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Malus
Also called Crabapple, Apple, Crab Apple, Apples, Apple Tree, Apples And Crabapples, Crabapples
Malus is a genus of about 32 to 57 species of small deciduous trees and shrubs in the rose family, including the orchard apple, crabapples and wild apples. The key to growing them is a sunny, well-drained spot, and most need a second compatible tree nearby for pollination.
Malus ( or ) is a genus of about 32–57 species of small deciduous trees or shrubs in the rose family Rosaceae. It includes the domesticated orchard apple, crabapples, and wild apples.
The genus is native to the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere. Crabapples are used as rootstocks to fortify domestic apples with features such as cold hardiness, but are not of much commercial value as most are too sour.
Crabapples are popular as compact ornamental trees, providing blossom in spring and colourful fruit in autumn. The fruits often persist throughout winter. Numerous hybrid cultivars have been selected.
Some crabapples are used as rootstocks for domestic apples to add beneficial characteristics. For example, the rootstocks of M. baccata varieties are used to give additional cold hardiness to the combined plants for orchards in cold northern areas.
The genus is native to the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere.
Crabapple fruit is not an important crop in most areas. The fruit is rarely eaten raw due to the sour taste resulting from high levels of malic acid. Some species have a woody texture. In some Southeast Asian cultures, they are valued as a sour condiment, sometimes eaten with salt and chilli or shrimp paste. Some varieties of crabapple, such as the 'Chestnut' cultivar, are sweet.
Pillar Apple · Southern crab apple · Sweet crab apple · Japanese Crabapple · Oregon Crab Apple · Hall crab apple · Chinese crab apple · Caucasus Apple · Plumleaf crab apple · Sargent's apple · Apple · Asiatic apple
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Malus by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
