Crab Apple
Malus sylvestris
Earn its place twice over: a froth of pollinator blossom that fertilises your eating apples, then hips and small fruit for jelly and birds.
Malus sylvestris, the European crab apple, also known as the European wild apple or simply the crab apple, is a species of the genus Malus. Its scientific name means "forest apple", reflecting its habitat. It is native to western Eurasia.
Description from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).
At a glance
- Sunlight
- Full sun
- Water need
- Medium
- Mature height
- 6 m
- Maintenance
- Low
- Hardiness
- USDA 4–8
- Layers
- canopy, understory
Functional roles
Pollination & soil
Largely self-fertile, and one of the best universal pollinators for other apples.
- Soil
- medium/loam, heavy/clay
- pH
- Neutral
Very tolerant of most soils.
Propagation
How to make more of this plant for free — the permaculture way.
When: Sow seed autumn (stratify)
A universal pollination partner for apples; fruit makes jelly.
Where to get it
Read more
Seed data pending expert review. Identification photo and description are sourced from Wikipedia/Wikimedia; always confirm a plant in person before eating any part of it.