CRABAPPLE
Malus

Height: 8-25'
Width: 8-25'
Hardiness Zone: 3a to 4b depending on variety.
Exposure: sun
Origin: hybridization

Description:

Crabapples are very popular small trees noted for the abundance of flowers that cover the trees in spring as they begin to leaf out. Flower color ranges from white, pale pink to reddish-pink. Flowers of most cultivars are quite fragrant. There are hundreds of cultivars with plant size and form varying widely from narrow upright to weeping. Foliage color is typically green but purple foliage cultivars are available. Fall foliage is not usually attractive as it turns yellow or brown before falling. Fruit size and color is quite variable among cultivars. Many of the newer ones have small fruits (1/2” or less in diameter) that often persist throughout most of the winter until they soften and are eaten by birds. These do not pose a problem of fruit litter as does many of the older, larger fruited cultivars that drop in the fall. The fruit range in color from yellow to orange and bright red to deep red and provide a long period of color. The fruits that persist well into winter darkens or turns brown following early winter freezing. The red fruited cultivars usually retain their color better than those with yellow or gold fruit.

Site and Cultural Requirements:

Crabapples are moderately tolerant of a wide range of soils. They grow best in moist, well drained soil but are moderately drought tolerant and also grow reasonably well in clay soils.

Insect/Disease Issues:

There are usually no serious insect problems but four diseases can be bothersome. These are scab, cedar apple rust, powdery mildew and fireblight. Scab and rust cause foliage and fruit lesions and severe infection can cause summer defoliation. Powdery mildew produces a whitish film on the foliage and fireblight causes death of twigs and in severe cases, death of large branches or the tree. Cultivars possess different degrees of tolerance to these diseases and resistant cultivars should be chosen.

Cultivars:

‘Adams’ -Pink flowers with persistant, 5/8” dark red fruit and dark green leaves. Disease resistant. Round form to 20’. Zone 3b
‘Adirondack’ -Pink buds open to white flowers. Persistant 1/2” bright red fruit. Upright to vase shaped form to 15’. Excellent disease resistance. Zone 4a
American Masterpiece® -Red flowers with 5/8” persistant, orange fruit. Pyrimidal tree to 25’. Maroon foliage. Zone 4b.
Brandywine® -Double pink very fragrant flowers that resemble roses. Green 1” fruit are not persistant. Round tree form to 15-20’. Very susceptible to cedar apple rust. Zone 4a
Camelot® -Deep pink buds open to white and pink flowers. 3’8” deep red fruit somewhat persistant. Dense small round tree to 10’. Zone 4a.
‘Candymint’ -Dark pink buds open to pink flowers. . Moderately persistant 3/8” purplish-red fruit. Wide spreading form, 10’ high by 15’ wide. Good disease resistance. Zone 4b.
‘Cardinal’ -Red flowers and small, dark red fruit. Wide, vase shaped form to 15-20’. Zone 5.
Centurion® -Rosy red flowers with persistant 5/8” bright red fruit. Narrow upright habit to 25’ becoming wider with age. Somewhat susceptible to scab. Zone 4b.
Coralburst® -Red buds open to small double pink flowers. Fairly sparse 1/2” red-orange fruit. Shrub-like compact low-branching, wide spreading form, 10’ tall by 12-15’ wide . Sometimes grafted onto standard resulting in tree-like form. Good resistance to scab.
‘David’ -White flowers with abundant 3/8” persistant, bright red fruit. Round form to 15’. Slightly susceptible to fire blight. Zone 4a.
‘Donald Wyman’ -White flowers and abundant, bright red 3/8” persistant fruit. Round form to 20’. Disease resistant. Zone 4a.
Firebird™ -White flowers and dark red, persistant 3/8” fruit. Small, wide spreading form to 5’ tall and 8’ wide. Very resistant to scab. Zone 4a Golden Raindrops® -White flowers and persistant 3/8” gold fruit. Has fine textured incised leaves. Upright vase form to 18’ tall. Zone 4.
Harvest Gold® -White flowers and ½” persistant, yellow fruit. Broad upright form to 20’. Good disease resistance. Zone 4a.
‘Indian Magic’ – Dark pink flowers and ¾”, bright orange red, persistant fruit. Round head to 20’. Zone 4a.
Lancelot® -Dark pink buds and white flowers. The 3/8” fruit turn from gold to a rusty orange and persist into early winter. Disease resistant. Small upright, oval tree to 10’. Zone 4b.
‘Liset’ -Rosy red flowers with ¾” dark red fruit. Foliage is purple changing to purple green. Round form to 20’. Zone 4a.
Molten Lava® -Red buds open to white flowers. The multitude of orange-red fruit persist into early winter. Wide spreading weeping form to 15’ tall. Fair disease resistance. Zone 4b.
‘Prairifire’ -Red flowers with persistant 1/2” purple-red fruit. Upright spreading habit becoming round with age and growing to 20’. Excellent disease resistance. Zone 4a.
‘Professor Sprenger’ -White flowers with 5’8” orange red persistant fruit. Open rounded form to 20’. Good disease resistance. Zone 4b.
‘Profusion’ -Purplish red flowers. 1/2”, blood red, persistant fruit. Broad, round tree form to 20’. Foliage emerges purple and fades to bronze-green. Susceptible to scab. Zone 4.
‘Purple Prince’ – Purple-pink flowers with moderately persistant 2/5” purple fruit. Purplish-green foliage and round form to 20’. Good disease resistance. Zone 4a.
‘Red Jade’ – White to light pink flowers and bright red, persistant ½” fruit. Nice weeping form to 12’. Moderately susceptible to scab. Zone 4.
Red Jewel® -White flowers and persistant 1/2” cherry-red fruit. Upright pyramidal form to 18’tall and 12’ wide. Good disease resistance. Zone 4b.
‘Red Splendor’ -Pink flowers and persistant 1/2” bright red fruit. Open spreading form to 25’. Susceptible to scab. Zone 3b.
‘Robinson’ -Deep pink flowers with persistant 3/8” dark red fruit. Upright spreading form to 25’. Excellent disease resistance. Zone 4a.
‘Sentinel’ -White flowers and persistant 1/2” red fruit. Narrow, upright form to 20’. Good disease resistance. Zone 4a.
‘Snowdrift’ -Pink buds, white flowers and persistant 3/8” red-orange fruit. Symmetrical round form to 20’. Good disease resistance. Zone 3.
‘Spring Snow’ -White flowers and sterile (fruitless). Round headed tree to 25’. Susceptible to scab. Zone 4.
‘Sugar Tyme’ -White flowers and persistant 1/2” bright red fruit. Upright spreading form to 18’. Very disease resistant. Zone 4.
‘Thunderchild’ -Light pink flowers and persistant 2/5” dark red fruit. New foliage is purple changing to greenish-purple. Upright spreading form to 15’. Zone 3.
‘Tina’ -White flowers and very small, bright red fruit. Wide spreading tree to 6’. Good disease resistance. Zone 5a.
‘White Cascade’ -White flowers and 3/8” gold fruit. Graceful weeping tree to 12’. Good disease resistance. Zone 4.
x zumi ‘Calocarpa’ -Red buds, white flowers and persistant 3/8” red fruit. Rounded spreading form to 20. Good disease resistance. Zone 4.

We would like to thank the Landscape Plant Development Center and Minnesota Landscape Arboretum for the botanical information and photos.

Open 9:00 AM until Sunset
Closed Mondays, open holidays
Phone: (515)-992-4211
Email: info@thebrentonarboretum.org