Malus 'Butterball'

crabapple

Rosaceae

Garden origin (genus native to temperate northern hemisphere)

Attracts Pollinators

SunFull Sun

WaterMedium

HardinessZones 4–8

Overview

Malus spp. 'Butterball' is a deciduous ornamental crabapple forming a small, broad, spreading tree 15–20 feet (4.5–6 m) tall and 18–22 feet (5.5–6.7 m) wide, broader than tall at maturity. In spring, red-pink buds open to white-flushed-pink single blossoms about 1.25 inches (3 cm) across along the branches. These are followed by rounded yellow to orange fruit about 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide, heavier and more persistent than the small fruit of many species crabapples, hanging into autumn and often holding past leaf fall. The mid-green oval leaves turn yellow before dropping. The spreading crown and weight of fruit can bend the branches. Like most crabapples it is prone to apple scab and other foliar diseases in wet seasons, though named selections vary in resistance. It grows in full sun and a wide range of soils with reasonable drainage and is hardy in cool-temperate climates.

Native Range

Malus spp. 'Butterball' is a cultivated hybrid crabapple of garden origin and does not occur in the wild. The genus Malus spp. is native across the temperate northern hemisphere, in Europe, Asia, and North America.

Suggested Uses

Malus spp. 'Butterball' is used as a small specimen and lawn tree, in mixed and wildlife borders, and along drives for its spring blossom and long-lasting fruit, spaced 18–20 feet (5.5–6 m) from other trees. The fruit draws birds into autumn and winter. Its eventual spread makes it less suited to small or narrow spaces.

How to Identify

Identify the cultivar by its broad, spreading crown wider than tall, white-flushed-pink spring blossom about 1.25 inches (3 cm) across, and heavy crops of rounded yellow to orange fruit about 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide. The fruit persists into autumn and often past leaf fall, longer than the quickly dropped fruit of many crabapples. The oval mid-green leaves turn yellow in autumn.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height15' - 20'

Width/Spread18' - 22'

Reaches mature size in approximately 20 years

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~3 weeks

Spring

Flowering occurs in mid to late spring, roughly April to May, when red-pink buds open to white-flushed-pink single blossoms along the branches. The flowers draw bees and other pollinators over two to three weeks. Yellow to orange fruit develops through summer and colors in early autumn.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

Mid-green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun

Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range6.0 - 7.0(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam clay sand

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

10-20 years

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Malus spp. 'Butterball' grows in full sun and moist, well-drained soil of average fertility, with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. It tolerates a range of soils but flowers and fruits most heavily in an open, sunny position. Like most crabapples it can develop apple scab, mildew, and other foliar diseases in wet seasons, which spot or drop the leaves. Good air circulation reduces disease pressure. The tree is hardy in cool-temperate climates and needs little feeding once established. The weight of fruit can bend young branches, which firm up as the tree matures.

Pruning

Prune in late winter while dormant to remove dead, crossing, or crowded branches and to open the spreading crown. Crabapples flower on spurs and older wood, so heavy pruning reduces the following season's bloom. Suckers and water sprouts can be removed as they appear.

Pruning Schedule

winter