Flowering Crab Apple Tree Planting

You won’t get a much showier display in the spring than with a landscaping plan that includes flowering crab apple tree planting. You may find people stopping in cars or as they walk by on foot to stare at the beautiful springtime blossoms and in the fall, at the fabulous autumn foliage.

Blooms in Different Sizes and Colors

Reaping the rewards of flowering crab apple tree planting occurs depending on spring temperatures, rainfall, and the cultivar of the tree itself. Usually, this tree puts on its flower show anywhere from late April to the middle of May with blooms that last from three to four weeks.

When considering crab apple tree planting, you’ll want to educate yourself on the different varieties. Flowers are differentiated as single, semi-double, and double. Single-flowering crab apple trees bloom with five petals, semi-doubles have from six to 10 petals, and doubles boast more than 10 petals during the spring bloom times. Coloring ranges from white to pink to red with coral and salmon hues, as well.

Know Your Crabapples

Some of the different crab apple tree planting selections include those that are weeping-spreading, small spreading, large rounded, upright, and then there are even unique-growth forms that have an erratically growing shape.

• One weeping-spreading form is the Malus “Molten Lava,” a crab apple that grows from eight to 10 feet with white flowers and yellowish-orange fruit.
• An example of the small spreading type of crab apple is the M. “Red Jewel, which reaches heights of 10 to 15 feet with white flowers and bright, cherry-red fruit.
• “Bob White” is a large rounded variety that, along with its beautiful white flowers, also offers yellow fruit and grows up to 20 feet tall.
• An upright-growing crabapple that blooms white with pinkish-tinged flowers and bears red fruit is the M. “Sentinel,” growing from 15 to 20 feet tall.
• A unique-growth variety is the M. “Strawberry Parfait,” which has an unpredictable, upright-spreading growth habit and offers pink flowers. One of the unusual characteristics of “Strawberry Parfait” is its fruit: Starting out yellow, as it matures, it becomes darker, maturing into a striking red-blush color.

Planting Particulars

Crab apple tree planting should be done in slightly acidic soil with a ph in the 5.5 to 6.0 range. Do not try to amend soil in highly lime-based soils with a natural ph higher than recommended. The tree may do well at first, but as the roots expand beyond the amended-soil areas, it won’t perform well and may eventually die.

Rich, loamy soils make the ideal medium for crab apple tree planting, and make sure the tree you plant gets at least eight to 12 hours of direct sunlight a day for optimal growth and blooming. Newly planted crab apple trees need to be kept moist for the first few weeks, but then do not allow them to stay in overly wet soil or they will develop root rot and die.

With proper planting, care, and maintenance (fertilizer may be applied after the first year), you should be rewarded by your crab apple tree planting endeavors with beautiful blooms, interesting fruit (that can be eaten!), and gorgeous fall foliage for many years to come.