Malus sylvestris

Crab apple

Species Tolerances

  • Drought Tolerance: High
  • Shade Tolerance: Yes
  • Waterlogging Tolerance: Low
  • Frost Tolerance (trees from warmer climates may be frost tolerant, but their flowers may not be): Yes
  • RHS Hardiness: H6
  • Optimum Conditions for Growth:
    Tolerates a wide range of soil, sand to clay, and pH mildly acidic to mildly alkaline. Prefers a deep, nutrient rich loam. Some cultivars may be less hardy than the species.
  • Susceptibility to Pest/Disease:
    Can be susceptible to bacterial disease fire blight, and fungal disease apple scab

Malus sylvestris, Botanical Garden in Kaisaniemi Helsinki/ Daderot/ https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/deed.en

Service to Pollinators

  • Summary of Service to Pollinators:
    A good source of nectar and pollen and for encouraging pollinators. Can be used as a tree for cross pollination with Malus domestica.
  • Nectar Value to Pollinators: 3 (of 0-3)
  • Honeydew Value to Pollinators: 0 (of 0-3)
  • Pollen Value to Bees: 3 (of 0-3)
  • Flowering Period: April-May

Risks

  • Human Toxicity: Non-toxic
  • Livestock Toxicity: Non-toxic
  • Invasive Risk: No
  • Suckering: No

Products

  • Edible Fruit: Yes
  • Edible Leaves: No
  • Edible Sap: No
  • Edible Seeds: No
  • Honey, major source in UK: Yes
  • For any medicinal potential, see 'Further Details' below.
  • Timber: No
  • Livestock Fodder: Yes
  • Other Products:
    Some cultivars bear inedible fruit, but the species can throw up some specimen trees with extremely edible fruit.

Utility

  • Nitrogen Fixation: No
  • Organic Matter Accumulation: Yes
  • Phytoremediation: Yes
  • Deacidification: Insufficient Data
  • Windbreak: No
  • Soil Erosion Control: Yes
  • Shade or Shelter: Yes
  • Plant Support: Insufficient Data
  • Integrated Pest Management: Insufficient Data
  • Wildlife Value: Yes
  • Wildlife Value Summary:
    Good for biodiversity referring to invertebrate diversity feeding on the tree, especially insects. Caterpillars of many species of moth feed on the leaves. Seeds and fruit are available to a large range of birds and mammals.
  • Graduated Nativeness Classification
    ⓘ
    1. Historic Native
    2. Historic Introduction
    9. Neutral Introduction
    : 1 (of 1-10)

Further Details

    The species is often used as a rootstock for cultivar trees.