| Name |
Malus
- Donald Wyman - Crab Apple |
| Cultivation |
The
Donald Wyman crab tree prefers full exposure to sun and moist, well-drained,
slightly acidic soils, but what plant doesn't? This tree has been reported
to have performed well in compacted soils. Once established it is drought
tolerant and somewhat tolerant of salt spray. It's also tolerant of more
moist conditions. This Malus cultivar has been named by many sources as
one being very resistant to common crabapple diseases, such as rust, fire
blight and powdery mildew. Requires full sun, tolerant to a fairly wide
range of soil conditions. Prune to remove suckers and watersprouts. Prune
as young trees to develop good branch structure.
|
| Family |
Rosaceae |
| Genus |
Malus
is a genus of about 30-35 species of small deciduous trees or shrubs in
the family Rosaceae, including the domesticated Orchard or Table Apple. |
| Synonyms |
|
| Known
Hazards |
|
| Range |
|
| Height |
An
excellent crab with a rounded growth habit, and most often grows a bit wider
than it does tall, with a mature height of 18-22' and similar mature width.
|
| Habitat |
All
very cold hardy. Most like full sun and are tolerant of a wide range of
soil conditions. |
| Characteristics |
White
flowers in spring, abundant, red persistent fruit in fall. Exceptionally
clean foliage throughout the growing season. This tree flowers in early
spring, and as pictured, buds begin as an almost crimson red, and as they
open fade to pure white. The flowers give way to bright red fruit that
are roughly 3/8" in diameter and persistent through the winter (providing
some nice winter interest). Spring and summer foliage is green, turning
amber/yellow in autumn. It's hardy and has an average growth rate. |
| Edible
Uses |
The
fruit of the crabapple species is not an important crop, being extremely
sour and (in some species) woody, and is rarely eaten raw for this reason.
However, crabapples are extra rich in pectin, and their juice can be made
into a ruby-coloured jelly with a full, spicy flavour. A small percentage
of crab apples in cider makes a more interesting flavour. |
| Medicinal
Uses |
An
Apple a day Keeps the Doctor Away! (So they say!) |
| Other
Uses |
|
| Propagation |
Apples
require cross-pollination between individuals by insects (typically bees,
which freely visit the flowers for both nectar and pollen); all are self-sterile,
and self-pollination is impossible making pollinating insects essential.
The honeybee is the most effective pollinator of apples. Malus species,
including domestic apples, hybridise freely. |
| Cultivars |
Crabapple
fruit are mostly red, but some, such as the cultivar 'Golden Hornet', are
yellow Crabapples are widely grown as ornamental trees, grown for their
beautiful flowers or fruit, with numerous cultivars selected for these qualities
and for resistance to disease. |