British Native Trees
and Shrubs

Crab Apple Malus sylvestris subsp sylvestris (Rosaceae)

Covered in clouds of pretty pink blossoms in May, crab apple is a small, densely-branched deciduous tree which seldom grows taller than 8 m. This parent of the domestic apple has grey-brown bark which becomes furrowed and flaky when older. From the tangled branches come long shoots which extend the crown, short ‘spurs’ carrying flowers, and sometimes medium-sized shoots ending in a thorn. The bright-green, ovate, 3-5 cm long, short-pointed leaves are hairless, with a finely toothed margin and stalks up to 2 cm and they open in late April. Soon afterwards the clusters of dark-pink buds unfurl into pale-pink or white five-petalled flowers with yellow anthers, up to 3.5 cm across. These are followed by the rounded green fruits about 2.5 in diameter which ripen into golden yellow.

Crab apple is found in ancient woods, especially of oak, and hedgerows and scrub on a wide range of soils throughout lowland England. Escaped cultivated apple trees are often found in hedges but they are thornless with hairy shoots and leaves and and often pinker flowers.

This small tree is most attractive in flower and fruit and useful for the corner of a medium-sized garden or as a specimen tree in a smaller one. It can also be incorporated into a planted hedge. It prefers an open, sunny site and almost any soil except damp peat. It is best propagated by extracting seeds from the fruits in winter, sowing immediately and leaving undisturbed for a year before lining out 30 cm apart and growing on for two years.

The sour fruit makes an excellent jelly, while the tough, close-grained, red-brown wood is prized for carving, turnery and inlay work.

The crab apples are adored by birds which spread the seed in their droppings, and the interweaving branches make good nesting sites. Red admiral butterflies gorge themselves on the sap from the rotting fruit, and the leaves are food for the larvae of figure-of-eight, gothic and pale-shouldered brocade moths.

Page last updated - January 10, 2002  

©2001-2002 Flora for Fauna