Mary Potter Crabapple - Malus 'Mary Potter' [2]
Rose Family: Rosaceae
Pink buds open to blindingly white flowers. USDA zones 4 through 7
[Cirrus Home]  [Tree Encyclopedia] [Trees Alphabetic Table of Contents]   [Family Rosaceae Table of Contents]
  Mary Potter Crabapple
Malus 'Mary Potter', a cross between M. sargentii 'Rosea' and M. atrosanguinea, was introduced by Dr. Sax in 1947 in honor of Mary Sargent Potter, daughter of the Arboretum's first director, Charles S. Sargent. In May its innumerable bright pink buds open to display clear white flowers. In full bloom trees look completely snow-covered. But perhaps the tree's best feature is its form, which is unusually low-branching and spreading. -- The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University
Crabapples are best grown in a sunny location with good air circulation and have no particular soil preferences, except soil should be well-drained. Root pruned trees transplant most easily. Tree size, flower color, fruit color, and growth and branching habit vary considerably with the cultivar grown but many grow about 20 feet tall and wide. A few Crabapples have good fall color and double-flowered types hold blossoms longer than single-flowered cultivars. Some Crabapples are alternate bearers, blooming heavily only every other year. Crabapples are grown for their showy flowers and attractive, brightly colored fruit. [1]

Plants are used for specimens, patios (small-fruiting types), and along streets to create a warm glow of color each spring. Most are attractive during the summer, bearing glossy green foliage. Popular around overhead power lines due to their small stature, a row of Crabapples along each side of the street or median strip can “make” a neighborhood. Select plants which have been grafted onto EMLA 106 or 111 rootstock to reduce root suckering.

There are hundreds of crabapple cultivars with single or double, red, pink, or white flowers, and varying fruit size. Many are cultivars of Malus baccata and Malus floribunda. Since disease resistance can vary depending on where a particular cultivar is grown, be sure to choose a cultivar that has been shown to be resistant to disease in your area. Your urban forestry program could suffer if you plant the wrong cultivar, but it could blossom if you install the correct ones. Malus adapted for street tree and urban use include 'Adams', 'Bob White', 'David', 'Donald Wyman', 'Profusion', 'Red Splendor' and Malus floribunda. Be sure to specify tree form plants for street tree use since branching may be too low on trees grown for specimen use.

White flowered cultivars include: 'Baccata Columnaris' -narrow crown, white flowers, red or yellow fruit; 'Baccata Gracilis' - slow-growing, shrub-like, white flowers, fruit small and dark red, annual bearer; 'Baccata Jackii' - upright form, white flowers, bright red fruit, annual bearer, also good to excellent disease resistance; 'Callaway' - pink buds, white flowers, red fruit; 'David' - pink buds open to white flowers, scarlet fruit, good to excellent disease resistance; 'Dolgo' - pink buds, white flowers, large red fruits; 'Donald Wyman' - disease-resistant but susceptible to fire blight, glossy red showy fruit; 'Ellwangeriana' - red fruit, disease-resistant; 'Floribunda' - pink to red bud opens to single white flower, yellow or red fruit - commonly available; 'Gloriosa' - pink bud opens to white flower, red, large fruit; 'Golden Hornet' - upright arching habit, white flower, yellow fruit; 'Gorgeous' - pink bud opens to large, white flower, red to orange fruit; 'Harvest Gold' - white flowers followed by yellow fruits; 'Hupehensis' - tea crabapple - pink buds open to white flowers, greenish fruit; 'Katherine' - double flowers opening pink, fading to white, fruit yellow and red; 'Mary Potter' - pink buds.

Mary Potter Crabapple - Malus 'Mary Potter'
Mary Potter Crabapple, Morton Arboretum acc. 42-84*1, from planting, is 25 years old [2]Mary Potter Crabapple
Early flower buds are bright red, opening to blindingly white blooms

Crabapples are versatile, small, ornamental trees used in the urban landscape. Crabapples bloom in spring, usually in May, bearing flowers that vary a great deal in color, size, fragrance ,and visual appeal. It is common for flower buds to be red, opening to pink or white flowers. The fruit ripens between July and November, and varies in size from ¼ to 2 inches long or wide.

Crabapples thrive in full sun and grow best in well drained, slightly acidic soils (pH 5.5-6.5); however, they will grow well in many soil types. Most crabapple selections tolerate the cold winters and hot, dry summers prevalent in the Midwest. For many years, crabapple cultivars have been selected on the basis of their flowers, but with some cultivars, undesirable features, such as disease problems and early fruit drop, outweigh their short-lived spring beauty. No single cultivar can fulfill every landscaping need. Consider the following information when choosing a crabapple cultivar for your landscape. [3]

 

Mary Potter Crabapple - Malus 'Mary Potter'
Mary Potter Crabapple Flowers May 4, near Chicago

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]

Mary Potter Crabapple
Mary Potter Crabapple Flowers May 8, near Chicago
Marry Potter Crabapple, Morton Arboretum acc. 520-62*2
Marry Potter Crabapple, Morton Arboretum acc. 520-62*2 is 47 years old.

References
  1. USDA National Forest Service Fact Sheet 393, Malus x 'Mary Potter'
  2. Mary Potter Crabapple, Morton Arboretum acc. 42-84*1, photographed May 4th, 2009
  3. Morton Arboretum Crabapples For The Home Landscape