Crabapples for the Home Landscape
Tagged as: Crabapples for the Home Landscape
Crabapples are versatile, small, ornamental trees used in the urban landscape. Crabapples bloom in spring, usually in May, bearing flowers that vary a great deal in color, size, fragrance, and visual appeal. It is common for flower buds to be red, opening to pink or white flowers. The fruit ripens between July and November, and varies in size from ¼”to 2” long or wide. Crabapples thrive in full sun and grow best in well drained, slightly acidic soils (pH 5.5-6.5); however, they will grow well in many soil types. Most crabapple selections tolerate the cold winters and hot, dry summers prevalent in the Midwest. For many years, crabapple cultivars have been selected on the basis of their flowers, but with some cultivars, undesirable features, such as disease problems and early fruit drop, outweigh their short-lived spring beauty. No single cultivar can fulfill every landscaping need. Consider the following information when choosing a crabapple cultivar for your landscape.
DISEASE
Disease resistance should be your first consideration. Many resistant cultivars are available and recommended in order to avoid the most common disease problems. Before making a selection, keep in mind that not all crabapples do well in every location. Disease intensity varies from region to region, and disease strength can vary from year to year. For instance, some crabapples will be more prone to disease susceptibility in areas with greater rainfall than in drier climates. Careful consideration of the following information will be helpful in choosing the right crabapple cultivar. There are four diseases that seriously affect crabapple:
Apple scab is one of the most serious diseases from an aesthetic standpoint, but usually not a serious threat to the health of the tree. It is a fungal disease, which develops in cool, wet springs. On susceptible crabapples, apple scab causes spotting of the leaves, premature defoliation, and unsightly spots on the fruit. There are numerous cultivars that are resistant or very tolerant (still susceptible but with little defoliation) so choose one based on its resistance.Cedar-apple rust is a less serious leaf-spotting disease common to our native crabapple cultivars. It is usually a problem in areas where native junipers (Juniperus) are planted. Selecting resistant cultivars can control this disease.
Powdery mildew is a fungal disease that can cause considerable damage to leaves and fruit of susceptible cultivars without threatening the health of the tree. Poor air circulation, close association with susceptible apple cultivars, and wet, humid weather conditions will greatly influence disease incidence and severity. Fire blight is a serious bacterial disease of crabapples. Though it is less common then the others, if left untreated it can be fatal to susceptible crabapple cultivars. Select resistant cultivars.
PRUNING CRABAPPLES
Light pruning may be necessary to keep plants healthy, improve form, and correct structural problems. Prune in late winter or just after flowering. Remove dead, diseased, or broken branches at any time. Occasional thinning of the crown allows light into the center of the tree, and is done by removing a few smaller branches back to a crotch. Heavy cuts of one-inch or more should be avoided since they induce excessive water-sprout growth that will ultimately fill in the tree center. Suckers from the base of the trunk are problems with many types of crabapples and should be pruned as close to the ground as possible each season. It is important to disinfect pruning tools after each cut since pathogens can be spread by pruning tools. Sterilize using 70% denatured alcohol or 1 part household bleach mixed with 9 parts water.
SIZE AND FORM
Crabapples vary greatly in their shape and size. The mature size of the plant should be considered in your selection. The size of the landscape and the surrounding structures will dictate the plant size for a given space. There are several basic forms to consider:
- shrub (up to 15ft. tall)
- columnar (tall and narrow)
- horizontal ( layered branches, usually wider than tall)
- oval (taller than wide)
- upright (25’-30’ tall)
- rounded or spreading (usually somewhat wider than tall)
- weeping (little variation within the desirable cultivars, all grow to about 15ft.)
FRUIT
Trees only produce fruit after they have had flowers. The ornamental fruit of a crabapple puts on a show during the fall and winter. Fruits vary from less than ¼” to 2” in diameter. By definition, Malus trees with fruit larger than 2” are not crabapples, but apples. The best crabapple selections have small fruit, less than one-half inch, with bright, attractive colors (red, orange, and yellow). Some cultivars have showy fruits after hard frost, persisting (staying on the tree) throughout the winter, and providing food for birds. A few cultivars alternate every other year in flowering and bearing fruit, while some produce heavily one year and lighter the next. The non-persistent cultivars often produce fruit that can create an unwanted mess, especially when located near a driveway or sidewalk.
FLOWERS
Although flowers are usually the first consideration when choosing a crabapple, they should be one of the last. Flowering period is usually short, with bloom length dependent on the weather. Flowers may be single, double, or semi-double and colors vary from white, pink, or red. Flowers also have three distinct stages when blooming, from tight bud to balloon, and full bloom, often changing color with each stage. The crabapple recommendations are based on research at The Morton Arboretum as well as other locations in the Midwest as part of the National Crabapple Evaluation study.
