioned. This information becomes public property upon
publication and may be printed verbatim with credit to MSU
Extension. Reprinting cannot be used to endorse or advertise
a commercial product or company.
This file was generated from data base ZZ on 01/19/00.
Data base ZZ was last revised on 11/12/99.
For more information about this data base or its contents please contact
heatley@msue.msu.edu . Please read our
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