Department of Horticultural Science
Horticulture Information Leaflet 8613
Revised
5/93
- Author Reviewed
12/98
Distributed in furtherance
of the Acts of Congress
of May 8 and June 30, 1914.
Employment and program
opportunities are offered to
all people regardless of
race, color, national origin,
sex, age, or disability.
North Carolina State University,
North Carolina A&T State
University, U.S. Department
of Agriculture, and local
governments cooperating.
SUPERIOR CRABAPPLETREES FOR THE LANDSCAPE
Thomas G. Ranney, Associate Professor
D. Michael Benson, Plant Pathologist
M. A. (Kim) Powell, ExtensionHorticultural Specialist
Flowering crabapples have tremendous
potential as small/ medium sized flowering
trees that can be grown all across North
Carolina. These deciduous, spring flowering
trees are adaptable to a wide range of soil
conditions and have a variety of ornamental
characteristics to choose from, including an
assortment of flower color and fragrance,
fruit size and color, and tree form.
In some cases, crabapples have developed
a poor reputation as a result of disease
problems (scab, mildew, and fire blight) as
well as susceptibility to certain insect pests
such as Japanese beetle. However,
extensive breeding and evaluation projects
have resulted in numerous selections that are
resistant to these problems. The varieties
listed in the following table have been found
to warrant particular attention due to their
desirable ornamental characteristics as well
as substantial disease resistance. This list is
by no means comprehensive and there are
many exciting new introductions currently
being evaluated; however, the plants listed
have undergone considerable testing and
are proven performers.
It should also be emphasized that no single
species or cultivar is suited for all sites and
consideration should be given to local
occurrence of diseases and insects,
hardiness zone, tree form, and mature tree
size when selecting any plant. Problems with
rootstock suckers can be minimized by using
plants that are grown from cuttings or grafted
onto rootstocks with limited suckering
problems, such as EMLA 111. The data
included in the following table have been
consolidated from numerous evaluation trials
located across the country including sites in
Raleigh and Fletcher, N.C. Although all of
the plants listed herein have considerable
resistance to foliar diseases, their degree of
resistance under “worst case” conditions is
indicated.
Sources for More Information
1. Dirr, M.A. 1990. Manual of woody
landscape plants: Their identification,
ornamental characteristics, culture,
propagation and use. 4th. ed., Stipes,
Champaign, IL.
2. Fiala, J.L. 1994. Flowering
crabapples: The genus Malus. Timber
Press, Portland, OR.
3. Wyman, D. 1 990. Trees for American
gardens: The definitive guide to
identification and cultivation.
Macmillan, New York, NY.
North Carolina
Cooperative Extension Service
NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE & LIFE SCIENCES
