Flowering crab apple trees are still some of the most beautiful spring flowering trees. Their flower color can be white, light pink, pink to red, and have single or double flowers. They can be naturally dwarf size or dwarfed by grafting, and some are weeping. They can grow from 4 foot to 30 foot. An ornamental flowering crab is defined by the size of the fruit. They are considered ornamental if the fruit is less than ½ inch in diameter. Although, whether a crab apple tree or apple tree is considered ornamental, can be defined by “the eye of the beholder”. Trees that produce fruit that are over ½ inch in diameter and up to approximately 2 inches may be used for spiced crab apples or crab apple jam. ’Dolgo’ produces a small apple often used in crab apple fruit processing.’ Dolgo’ flowers are also intensely fragrant! Remember crab apples are apple trees with just smaller fruit. Like trees with larger apples, most are very hardy in our Northern Michigan climate.
Mature growing size, form, and flowering color are probably the main characteristics when choosing a flowering crab for your landscape. And like apple trees, they prefer a sunny location. Some of the flowering crabs have fruit that persists- that means the fruit stays on the trees well into the winter months. This gives the birds a chance to devour the fruit throughout a longer period of time. With fruit color from yellow, orange blush to red, they stand out in the winter months after losing their leaves in the Fall. At this time ‘Spring Snow’ is the only variety that I know of that flowers (white) and does not produce fruit.
Some of the varieties that we typically carry are Sargent Flowering Crab (white flower), Sargentina (grafted Sargent w/ white flowers), Red Jewell Flowering Crab (white flower),) and Prairie Fire Flowering Crab (bright pink), Coral Burst (red), and Thunderchild (rose red flowers w/ purple leaves).
Dorian
Mature growing size, form, and flowering color are probably the main characteristics when choosing a flowering crab for your landscape. And like apple trees, they prefer a sunny location. Some of the flowering crabs have fruit that persists- that means the fruit stays on the trees well into the winter months. This gives the birds a chance to devour the fruit throughout a longer period of time. With fruit color from yellow, orange blush to red, they stand out in the winter months after losing their leaves in the Fall. At this time ‘Spring Snow’ is the only variety that I know of that flowers (white) and does not produce fruit.
Some of the varieties that we typically carry are Sargent Flowering Crab (white flower), Sargentina (grafted Sargent w/ white flowers), Red Jewell Flowering Crab (white flower),) and Prairie Fire Flowering Crab (bright pink), Coral Burst (red), and Thunderchild (rose red flowers w/ purple leaves).
Dorian
RSS Feed
