| Mary Potter Crabapple - Malus 'Mary Potter' Family Rosaceae - Rose Family; Fruit Trees Red buds open to blindingly white flowers. USDA zones 4 through 7 Tree Encyclopedia | Trees Index | Crabapples | Nut Trees | Fruit Trees Index | |

Introduced by The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, Mary Potter crabapple can be a ground-hugging, spreading form as witnessed by the three specimens pictured above. In my experience with crabs at the Morton, Mary Potter is one of the most spectacular bloomers, with profuse red-pink buds exploding to blinding-white blossoms in just a matter of hours it seems. 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 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. |
| 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] |
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Family Rosaceae - Rose Family; Fruit Trees Containing Hawthorns, Apples, Pears, Cherries, Plums, Peach, Almond, Mountain-Ash and Whitebeam. Rosaceae is a large family of plants with about 3,000 species in ~100 genera. Crabapple and other fruit trees provide some of our most outstanding flowering ornamentals. Tree Encyclopedia | Tree Index | Fruit Tree Index |
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