Known for being a fast-growing cultivar, ‘Robinson’ crabapple has pale pink blooms that develop into dark red fruits, which persist on the tree into winter. Its leaves emerge purple but turn bronze-green as they mature, then take on bright orange fall color. Apple scab, fire blight, cedar-apple rust, and powdery mildew rarely affect this tree’s foliage.
‘Red Jewel’ (Malus ‘Jewelcole’) lives up to its name by producing abundant cherry-red fruits after its large, white flowers bloom. The fruits remain on the tree until the following spring in mild-winter areas. This variety’s green foliage turns yellow in fall. The tree’s shape remains fairly narrow, so it’s a good choice for smaller yards. The tree also has good disease resistance, but occasional fire blight or powdery mildew may develop.
Pinkish-red flower buds on the ‘Prairifire’ crabapple tree open to deep pink blooms. The flowers are followed by masses of purplish-red fruits that attract birds. The tree’s leaves emerge purplish, mature to bronzy green, and develop a yellow-orange glow in autumn. Its reddish-brown bark, similar to that of cherry trees, looks especially eye-catching when contrasted with a blanket of snow.
If you want a crabapple tree but think your yard doesn’t have room for one, take another look at ‘Cinderella’ (Malus ‘Cinzam’). This dwarf crabapple tree fits almost any landscape or container garden. It’s a compact plant with densely packed white blooms and golden yellow fruits. Its green foliage turns golden yellow in autumn. It has good resistance to apple scab and excellent resistance to fire blight, powdery mildew, and cedar-apple rust.
The large red fruits of ‘Callaway’ crabapple trees are good for making tart jelly and attracting birds to the garden. The tree blooms in mid-spring with single white fragrant flowers. Its leaves emerge green and turn shades of yellow, orange, and red in fall. It is one of the best crabapple trees for southern areas because it has a low chill requirement for flowering and fruiting. It also has excellent resistance to scab, fire blight, powdery mildew, and cedar-apple rust, even through hot, humid summer conditions.
The ‘Adirondack’ crabapple’s long-lasting, deep pink buds are known to open into nearly pure white flowers. Its blooms develop into abundant orange-red fruits that hang on into early winter. Adirondack’s leaves are green most of the year before turning yellow in fall. The relatively upright form of this crabapple makes it a perfect choice for narrow spaces in the landscape as a hedge or an espalier. The tree has excellent resistance to apple scab, powdery mildew, and cedar-apple rust and exhibits good resistance to fire blight.
Add some rosy color to your landscape with ‘Adams’ flowering crabapple. Small, glossy, red crabapples with blood-red pulp follow its abundant semi-double deep pink blooms. The fruit matures in the fall, persists in the winter, and attracts birds. This tree’s green leaves also have reddish tints in spring, turning orange and red in the fall. In addition, this variety has good resistance to the major diseases that can affect crabapples.
