Crab Apple

[Newbie]

Hello

My Bro & SIL have just popped round & delivered me an early birthday pressie... a red crab apple!

Its only little - well about waist high, with no leaves but quite a few cherry sized red fruits.

So, silly question time... How big will it grow to? Are the fruits edible or are they more for the birds to eat? I can't seem to find much useful info on them on the interweb.

many thanks,

[MaureenHall]

Dunno how big it'll grow, I suppose it'd depend on the variety. Make crab apple jelly with any fruits you get next year

[FB.]

Many crab apples can be eaten, but are best used for cooking purposes.
At my previous house, we had a red crab apple on MM106 (planted in the front lawn) and it managed to grow from about 3ft to about 7ft in about five years - and was still growing when we moved a few years ago. The fruits would hang on the tree until spring and blackbirds would peck them off in late winter and early spring.

As for the size of yours.....that will depend on what variety and what (if anything) it's grafted onto.

I've seen crabs growing on M27 (4-6ft), M26 (7-10ft) and MM106 (10-15ft) rootstocks - and occasionally on their own roots (over 20ft).

[kitchengardner]

Hello

My Bro & SIL have just popped round & delivered me an early birthday pressie... a red crab apple!

Its only little - well about waist high, with no leaves but quite a few cherry sized red fruits.

So, silly question time... How big will it grow to? Are the fruits edible or are they more for the birds to eat? I can't seem to find much useful info on them on the interweb.

many thanks,

The size will depend on the rootstock, the label should include details of this (usually M and a 2-3 digit number). Crab apples are somewhat sharp for modern tastes (but our stoneage ancestors loved them) so are best cooked. They go well in pies (especially with blackberries), autumn puddings, crumbles & cobblers. They also make good apple cake & apple wine, as well as a fabulous jelly. They are also useful in jam making as a source of natural pectin. However my favourite use is to chop a couple up quite finely and then mix with suet, breadcrumbs and sage to make a wonderful stuffing for duck or pheasant

Regards

Kitchen Gardener

[yoanbob]

My absolute favorite jam is crab apple jelly, its sooooo yummy

[Diva1983]

I've got 5 waist length crab apple trees-waiting to go into the ground. As the weather is freezing (I'm considering moving to the North Pole-maybe it's warmer there?!) can they still be planted out or will they die of shock?!

Nice present though-I usually get notepads or socks.

[Alison]

Fruit trees can usually cope with being planted in freeing soil but don't like it to be water logged, basically if you wouldn't be happy digging then don't plant. If you're not sure either put them in pots or heal them in somewhere temporary but if it's anything like round here in Stoke at the moment then I'd get them in the ground properly.

[FB.]

I've got 5 waist length crab apple trees-waiting to go into the ground. As the weather is freezing (I'm considering moving to the North Pole-maybe it's warmer there?!) can they still be planted out or will they die of shock?!

Nice present though-I usually get notepads or socks.

If the ground is frozen, you won't be able to dig holes. If the ground is not frozen, I would plant them as soon as possible.

If you only get mild frosts, they will probably be OK in large pots - especially if the pots are positioned where the sun can warm them during the day. If you're prone to hard frosts, they may start to suffer root damage.