Malus Robinson

With its beautiful flowers and attractive form, the Robinson Crabapple serves as a startling specimen tree. The tree has a medium growth rate and reaches a mature height of about 20-25 feet. It is hardy to -15 degrees (Zones 4-8).

How big are Robinson crabapple fruit?

In fall and winter, red fruit will form where the Robsinson Crabapple tree's flowers were and offer winter interest and a food source for local songbirds. The Robinson Crabapple fruit size is 1/2 inch in diameter and can be harvested to turn into jellies or jams.

Are Robinson crabapple edible?

Like all crabapples it will grow red edible berries, which attract birds and wildlife in the fall and into the winter or they can be turned into a tangy jelly. The Robinson crabapple shows strong disease resistance.

What is the best tasting crab apple?

Aside from beauty, the crab apples that these trees offer are a tasty fruit that ripens from late summer to mid-fall but usually stays on the trees into winter. ... The 5 best crab apple trees for fruit are:

• Malus 'Butterball'
• Malus 'Red Sentinel'
• Malus 'Jelly King'
• Malus 'Sun Rival'
• Malus 'Evereste'

Is a Robinson crabapple tree messy?

Crabapple trees provide beauty in the spring but a mess in the fall once the fruit drops. During the summer months, a tree can throw shade and reduce air conditioning costs.

What is the prettiest crabapple tree?

One of the most beautiful of the flowering crabapple species, Malus floribunda (Japanese Crabapple) is a stunning deciduous tree, creating a broad, rounded, densely-branched canopy. Opening from red buds, masses of fragrant, single, pale pink blossoms, fading to a glistening white, appear in mid-spring.

How long do Robinson crabapple trees live?

Although crabapple trees aren't known as long-living tree species, they still have a pretty impressive expected life span of 40 to 60 years. Generally, crabapple trees share similar life lengths, and their ability to produce fruit and flowers slows down or stops entirely around 40 years of age.

Do you need 2 crab apple trees?

Crab apples are self fertile, which means they don't need another tree nearby to pollinate them. In fact, one crab apple tree can serve as pollinator for a wide range of culinary apple varieties nearby.

Where is the best place to plant a crabapple tree?

Choose a location in full sun with well-drained soil. Trees that are shaded develop an open canopy instead of a more attractive, dense growth habit. Shaded trees produce fewer flowers and fruit, and they are more susceptible to disease. Dig the hole for the tree as deep as the root ball and two to three times as wide.

Why can't you eat a crabapple?

Are crab apples poisonous? A crab apple's flesh is perfectly safe for people to eat. But like other apples, the seeds contain a toxic compound that can turn into cyanide when eaten. But don't worry — these apples are safe as long as you avoid the seeds and core.

Are crabapple tree roots invasive?

Crabapple tree roots are not invasive but you should take into consideration any hardscape features in your landscape before planting crabapple trees too close. Their root system is basically the size of their canopy.

Are crab apples toxic to dogs?

Why Crab Apples Are Poisonous to Dogs. Crab apples contain a compound called cyanogenic glycoside, which yields cyanide. Cyanide is in the apple seeds and apple stem as well as many parts of the tree, including the branches and leaves. Eating these parts of a crab apple can lead to cyanide poisoning.

What is the best eating crab in the world?

Among the most appreciated edible species of crabs are the mud crab (Scylla serrata), the blue swimming crab (Portunus pelagicus, also known as P. armatus), and the red-spotted swimming crab (Portunus sanguinolentus).

Which is the smallest crab apple tree?

Malus 'Coralburst' and sargentii 'Tina' are dwarf varieties ideal for the smallest of gardens. Crab Apple trees are named after the compact size of their fruits, which vary from 1cm to 5cm in diameter (any larger and they would be considered a normal apple).

What is the tastiest type of crab?

The meat of the blue crab is considered by many to be the sweetest and best tasting of all crabs. Soft-shell crabs are blue crabs that have shed their old shell to form a new one. During this process, the crabs are without their hard covering for only a few days, and they're only truly soft-shells for a few hours.

How do you keep a crab apple tree small?

Generally, trimming off anywhere from 3 to 5 inches of the tree a year will suffice to keep it at your desired height, though there are no hard-and-fast rules for pruning the crabapple tree. If you prefer a smaller tree, you can also choose to ride these that don't grow as tall.

Are crabapple trees low maintenance?

After they become established, crabapples require minimal care. Most of the maintenance involves elimination of branches that cross over or rub against others, as well as the removal of water sprouts, suckers, and branches that grow too vigorously (four to eight feet per season).

Are crabapple trees good trees?

The tree's shape makes it a good small shade tree as well as an attractive flowering and fruiting ornamental plant. It also has good resistance to all four major crabapple diseases: Fire blight, apple scab, powdery mildew, and cedar-apple rust.

What is the fastest growing crabapple tree?

Fast Growing Cultivars Some crabapple varieties grow as fast as 36 inches per year. For example, the European crabapple (Malus sylvestris) reaches a height of 25 to 30 feet and spread 22 feet giving it a rounded or vase shape. It grows in USDA zones 5 to 8, making it slightly less cold hardy than other varieties.

What is the most fragrant crabapple tree?

Crabapple Fragrance Some have the wonderful fragrance of apple blossoms, others have an exotic Oriental fragrance resembling cinnamon or cloves. Among the most fragrant crabapples are Malue coronaria, Malus ionensis, Malus coronaria 'Charlottae', Malus Brandywine, Malus Madonna, Malus Satin Cloud.