RECOMMENDED CRABAPPLES for the HOME LANDSCAPE
Flower and fruit colors are general guidelines; exact colors may vary slightly between cultivars, soil type, and other growing conditions.
Disease resistance key
E=excellent resistance G=good/slight F=fair/susceptible P=poor resistance
* Persistent Fruit
† Alternate bearing fruit
| Name | Height/ Width | Form | Bud/Flowers | Fruit | Disease Resistance | |||
|
Scab
|
Fire
|
Rust
|
Mildew
|
|||||
| ‘Adams’ | 20/20 | Rounded | Dark Pink/Rose | Dark Red* |
F
|
E
|
F
|
F
|
‘Adirondack’ |
12/6 | Columnar | Red/White | Orange Red |
E
|
E
|
E
|
E
|
| ‘Amberina’ | 12/12 | Upright | Red/White | Orange Red* |
F
|
E
|
E
|
E
|
| baccata ‘jackii’ | 30/40 | Up/Rounded | White | Purplish-red |
E
|
F
|
E
|
F
|
| ‘Beverly’ | 20/20 | Up/Spreading | Red/White | Red† |
E
|
F
|
E
|
E
|
| ‘Bob White’ | 20/25 | Rounded | Pink/White | Yellow*† |
G
|
F
|
E
|
G
|
| Brandywine® ‘Branzam’ | 20/20 | Rounded | Red/Pink | Yellow |
F
|
F
|
P
|
F
|
| Camelot™ ‘Camzam’ | 10/8 | Rounded | Dark Red/White | Red |
E
|
E
|
E
|
E
|
| ‘Centennial’ | 25/20 | Rounded | Pink/White | Red-Yellow |
E
|
E
|
E
|
E
|
| Centurion® ‘Centzam’ | 20/15 | Narrow/Up | Dark Pink/Red | Cherry Red* |
F
|
E
|
E
|
E
|
| Coralburst™ ‘Coralcole | 10/10 | Rounded | Coral/Rose | Bronze-yellow |
F
|
E
|
E
|
E
|
| ‘David’ | 15/15 | Rounded | Pink/White | Scarlet Red*† |
G
|
G
|
E
|
E
|
| ‘Dolgo’ | 40/30 | Up/Spreading | Pink/White | Yellow w/ Red |
E
|
G
|
E
|
E
|
| ‘Donald Wyman’ |
20/20 | Rounded | Pink/White | Red* |
G
|
E
|
E
|
G
|
| ‘Doubloons’ | 12/10 | Up/Spreading | Red/White | Yellow-Gold |
F
|
E
|
E
|
E
|
| floribunda |
20/25 | Spreading | Carmine/White | Yellow/Red |
E
|
G
|
G
|
G
|
| Harvest Gold® ‘Hargozam’ |
20/15 | Upright | Pink/White | Golden Yellow |
E
|
F
|
E
|
E
|
| hupehensis |
25/25 | Upright/Spreading | Pink/White | Yellow/Red |
E
|
P
|
E
|
E
|
| ‘Indian Magic’ | 20/15 | Rounded | Rose Pink | Red* |
P
|
F
|
E
|
E
|
| ‘Indian Summer’ | 18/20 | Rounded | Rose Red | Red* |
F
|
E
|
E
|
E
|
| ‘Jewelberry’ |
8/12 | Shrub | Pink/White | Red† |
F
|
F
|
E
|
E
|
| ‘Liset’ |
15/15 | Rounded | Crimson/Red | Dark Red |
G
|
F
|
E
|
F
|
| ‘Louisa’ | 15/15 | Weeping | Red/Pink | Yellow |
F
|
E
|
E
|
E
|
| ‘Ludwick’ | 6/10 | Weeping | Dark Pink/Pink | Red |
E
|
E
|
E
|
E
|
| ‘Makamik’ | 30/40 | Rounded | Dark Red/Red | Purplish-red |
E
|
F
|
E
|
P
|
| ‘Mary Potter’ |
8/18 | Shrub | Pink/White | Red |
F
|
F
|
E
|
F
|
| Molten Lava™ ‘Molazam’ | 12/15 | Broad/Weeping | Rose/White | Orange Red* |
E
|
E
|
F
|
E
|
| ‘Ormiston Roy’ |
20/25 | Up/Spreading | Red/White | Orange Yellow |
