The crab apple belongs to the genus Malus and is a member of the Rose family (Rosaceae).
The crab apple (Malus sylvestris) is a deciduous tree growing up to 15m and flowering April to May.
Lifespan: Apples have been known to live for over 100 years.
Characteristics
The crab apple is a small, rounded, thorny tree with brown irregular scaled bark. Leaves are oval and pointed with a toothed edge; mature leaves are hairless.
Flowers are usually white and five-petalled; 1–3cm. Flowers grow on hairless stalks and several flowered stalks arise from a single point on the top of a stem. Flowers showing a pink tinge are usually cultivated varieties that have naturalised.
The tree is insect pollinated, and crab apple seeds are enclosed in a round fruit (2cm) which is yellow-green turning to red-flushed. Apple is insect pollinated.
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