Southern Utah University

Table of Contents

Locations

  1. Campus Features

    1. Tree Tour

      1. Crabapple (Malus species)

        Latin Name - Malus species
        Height - 20-30 feet
        Spread - 20-30 feet
        Growth Rate - Moderate
        USDA Zone - 3 to 8
        Drought Tolerance - Moderate

        The crabapple is a small landscape tree with abundant clusters of white or pink flowers in the spring. Blossoms are followed by berry-like fruits that may be green, yellow, red or orange. Some crabs have reddish purple leaves. Old varieties tend to have larger fruits that fall from trees making a mess. Newer cultivars produce much smaller, more persistent fruits that hang on the tree into winter and attract birds. Some crabapples are bred specifically for fruit production, others are weeping, some are columnar. Many combinations of flower, form, leaf and fruit color are available. At least one variety is essentially fruitless.