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Fruit & Orchards Trees

Is this a crabapple?

7 months ago

I feel like I should know this but I’m not terribly familiar with crab apples!
I have a few of these trees growing at the edge of my property. They look like they self seeded because they are growing randomly.
I only just noticed the fruit that they have this year because, long story short they were growing kind of behind an old trailer house that was in our property. We finally got rid of it and cleaned up behind it (lots of scrubby brush and stuff) so that I can mow there now and I’ve noticed the fruit.

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Comments (8)

Ariel
Original Author
7 months ago
Sorry, thought I had all the photos on the first post but apparently not!
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Design Fan
7 months ago
Wild cherry?
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There are several crabapple species native to North America but you do not find the straight species or any species cultivars for sale except outside the specialty nursery or very rarely an old specimen of Malus ioensis 'plena' in some old landscapes. There are several other mostly Asian species in cultivation but most of the crabapples are going to be a hybrid mishmash. There are many crabapple cultivars and or most trying to attach a species name is useless. I have never heard of American beauty. Highly unlikely what you picked has a connection to the old plant you like. ÂAmerican beautyÂ may not even have existed at the time of planting or the old crabapple may have even vanished from commerce. Varieties come and go. You can likely expect a good flowering show from your crabapple, though. A nice deep pink in the link below. You could always graft the plant in question yourself. It would be the same method as grafting apples; information for that is all over the web. Here is a link that might be useful: Malus x 'American Beauty'
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Thanks, Prairiemoon. Yes, we have had a number of windstorms with heavy rain the last couple of months. The tree didn't come out, roots and all, but snapped off about a foot above the ground. It's right next to the house and I would have thought it would be more protected but it is open to the north with nothing to block the wind from that direction. The tree was at least 35 years old and we planted it. I can't replace it as the area is now full of its roots--couldn't get a shovel in. So I'll have to put some garden ornament there to fill the void. On the bright side, I can recommend this cultivar as it was mostly great for many years. It never got the blight that affects so many crabapples, including ones we had to take out for general hideousness.
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Thank you Floral - Do you have any knowledge of these varieties? Growers near me offer: Amelanchier canadensis, Amelanchier laevis, and Amelanchier grandiflora 'Autumn Brilliance.' I am thinking that a (single-stem) Hawthorn, followed by MS Serviceberry, and a SS Donald Wyman might be a nice pattern. My husband is not a fan of the Chionanthus, and I am seeing that the Halesia Carolina is a better understory tree. The allee will be at the west side of the property, and most of it will receive full sun. That's why I ruled out dogwood for this location. Occasionally, we get some strong winds from that direction too, as there is a large field in front of us, with few wind breaks. Please let me know if it is a "hardy" tree. Cecily - Cercis canadensis are my favorite tree, and I have several planted in the yard. For whatever reason, the cercis royal white doesn't appear to be as readily available, but I'm sure it can be had with a little effort. It's another great possibility. Thank you!
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Ariel
Original Author
7 months ago
I forgot to mention, I’m in northern Indiana.
Maybe? I was looking at pictures online and it seems like the leaves on my trees are a little rounder and the blossoms are maybe a little differently shaped but maybe there are different varieties of wild Cherry? It looked similar anyway!! The fruit does look Cherry-ish at this point!
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gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
7 months ago
It is also far too early in the season for fruit of any kind to be appearing on crabapples. That's a mid to late summer thing.
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indianagardengirl
7 months ago
Compare to Pyrus calleryana, a prominent invasive pest in our neck of the woods.
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Ariel
Original Author
7 months ago
Good point, gardengal! I hadn’t thought of that!
Nope, they’re not Bradford pears! The blossoms smell amazing—not stinky! 😄
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floraluk2
7 months ago
last modified: 7 months ago
It's a cherry. Not a crab. Not a pear. Whether wild or cultivated isn't possible to tell at this stage. The size of the fruit will tell.

Btw if you cut a fruit open it will have a pit. Pomes (apples and pears) have seeds.
Ariel
Original Author
7 months ago
Wow, I’m going to blame my current pregnancy brain on that lapse of common sense! I didn’t even think about cutting the fruit open!! 🤦‍♀️
Thanks!!
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