topic Re: Crabapple tree in Garden

Crabapple tree

Patriot3 — Wed, 07 Jun 2017 14:40:51 GMT

Does anyone have experience w/crabapple trees? Checked out a local nursery and they claim they are clean and don't grow too big. I am looking for one for a little privacy and want something that is "clean" and not too big.

I had a red bud that was pretty in spring, but dropped seeds and I had so many shoots growing in my landscaping that I considered it a "dirty" tree.

Internet info said they grow crabapples, but don't drop them. I am skeptical. Any info is greatly appreciated! Thanks.

Re: Crabapple tree

software — Wed, 07 Jun 2017 14:42:11 GMT

@Patriot3 wrote:
Does anyone have experience w/crabapple trees? Checked out a local nursery and they claim they are clean and don't grow too big. I am looking for one for a little privacy and want something that is "clean" and not too big.

I had a red bud that was pretty in spring, but dropped seeds and I had so many shoots growing in my landscaping that I considered it a "dirty" tree.

Internet info said they grow crabapples, but don't drop them. I am skeptical. Any info is greatly appreciated! Thanks.

That would not be my first choice. Of course they drop.

My neighbor had one.

Re: Crabapple tree

Patriot3 — Wed, 07 Jun 2017 15:04:34 GMT

@software, I was afraid of that. I just can't see how they could have crabapples and not drop them! Thanks!

Re: Crabapple tree

fthunt — Wed, 07 Jun 2017 15:04:33 GMT

Check out a SAND CHERRY bush. I also wanted something between my house and neighbor instead of just lawn. My expert gardener planted mine and it's beautiful in Spring (small pink/white flowers) and then leaves are sort of a maroon color for summer. No fruit - no mess on the ground and it grows to about 8 feet high - wider bush/tree than tall. He gave it a severe pruning one year; but I like the width for privacy. Bug free too!

Re: Crabapple tree

Gram W — Wed, 07 Jun 2017 15:06:00 GMT

I had one years ago. The apples did drop and the deer loved them. Eventually the deer killed the tree. They injured the trunk trying to climb to reach apples that had not yet fallen. They also killed my Macintosh apple tree. I have so many deer and they eat a lot of flowers also. It is hard to find this GS they do not eat. I check the Cornell list of plants that deer do not like before I buy and plant. I think that sometimes the deer read the same list. They have pulled plants out of the ground and left them. They are beautiful to see but love to play mind games with me. To date they usually win.

Re: Crabapple tree

ValuSkr — Wed, 07 Jun 2017 15:11:40 GMT

There are beautiful varieties of ornamental cherry that don't bear fruit. I have one outside the front door. The only time it's messy is for a week or two in the Spring when it's dropping the pink blossoms. Of course, if the tree is located in your lawn, it doesn't matter and you'll have a nice pink carpet under and around the tree.

Re: Crabapple tree

itsmagic — Wed, 07 Jun 2017 15:26:48 GMT

I have a flowering crabapple tree and it does not drop the fruit. The fruit is smaller than a cherry and in the fall when the leaves drop all that is left on the tree is the fruit. I have birds in the winter that come to that tree and eat them. It has beautiful blooms in the spring and hasn't gotten too big.

Re: Crabapple tree

Nightowlz — Wed, 07 Jun 2017 17:18:41 GMT

They sure are pretty but unless you want all those little crabapples all over the ground & flies flying all around after they get stepped on I would not plant one of those. We had one at a previous home that we removed because we got tired of the mess. I have not idea what kind of crabapple tree it was.

Re: Crabapple tree

Mistreatedbycs — Wed, 07 Jun 2017 18:55:15 GMT

Growing up we had a huge tree in the backyard, it had to be sprayed every year since i was out there picking the crabapples, sorting them and mom canned them. Also, aside from the whole apples being canned, we had cheesecloth hanging from the cabinet doors draining the juice from the apple pulp and yes, we had an entire year's worth of crabapple juice.

Most of time, we made punch out of it but had glasses of it when a jar got opened.

The tree has a lot of blossoms, then the blossoms fall, then the apples grow, then the apples drop if you don't pick them. A mess and a backyard full of bees.

I don't think this is what you are expecting.

Currently have a pear tree and it's the same as the crabapple tree although the pear tree is slightly smaller and the trunk isn't so large in

diameter. i would probably stay away from fruit trees if you don't want the mess.

Re: Crabapple tree

RedTop — Wed, 07 Jun 2017 19:32:24 GMT

@Patriot3,

Trust me, you do not want a flowering crabapple tree. They are not clean, and unless you keep it cut back severely, it will grow into a huge tree. Tent caterpillars love these trees. The more the tree matures, the more crabapples it produces; yes the crabapples drop off onto the ground, as do the leaves. It is a very messy tree.

We planted a young one when our first daughter was born, and have several pictures of her with the tree at various ages. The tree was absolutely beautiful when in bloom, and we had numerous people stop to ask what kind of tree it was, as well as take pictures of it.

Our tree forked, instead of having a straight trunk, which I did not like, since one side was much fuller and prettier than the other. After years of running deer out of the yard that were coming to eat crabapples, and raking leaves and crabapples, the tree developed some type of disease and started dying. I think my oldest daughter was in college when my husband cut down the tree.

Re: Crabapple tree

Kachina624 — Wed, 07 Jun 2017 20:20:55 GMT

Perhaps growers have developed a fruitless crabapple the way they've developed a fruitless mulberry, cottonless Cottonwood and a Bradford pear with no pears. I'd do a little research.

Re: Crabapple tree

JustJazzmom — Wed, 07 Jun 2017 23:30:26 GMT

Older varieties of crab apple also get fungal diseases. A very messy tree with leaf and fruit drop. I cheered when my next door neighbor had the tree removed between us.

And ornamrntal pears do have fruit -- marble sized pears not pear sized pears.

May I suggest an ornamental cherry tree like Hally Joviette or a Kwanzan cherry? No fruit on either.

Re: Crabapple tree

dharts — Thu, 08 Jun 2017 05:43:25 GMT

I don't think there's such a thing as a clean tree that doesn't drop anything. Even evergreens shed needles. I suppose you could get one of the trees that are male or female like Chinese pistachio and hope you get a male. But even a tree with no seeds is going to drop leaves. There is the gingko, maidenhair tree, They drop all of their leaves in one day so that's handy. They are large but there are some really tiny dwarf ones around now.

Re: Crabapple tree

JustJazzmom — Thu, 08 Jun 2017 14:16:46 GMT

@dharts wrote:
I don't think there's such a thing as a clean tree that doesn't drop anything. Even evergreens shed needles. I suppose you could get one of the trees that are male or female like Chinese pistachio and hope you get a male. But even a tree with no seeds is going to drop leaves. There is the gingko, maidenhair tree, They drop all of their leaves in one day so that's handy. They are large but there are some really tiny dwarf ones around now.

Gingko trees should be labeled as males before purchasing. If it's unsexed, do not buy! Females bear fruit and are wind pollinated by males in the community. The fruit when it drops smells awful to put it nicely. Better to get a male and then no worries about fruit.