Recommended Crabapples for Illinois Landscapes David J. Williams and Gary Kling Director University of Illinois Arboretum & Professor and Associate Professor of Horticulture Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences Crabapples represent the largest taxa of useful flowering trees for Illinois landscapes. A multitude of crabapples are available in the nursery trade and most garden centers, landscape nurseries and chain stores carry a selection of crabapples varieties. It is easy to delineate between good and bad cultivars of crabapples but to distinguish between good and outstanding ones requires many years of observation. Disease resistance is the most important criteria in choosing crabapples for landscape use. Crabapples are susceptible to many diseases with the three most important being apple scab, cedar apple rust and fire blight. The Illinois climate is particularly conducive to the development of apple scab and it is one of the main factors in determining landscape suitability of crabapples. Although fungicides are available that will control apple scab they require repeated applications, which are not practical, nor are they an environmentally sound practice. The diverse ornamental characteristics of crabapples offer the potential year around or all season interest. Many just think of the flowers when selecting crabapples however, other traits such as fruit, habit, foliage, and bark can also be significant to the appearance of this species and how it might be used in the landscape. One should not just consider color when evaluating the flowers of crabapples but also the size, time of flowering, if major flower displays or an annual or a biennial event. The bloom period begins in early April and extents to midMay and the flowers are single, semi-double or double. Flowers of crabapples range in color from white to red with many shades in between. It is also common for some cultivars such as Malus ‘Bob White’, ‘Donald Wyman’, ‘Red Silver’, ‘Selkirk’ and ‘Silver Moon’ to only flower heavily in alternating years. Double flowers tend to extend the flower display an extra week. However cultivars with double flowers tend to lack fruit display. Fruit display is a more important characteristic than flowering since the fruit last longer. On the negative side, large fruit can be messy and are often perceived as a nuisance. Crabapple fruit varies from pea size to 2” in diameter. Technically trees with fruit larger than 2” are considered apples. One should select crabapples that have an annual fruit display rather than a biennial display. Crabapples with fruits that persistent into winter or beyond add to the length of time they have an ornamental interest. Additionally fruits attract variety of birds including cedar waxwings, finches and robins. Large fruit size is only important when crabapples are planted for culinary purposes. Good culinary cultivars included ‘Dolgo’, ‘Ralph Shay’, and ‘Rosseau’. Crabapples possess a variety of foliage colors. Cultivars that emerge with a bronze or red color that changes to green include: ‘Adams’, ‘Indian Summer’, ‘Liset’, ‘Robinson’, ‘Profusion’, ‘Red Barron’, and ‘Silver Dust’. Cultivars noted for their excellent fall color include: ‘Adams’, ‘Amberina’, ‘Donald Wyman’, ‘Indian Summer’, Lancelot, ‘Red Barron’, ‘Red Jewel’, and ‘Silver Drift’. The habit and size of crabapples is quite diverse. Outstanding shrub types include M. sargentii, ‘Jewelberry’, ‘King Arthur’, and ‘Lancelot’. Crabapple cultivars which have a weeping habit that we rate excellent include: ‘Ann E’, ‘Louisa’, ‘Red Swan’, Weeping Candied Apple, and ‘White Cascade’. Excellent upright clones include ‘Red Barron’ and ‘Sentinel’ . Crabapples prefer well drained sunny sites. They are best planted in spring. Plant them in the landscape at the same level that slightly higher than they were growing in the nursery. Higher planting is recommended for clay loam or disturbed soils. The following is a list of taxa that represent crabapples that perform well in Illinois without protective sprays to prevent disease. Flower and fruit Foliage ‘Adams’ Deep pink flowers, deep red turning maroon in fall, .5” across New foliage bronze red the red color remains in the petioles and leaf veins, excellent orange fall color ‘Adirondack’ Red buds opening to white flowers, pendulous bright orange-red fruit .5” across ‘Amberina’ Crimson in bud, blush pink flowers fading to white, persistent cardinal red fruit .3” across Ann E (‘Manbeck Weeper’) Pink buds opening to white flowers, persistent bright red fruits .4”across Malus baccata ‘Jackii’ White buds opening to pure white flowers, purplish red fruit .4” across Christmas Holly  (‘Chrishozam’) Pure white flowers, bright red fruit persisting through autumn, .3” across ‘Donald Wyman’ Pink in bud opening to white flowers, bright red fruits up to .5” across Excalibur  (‘Excazam’) White flowers, pale gold fruits persistent through autumn, 2.5” across Malus floribunda Hamlet (“Hamzam’) Recommended Malus Taxa Habit Broad spreading rounded Upright vase shaped Apple Scab Cedar Apple Rust Fire Blight Good Excellent Excellent to good Excellent Excellent Excellent Dark green foliage with excellent mixed red and golden foliage in the fall Cupped, dark green foliage Round to upright spreading Excellent to good Excellent Excellent Weeping Excellent Excellent Excellent Good green foliage Upright Spreading Excellent Excellent Slightly susceptible Compact rounded Excellent Excellent Excellent Good dark green foliage that turns golden yellow in the fall Deeply lobed foliage Round to upright spreading Excellent to good Excellent Excellent to good Excellent Excellent Excellent Deep pink to red buds opening rosy pink and fading to white, yellow fruit with a slight red blush, .3” across Bright green foliage Spreading irregular Excellent to good Excellent Good Deep red buds opening to rosy pink flowers, deep red fruits .4” across Green