Are flowering crabapple trees 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. A favorite tree in today's landscape is the flowering crabapple. Most people grow this for the intense bloom that occurs usually in April/May.

Similarly, are crab apple trees messy?

Crab apple trees (malus species) are closely related to apple trees, but with smaller, edible fruits. Many homeowners remember crab apple trees as messy and would never consider planting one in the landscape. Ornamental or flowering crabapples are small to medium trees ideal for urban lots.

One may also ask, are dogwood trees messy? Other messy/smelly trees include the Kousa dogwood, which makes pretty red fruit that turns to slime underfoot, any maple tree (“Nothing wrong with maples," says Kocher, “but they they shed a lot of small leaves that can clog gutters and have you raking ten times a season”), mulberries (messy fruit), cotton woods (

Similarly, how fast do flowering crabapple trees grow?

It depends. Some crab apple trees grow faster than others. Ornamental varieties like Purple Prince (purple foliage) and Red Jewel are considered faster growing than others. Generally speaking, you can expect one of these trees to grow one-to-two feet per year.

Do all crabapple trees produce crabapples?

Most people choose crabapples for their smaller size and for the pretty white or pink flowers that they produce in spring. Of secondary consideration is the fruit on a crabapple tree, but most will produce them. By definition, a crabapple is two inches (5 cm.) or less in dimeter, while anything larger is just an apple.

39 Related Question Answers Found

How big do flowering crabapple trees get?

15 to 25 feet

How long do crabapple trees live?

Lifespan. The crabapple tree is considered a long-living deciduous fruit tree. Trees that live past 40 years begin to show a decline in flowering, fruit production and new growth. A few crabapples have been noted to live up to 70 years.

Why are crab apples called crab apples?

Crab apples are technically called such because of their size—small—and not their cultivar, since no two apple seeds are genetically alike.

How do you stop crab apple trees from producing?

To help solve this problem, use a fruit eliminator spray to stop the crabapple tree from bearing fruit.

Wait until your crabapple tree is in mid or full bloom before applying the fruit eliminator spray.
Prepare the fruit eliminator spray by diluting the chemical with water.

Do deer eat crab apple trees?

Although it's generally agreed that deer like to eat crabapples and these trees are good deer attractants, that's where the consensus stops. Most think a crabapple is a small, bitter apple (Actually, some crabapples are sweet and some true apples are bitter).

Are apple trees messy?

Apple trees are really pretty when they bloom, but can be quite messy if you don't harvest the fruit. The fruit that stays on the tree may be ornamental, but eventually will become a nuisance. You can have the nice flowers of the apple tree without having the undesirable fruit.

What is the difference between an apple and a crabapple?

The main difference between an apple and a crabapple is the size of the fruit. A crabapple is a tree that produces fruit that are 2 inches or less in diameter. An apple tree produces fruit that are larger than 2 inches in diameter.

Are crabapples edible?

The short answer to this question is yes – it is more than safe to eat crabapples from any kind of crabapple tree. Yes! Crabapples are edible, however, they may not always be tasty. Because crabapples are essentially just immature apples, they have a wide variety of flavors and may not always be palatable.

Are flowering crabapple trees poisonous to dogs?

The trees contain a toxin that, depending on the amount ingested, can cause minor reactions, such as gastrointestinal upset, to serious reactions, such as respiratory failure and death. They may look pretty, but crabapple trees are not safe for dogs.

What does a flowering crab tree look like?

The flowering crabapple tree has purple-red foliage that turns mottled orange and red in fall. The 1/2-inch diameter fruits persist on the branches and attract birds. It has excellent resistance to all the major crabapple diseases—apple scab, fire blight, powdery mildew, and cedar-apple rust.

Are crabapples poisonous to dogs?

“The seeds, the bark and leaves of apple trees contain very small amounts of cyanide. It's not really a problem for dogs, cats and humans, but if you have a grazing animal that's going to eat large amounts of apples and apple seeds, like a horse, then it can be. We say the dose determines the poison.”

What animals eat crab apples?

Value to wildlife

The flowers provide an important source of early pollen and nectar for insects, particularly bees, and the fruit is eaten by birds, including blackbirds, thrushes and crows. Mammals, such as mice, voles, foxes and badgers, also eat crab apple fruit.

What grows under crabapple trees?

Underplant your crabapples with low-growing plants such as Periwinkle (Vinca minor), Mondo Grass (Ophiopogon japonicus), and Liriope. Small Violas, Creeping Veronica, Creeping Phlox can also create very fine color combinations.

Can you prune a crabapple tree?

When to Prune a Crabapple Tree

This means pruning should be done in late winter or early spring, depending on your local climate and temperatures. Suckers, the little shoots that come straight out of the ground around the base of the tree, can be pruned away at any time of year.

How do you plant a flowering crab 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.

How wide do crabapple trees get?

Most are upright of rounded and spreading habit but there are also columnar, vase-shaped or weeping varieties of great beauty. Large crabapples can grow up to 40 ft. tall and wide (12m); medium-sized trees reach 15-20 ft. in height and spread (4.5-6 m); small crabapples typically grow up to 10-15 ft.

What happens if you eat a crab apple?

While crab apples aren't often eaten due to their sour taste, they aren't particularly dangerous. The pits and seeds of many fruits contain chemicals that metabolize into toxins, but this part of the fruit isn't typically eaten. Crab apples might give you a sore stomach if you eat a few, but they won't cause poisoning.