Lovely Crabapple Trees

I walked to my friend’s place via a popular promenade that offers a view of a row of crabapple trees with their blossoms and a view of the river valley. My arrival was somewhat delayed as I stopped a few times to take photos of the blooms.

A somewhat different view of the row of trees

I love the contrast between spring green and darker evergreens at this time of year. It is lush after 4 days of rain.

Love the sight and smell walking these few blocks

7 thoughts on “Lovely Crabapple Trees”

Hi Jane,

Beautiful pictures!

I took a couple on Saturday afternoon on a walk. Your pictures are much better than mine. I wasnât sure whether the blossoms were of crabapples or plums.

I wonder what the white ones are.

Thanks, Vera

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Jane's Heartsong says:

May 20, 2024 at 4:12 pm

Here is what I found:

Warm regards,

Jane

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There are some that came out earlier across the street that are double-flowering plums but they are done. The pink and white are just two types of crabapples.

Brandywine Crabapple New for 2019 Brandywine is a double flowered (lots of petals) that are rich pink in colour. Rounded crown. I got mine last fall. We’ll see how they wintered. (Fall 2020: They wintered fine, and put on a good show this summer) Fruit is about 1″ and is yellow green. Adapts well to our somewhat alkaline prairie soil. Mature size 20×20. Zone 3, some reports 4.

Emerald Spire Crabapple This is a skinny tree. 20 feet tall x 6-8 wide. It’s a narrow vase shape with the widest part at the top.. Like many rosyblooms the leaf colour is a mix of green and red, resulting in the front face of the leaf being a dark green with russet hints, and the back side bing a dull silver pink. New leaves have more red at first. Flower buds are deep pink, becoming lighter pink when they open. Apples are about nickle sized. Zone 2.

Purple Spire Crabapple Also a skinny tree, somewhat skinnier than Emerald. (The use of ‘spire’ in a name gives you a hint.) Leaves are dark burgundy, almost black leaves. Originally I bought into it because I was told that it didn’t flower much and didn’t have much fruit. Someone didn’t tell my trees. While not as prolific as Emerald spire, calling this ‘nearly fruitless’ is a stretch. My apologies to previous customers who bought it for this. Mature size 20 x 6. Zone 3.

Royal Beauty Crabapple A smaller accent tree with a weeping form with red bronze leaves and small red crabapples that persist into winter. Special order. Mature sizes 9′ x 6′ Zone 2.

Royal Mist Crabapple A broadly columnar tree with red/burgundy leaves, fuschia pink flowers in late spring. This is the result of a cross between Thunderchild and Shaughnessy Cohen. Improved disease resistance. Mature size 20′ x 9′ Zone 2.

Shaughnessy Cohen Red tinted leaves and deep pink flowers on a rounded crown. One of the earliest crabs to leaf out in spring. One of the larger trees at maturity. Mature size 25 x 20. Zone 2

Gladiator Crabapple Glossy bronze purple leaves, dark pink flowers. fairly even in outline. Upright oval crown. Mature size 20′ x 13′. Zone 2

**Pink Spires Crabapple. Red purple leaves in early spring, maturing to green during the summer, and reverting back to burgundy in the fall. Lavender pink flowers. Small red crabapples in fall. Mature size is 20′ x 12′ Zone 2.

Thunderchild Crabapple Non-glossy deep burgundy leaves, pink flowers. Thunderchild is less regular than Gladiator. It lends itself to bonsai-like garden treatments. It tends to be wider and lower than Gladiator it requires only a small offset to fit under a powerline. Crabapples are the size of a small marble. Upright spreading crown Mature size 20 x 15.Green leaf Crabapples

Starlight Crabapple A selection of siberian crabapple with glossy green leaves. It is covered in white flowers in spring — so much so that you can’t see the leaves on some branches. Blossoms have a light floral scent. Mine buzzes softly all the while it blooms with visits from honey and bumble bees. Crabapples are tiny, about the size of a large pea, and stay on the tree. Mature size 25 x 15. Zone 2

Spring Snow Crabapple Another cultivar of Siberian crabapple, this one is sterile, and does not produce fruit, but produces masses of fragrant white flowers in spring. Mature size 25′ x 20′ Zone 2

Dolgo Crabapple Another green leaf crab and the largest crab I’ve got. Left to it’s own devices it will get about 30 feet tall by the same wide. It’s also the only one that produces decent apples: They are about ping pong ball size, and are sweet enough to eat off the tree. And they are bright red. I don’t recommend this one unless you want the apples. Unlike the others, the apples don’t stick to the tree over the winter. Between it’s size and productivity, the apples are a nuisance to clean up in late fall if you have no use for them. However the apples keep well, are a nice snack size for small kids. (Big folk grab several) and they can well, and are good as a cider apple.

Siberian Crabapple Siberian crabs have white blossoms, often so many you can’t see the leaves. Forms a small tree, much narrower than most members of the apple family. Like most trees from Siberia it regards our winters as a beach party.

The fruit is supposed to make good jelly but is very tart. The apples are tiny — about the size of a large pea. They stay on the tree into winter until discovered by birds.

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