foliage with a wine red overlay Rounded shrubby type Excellent Excellent Excellent Dense shrubby type Recommended Malus Taxa Flower and fruit Foliage Habit Apple Scab Cedar Apple Rust Fire Blight Harvest Gold (‘Hargozam’) Pink buds open to white flowers with a pink blush, light yellow fruit with a red peduncle turning to cider color by Nov., .5” across Dark green foliage Upright to round spreading Good Excellent ‘Indian Summer’ Red buds opening to a magenta rose colored flowers, fruits are bright red, .6” across Bronzy-red new foliage turning dark green, golden bronze fall color Good Excellent Excellent ‘Jewelberry’ Pink edged white flowers, more reliable in its flowering than M. sargentii, persistent bright red fruits, .5” across Dark green cupped foliage Round to upright spreading, open when young Shrubby Excellent Excellent Excellent King Arthur (‘Kinarzam’) Pink buds opening to white flowers, persistent bright red fruits .5” across Excellent Excellent Excellent Lancelot (‘Lanzam’) Red buds opening to white flowers, persistent golden yellow fruits .4” across Good looking green summer foliage, gold fall color Shrubby type Good Excellent Excellent ‘Liset’ Large rose colored flowers, deep red fruits .5” across New growth redpurple turning to bronze-green Upright spreading Good Excellent Good ‘Louisa’ Red bud opening to pink flowers, golden fruit Rose red buds opening to white flowers, yellow fruits turning to orange – yellow with a red blush, .5” across Dark green foliage Weeping Excellent Excellent Excellent Light green foliage Round to upright spreading Excellent Excellent Moderately susceptible Round to upright spreading Round to upright spreading Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Good Excellent Excellent ‘Orminston Roy’ Spreading shrubby type ‘Prairie Maid’ White flowers developing into red fruits ‘Prairifire’ Rose colored flowers, oxblood red fruit turning maroon in late fall .4” across Green foliage with red veins appearing reddish green overall ‘Robinson’ Deep pink flowers, deep red fruits .4” across Reddish purple foliage turning green Upright and spreading, fast growing Recommended Malus Taxa Flower and fruit Malus sieboldii ‘Professor Sprenger’ Foliage Habit Apple Scab Cedar Apple Rust Fire Blight Cardinal red buds opening to white flowers, orange fruit in September changing to red that are .3-.5” across Green foliage Round to upright spreading Excellent Does get frog eye leaf spot Excellent Excellent ‘Profusion’ Rose red flowers fading to rose pink, maroon fruits .5” across Purplish turning to bronze green Round to upright spreading Good but may develop some scab lesions Excellent Good ‘Red Barron’ Large deep red flowers, persistent glossy red fruits, .5” across Narrowly upright, vase-shaped Susceptible but tolerant Good Good Red Jewel  (‘Jewelcole’) Pink buds opening to pure white flowers, red fruits changing to a cider color, .5” across New foliage purple fading to bronze green, goldenbronze fall color Glossy medium green foliage, yellow fall color Round to upright spreading Excellent Excellent Occasional infestation ‘Red Swan’ Rose colored buds open to white flowers, crimson colored fruit turning to oxblood red, .3” across Weeping Excellent Excellent Excellent Malus sargentii Light pink bud opens to pure white flowers, flowers heavily in alternate years, shiny deep red fruits turning oxblood red in Aug. Deep green partly lobed Dense spreading shrub type Excellent Good Good Malus sargentii “Tina’ Light pink bud opens to pure white flowers, flowers heavily in alternate years, shiny deep red fruits turning oxblood red in Aug. Deep green partly lobed Dense spreading shrub type smaller than the species Excellent Excellent Excellent ‘Sentinel’ Cardinal red bud, white flowers with pink margins fading to white, crimson red fruit turning to oxblood by Nov., .3” across Glossy dark green foliage Upright Good Excellent Good ‘Silver Drift’ Red buds opening to white flowers, fruit crimson in Sept. changing to oxblood red by Nov. Bronze new foliage becoming dark green in summer, bronze-orange fall color Round to upright spreading Excellent Excellent Excellent Recommended Malus Taxa Flower and fruit Foliage Habit Apple Scab Cedar Apple Rust Fire Blight ‘Silver Moon’ Late flowering pink tinted white flowers, persistent bright red fruits .5” across Glossy dark green foliage Narrow upright Good Excellent Excellent ‘Sinai Fire’ Large white flowers, bright red fruits .5” across Bright glossy green foliage Weeping Excellent Excellent Fair Sugar Tyme (‘Sutyzam’) Pink in bud with masses of white flowers, rich red fruit .5” across Green Foliage Upright oval Good Excellent Fair Malus baccata ‘Walters’ Rose red buds open to flowers with a pink blush fading to white, one of the best gold fruited types, fruit .3” across Dark green, glossy Round to upright spreading Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent Weeping Candied Apple  (‘Weepcanzam’) ‘White Candle’ ‘White Cascade’ ‘Zumarang’ Weeping Semi-double pink and white flowers, few if any fruit Upright more than twice as tall as wide White flowers with a pink blush that fades, yellow colored fruit, White flowers opening to wine red fruits Weeping Pyramidal habit with cherry-like bark Fair Excellent to good Excellent References: 1. Anonymous. 1978. “Growing Flowering Crabapples.” USDA Home and Garden Bulletin 135. 2. Brewer, J.E., L.P. Nichols, C.C. Powell, and E.M. Smith. 1978. “The Flowering Crabapples – A Tree for All Seasons.” Coop. Ext. Serv. Of Northeast States. NE 223, NCR 78. 3. Dirr, M.A. 1990. “Manual of Woody Landscape Plants: Their Identification, Ornamental Characteristics, Culture, Propagation and Uses.” Stipes Publishing Company. 4. Flint, H. 1996. “Landscape Plants For Eastern North America.” John Wiley & Son Inc. 5. Giles, F.A. 1994. “Flowering Trees For The Midwest.” University of Illinois Cooperative Extension Service Publication. 6. Hasselkaus, E. View publication stats