Crabapple Trees and Fruit Persistence

Ornamental crabapple trees are widely popular in landscapes for their spring flowering beauty, interesting shape and colorful fall fruit. The variety of color the blossoms can add to your landscape make it a great addition to any color scheme, ranging from intense shades of pink to gentle white.

Fruit

The flowers aren’t the only vibrant elements on these trees- the fruits also put on a beautiful display that ranges from pale lime, gold, and reds with highlights of crimson, purple, orange and pink! If you’re looking for something that has winter interest, crabapples are on the list of options as persistent fruiting varieties are available that not only have visual appeal, but tend to hang on to the branches and don’t litter the ground. The sizes of fruits vary from small to large and the smaller sizes cling to the branches better because of their lighter weight.

Wildlife Benefits

Due to the fruit persistence on certain varieties, be aware that the crabapples may become a sought after food source for the creatures in your area during the winter months when food may be scarce. Birds, deer, squirrels, mice, foxes and insects may pay your yard a visit to get a taste of what your tree has to offer. If you enjoy providing an ecological benefit to the wildlife community in your area, choose a crabapple variety with a persistent fruiting habit!