G
|
F
|
G
|
G
|
| Pink Princess™ ‘Parrsi’ | 8/12 | Low spreading | Rose Pink | Dark Red |
F
|
F
|
F
|
F
|
| ‘Pink Spires’ | 25/12 | Up/Columnar | Pink | Purplish-red |
F
|
P
|
F
|
F
|
| ‘Prairifire’ |
20/20 | Up/Rounded | Red/Dark Red | Purplish-red |
E
|
E
|
E
|
E
|
| ‘Professor Sprenger’ | 20/20 | Up/Spreading | Pink/White | Orange Red* |
E
|
E
|
E
|
E
|
| ‘Profusion’ |
20/20 | Up/Spreading | Red/Rose Pink | Dark Red* |
F
|
F
|
E
|
G
|
| ‘Purple Prince’ |
18/18 | Rounded | Red/Rose Red | Maroon |
G
|
G
|
E
|
E
|
| ‘Radiant’ | 25/20 | Rounded | Red/Dark Pink | Red/Yellow |
P
|
E
|
G
|
F
|
| ‘Ralph Shay’ |
20/20 | Rounded | Pink/White | Red* |
F
|
F
|
F
|
E
|
| ‘Red Baron’ | 18/10 | Columnar | Dark Red/Dark Pink | Maroon |
F
|
G
|
G
|
G
|
| ‘Red Jade’ | 12/20 | Weeping | Red/White | Red* |
P
|
F
|
F
|
F
|
| ‘Red Jewel’ |
18/12 | Up/Rounded | Pink/White | Cherry Red* |
G
|
P
|
E
|
P
|
| ‘Red Splendor’ |
12/20 | Up/Rounded | Rose/Pink | Red* |
P
|
F
|
G
|
F
|
| ‘Red Swan’ | 10/14 | Weeping | Rose/White | Cherry Red* |
G
|
E
|
E
|
E
|
| ‘Robinson’ | 25/25 | Up/Spreading | Crimson/Pink | Dark Red* |
F
|
G
|
G
|
G
|
| ‘Royalty’ | 20/15 | Up/Rounded | Crimson Purple | Red-Purple |
P
|
P
|
G
|
F
|
| sargentii |
8/15 | Spreading/Shrub | Pale Pink/White | Red* |
E
|
G
|
E
|
E
|
| ‘Tina’ |
5/6 | Spreading/Shrub | Red/White | Red |
E
|
E
|
E
|
E
|
| ‘Selkirk’ | 20/25 | Up/Spreading | Rose/Pink | Purplish-red |
F
|
F
|
F
|
G
|
| ‘Sentinel’ | 18/12 | Up/Columnar | Rose Pink/White | Dark Red* |
F
|
F
|
G
|
G
|
| ‘Sinai Fire’ | 15/15 | Up/Weeping | Red/White | Orange-red |
E
|
E
|
E
|
E
|
| ‘Snowdrift’ |
20/20 | Rounded | Pink/White | Orange-red* |
P
|
P
|
G
|
G
|
| 'Spring Snow’ | 25/22 | Up/Oval | White | Spare fruiting |
F
|
F
|
G
|
G
|
| ‘Strawberry Parfait' | 20/25 | Spreading/Vase | Red/Pink | Yellow |
E
|
G
|
G
|
E
|
| Sugar Tyme™ ‘Sutyram’ |
18/15 | Up/Spreading | Pale Pink/White | Red* |
E
|
G
|
G
|
G
|
| Velvet Pillar™ ‘Velvetcole’ |
20/14 | Up/ Columnar | Pink | Red |
P
|
F
|
F
|
F
|
| Weeping Candied Apple® ‘Weepcanzam' |
10/15 | Weeping | Red/Pink | Cherry Red |
P
|
G
|
E
|
E
|
| White Angel® ‘Inglis’ |
20/20 | Up/Rounded | Pink/White | Red |
G
|
F
|
F
|
G
|
| White Cascade® ‘Cascole’ |
15/15 | Weeping | Pink/White | Yellow* |
G
|
F
|
P
|
G
|
| ‘Winter Gold’ |
25/20 | Broadly Oval | Red/White | Yellow |
F
|
P
|
G
|
G
|
| x zumi | 20/18 | Pyramidal | Pink/White | Red |
G
|
F
|
G
|
G
|
| x zumi ‘Calocarpa’ |
25/25 | Up/Spreading | Red/White | Bright Red* |
E
|
P
|
G
|
G
|
| x zumi ‘Wooster’ |
25/25 | Broadly Oval | Coral/White | Orange-red |
E
|
P
|
G
|
G
|