A Town Called Malus
This week’s selections honor the area we call Crabapple Meadow and the residing collections therein. Each summer, the Meadow becomes home base for our annual summer camp participants and instructors and with this year’s season winding down, we feel it is a good time to recognize a handful of our terrific Malus specimens.
1) Malus ‘Sundog’
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- The “Flowering Crabs” comprise a genus of some 35 species of deciduous trees found throughout northern temperate regions.
- Their flowering season is in April and May and many bear attractive fruits in late summer/autumn.
2) Malus x adstringens
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- The word “crab” was originally used solely for the species M. sylvestris and for sour-fruited seedlings of the orchard varieties, but was extended later to the various exotic species of Malus.
- The name M. x adstringens is really of no service in horticultural nomenclature. The parentage of this species was originally given as M. dasyphylla x M. baccata, but the first parent listed was later changed to M. pumila (includes orchard apples). This group of hybrid crabs were raised in the USA crossed with the Siberian crab, M. baccata.
3) Malus x ‘Osman’
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- Many crabapples are susceptible to apple scab, rust, fire blight, leaf spot, and powdery mildew. Considering the number of cultivars available, only a handful or so meet the stringent requirements of excellent flower, fruit, habit, and disease resistance.
4) Malus purpurea ‘Lemoinei’ Purple Crab
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- This specimen bears dark wine-red flowers in late spring, followed by cherry-like, dark reddish-purple fruit.
- It was raised by Messrs Barbier of Orleans around 1900 by crossing M. niedzwetzkyana with M. atrosanguinea.
5) Malus toringoides ‘Macrocarpa’ Cutleaf Crab
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- This spreading tree is native to western Szechwan, China and possesses a graceful habit and exquisite fruit color.
- Slightly fragrant, creamy white flowers are produced in late spring.