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Klehm Prairie Crabapple - Malus ioensis
'Klehmii'
[2] Rose Family: Rosaceae Height: 15 feet / 4.5 m / USDA zones 4 through 7 [Cirrus Home] [Tree Encyclopedia] [Trees Alphabetic Table of Contents] |
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The crabapples at Crabapple Lake at the Morton Arboretum are not to be missed |
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Klehm Prairie Crabapple grows to 9 m (30 ft) tall and 50 cm
(18 in) in diameter. Crown rounded and spreading. Bark
red-brown to dark gray with small narrow scales. Twigs
red-brown to gray, densely tomentose when young becoming
less so with age; numerous short lateral shoots bearing
terminal thorns. Leaves alternate or clustered, simple;
elliptic, oblong, or oblong-ovate, 4-13 cm (1.5-5 in) long
and 2-10 cm (0.8-4 in) wide; glabrous above, glabrous to
densely white tomentose beneath; dark green and lustrous
above, rounded or cuneate at base; acute, obtuse or rounded
at apex; margins singly or doubly crenate-serrate, some
leaves with deep lobes; petioles slender, white tomentose,
becoming less so with age. Flowers in clusters, pedicels
pubescent, 2.5-4 cm (1-1.5 in) long, with 2-5 flowers; calyx
5-lobed, lanceolate-acuminate, densely white tomentose;
petals 5, white or pink, obovate, base narrowed into a claw;
styles 5, with dense white hairs; stamens numerous; flowers
appear from April to June. Fruits pomes, 2-4 cm (0.8-1.5 in)
in diameter, globose, compressed at the ends, green-yellow,
waxy or greasy to the touch; fruits mature September to
October. Distribution: Oklahoma, Texas and Arkansas, east to Alabama, north to Minnesota. Rare. Habitat: moist soils along streams and woodland borders. Comments: Malus is the classical name for apples; ioensis refers to Iowa. Field identification: Prairie crab apple can be recognized by its unique leaf shape and tomentose stems and inflorescence. Horticulture: Prairie crab apple has been cultivated since 1885, primarily for its showy and fragrant flowers. Food uses: The fruits are hard and sour, but have been used to make jellies, cider and vinegar. Wildlife benefits: The fruits are eaten by several species of birds and mammals. [3] |
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American Masterpiece Crabapple requires
very little pruning but any that is needed should be
completed before late spring, to ensure dormant flower buds
are not removed. Trees used as street trees should be
trained to develop a central trunk and should be
occasionally thinned to eliminate water sprouts or
crossed-branches, and to open up the crown. This allows for
better air circulation through the crown and helps reduce
disease. |
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These photographs (and dozens of other
species) are available as RAW files
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Various cultivars of genus
Malus and their attributes: 'Barbara Ann' - double pink
flowers; 'Beverly' - pink flowers, small, bright red
fruit, upright open habit; 'Brandywine' - double,
pink flowers, foliage tinged reddish; 'Candied
Apple' - red buds and pink flowers, persistent
bright red fruits; 'Coralburst'- pink flowers, a
dwarf about eight feet tall; 'Dorothea' - red buds,
pink flowers, yellow fruits, susceptible to scab;
'Hopa' - pink flowers, red and yellow fruit,
extremely susceptible to scab; 'Margaret' -
disease-resistant; 'Mount Arbor Special' -
disease-resistant, red fruit; 'Oekonomierath
Echtermayer' - somewhat weeping habit, redbuds, pink
flowers, red fruits; 'Pink Perfection' - pink
flowers, susceptible to scab; 'Prairie Rose' - double
pink flowers, no fruit; 'Radiant' - red buds, pink
flowers, persistent red fruits, susceptible to scab;
'Van Eseltine' - double pink flowers, columnar;
'Velvet Pillar' - upright form, pink flowers, red
fruit and purple foliage; 'Weeping Candied Apple' -
pink flowers and red fruit on horizontal to
pendulous branches. |
References
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