Malus spectabilis
Chinese flowering crabapple
Overview
Malus spectabilis is a deciduous tree reaching 20-30 feet (6-9 m) tall and 15-25 feet (4.5-7.5 m) wide, with an upright trunk and a rounded to slightly vase-shaped crown. Bark is grey-brown, becoming scaly with age. Leaves are elliptic to oval, 2-3.5 inches (5-9 cm) long and 1.2-2 inches (3-5 cm) wide, with finely toothed margins, dark green above and paler beneath, turning yellow before autumn drop. Flowers open in clusters of 4-6 as the leaves expand, 1.5-2 inches (4-5 cm) across, deep pink in bud and fading to pale pink or near-white, semi-double to double in cultivated forms with 10-30 petals. Fruit is a pome 0.6-1 inch (1.5-2.5 cm) in diameter, yellow with a red flush, carried on stalks 1.2-2 inches (3-5 cm) long from September and softening after frost. Trees reach flowering size in 3-5 years and mature dimensions in 15-20 years. Apple scab strips foliage by midsummer following wet springs, fire blight kills shoot tips in warm humid weather, and cedar-apple rust produces orange leaf spots where Juniperus spp. hosts grow within 1 mile (1.6 km).
Native Range
Native to eastern China, recorded from Hebei, Shandong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Liaoning, and Yunnan, in hill scrub and open woodland below 6,500 feet (2,000 m). Grown in Chinese gardens for more than a thousand years, and the wild origin is uncertain because long-cultivated forms have spread from garden stock. Introduced to European cultivation in 1780.Suggested Uses
Planted as a single specimen in lawns, in streetside plantings, and in mixed shrub borders at 20-25 foot (6-7.5 m) spacing. Fruit 0.6-1 inch (1.5-2.5 cm) across drops from September, which rules out positions over paving and seating. Disease pressure from apple scab and fire blight restricts use in regions with warm wet springs, where scab-resistant crabapple selections are grown in its place.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height20' - 30'
Width/Spread15' - 25'
Reaches mature size in approximately 18 years
Bloom Information
Flowers open April to early May in zones 4-7, and in late March in zone 8. Bloom lasts 10-14 days on a tree, reduced to 6-8 days by temperatures above 75F (24C) or by heavy rain that strips the petals. Double-flowered forms hold their flowers 3-5 days longer than single-flowered forms. Flowering is heavier in alternate years on trees that carry a full fruit crop.
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
deep pink in bud, fading to pale pink or near-whiteFoliage Description
dark green, turning yellow in autumnGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
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
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Water 10-15 gallons (38-57 L) per week during the first two seasons, and during droughts longer than 3 weeks after that. Growth continues in soils from sand to clay loam at pH 5.5-7.0, with reduced shoot extension on compacted or waterlogged ground. Nitrogen at 0.1 pound (45 g) actual N per inch (2.5 cm) of trunk diameter applied in early spring supports growth on poor soils, while heavier rates increase shoot growth and fire blight risk. Apple scab produces olive-brown leaf blotches from April onward and can strip foliage by July in wet springs, reducing shoot growth over successive years. Fire blight enters open flowers above 65F (18C) in wet weather, and blighted shoots are cut 8-12 inches (20-30 cm) below the discoloured tissue. Fruit drop from September leaves litter under the canopy for 4-6 weeks.Pruning
Pruning is done in late winter while trees are dormant, taking out crossing branches, watersprouts, and root suckers. Thinning the crown to open the interior lowers scab and fire blight pressure by improving air movement. Cuts on branches over 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter close slowly and can become entry points for canker fungi. Flower buds form on spurs and short shoots, so heavy heading back in winter removes the following spring bloom.Pruning Schedule
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