Klehm Prairie Crabapple - Malus ioensis 'Klehmii' [2]
Rose Family: Rosaceae
Height: 15 feet / 4.5 m / USDA zones 4 through 7
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  Klehm Prairie Crabapple - Malus ioensis 'Klehmii'
The crabapples at Crabapple Lake at the Morton Arboretum are not to be missed
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]
Klehm Prairie Crabapple - Malus ioensis 'Klehmii'
Klehm Prairie Crabapple - Malus ioensis 'Klehmii', Morton Arboretum acc. 231-76*3 [2]

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.

Crabapples are also useful as median trees where the fruit will fall away from pedestrians. Placed in the lawn area as an accent so they receive occasional irrigation, Crabapple will give you years of wonderful flowers and showy fruit. It is best to locate them away from a patio or other hard surface so the fruits will not cause a mess. Set it back just far enough so the crown will not overhang the walk, but close enough so the flowers and fruit can be enjoyed. American Masterpiece grows in moist, well-drained, acid soil in full sun locations for best flowering. They are not recommended for sandy soil due to their inability to tolerate drought, but any other soil is suitable, including clay. Crabapples grow well in the Texas panhandle but are not extremely drought tolerant and are not well suited for high pH soil. [1]

 
Kingdom Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass Rosidae
Order Rosales
Family Rosaceae – Rose family
Genus Malus Mill. – apple
Species Malus ioensis (Alph. Wood) Britton – prairie crab apple  [4]

 

Klehm Prairie Crabapple - Malus ioensis 'Klehmii'
These photographs (and dozens of other species) are available as RAW files

Various cultivars of genus Malus and their attributes:

Malus x 'Mary Potter' 'Mary Potter' Crabapple white flowers, red and fairly large fruit, susceptible to scab and powdery mildew; 'Red Jade' - weeping habit, white flowers, red fruit persisting after leaves drop; 'Sargenti' - dwarf, pink bud opens to white flowers, small dark red fruit; 'Snowdrift' - white flowers, orange red fruit; 'Tanner' - white flowers, red fruits, susceptible to diseases; 'Tschonoski' - white flowers, vigorous growth, good bronze red fall color, fruit brownish; 'White Angel' - white flowers, glossy red fruit persisting into winter; 'White Candle' - pink buds open to white flowers, red fruit, upright growth habit; 'Zumi Calocarpa' - white flowers, bright red persistent fruit. Pink flowered cultivars include: 'Arnoldiana' - red buds, pale pink to white flowers, red and yellow fruits, susceptible to diseases.

 '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.

Cultivars with red flowers include: 'American Beauty' - double, red flowers, susceptible to scab; 'Centurion' - a columnar growth habit, red flowers followed by bright red, persistent fruits; 'Indian Magic' - red flowers, maroon fall color, small red fruit, persistent; 'Purpurea Lemoinei' - dark rose color flowers, alternate bearing; 'Profusion' - red flowers and fruit; 'Red Baron' - red flowers, susceptible to scab; 'Red Silver' - red flowers, red fruit, susceptible to scab; 'Red Splendor' - red buds, red to pink flowers, red fruit, susceptible to scab; 'Royal Ruby' - double red flowers, sparse red fruit, susceptible to scab; 'Royalty' - red flowers, red fruits, young foliage purple, susceptible to scab; 'Selkirk' - red flowers, red fruits, susceptible to diseases; 'Sparkler' - red flowers, red fruits; 'Tomiko' - disease-resistant, reddish-purple blooms; 'Wisley' - red flowers. [1]

References
  1. USDA National Forest Service Fact Sheet 393, Malus x 'Mary Potter'
  2. Klehm Prairie Crabapple - Malus ioensis 'Klehmii', Morton Arboretum acc. 231-76*3, photographed May 5th, 2009. © Bruce J. Marlin
  3. University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma Biological Survey, Malus ioensis (Wood.) Britt.
  4. USDA NRCS Plants Profile, Malus ioensis (Alph. Wood) Britton, Prairie Crabapple

 

              
 
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