Prairie Maid Crabapple - Malus 'Prairie Maid'

Prairie Maid Crabapple - Malus 'Prairie Maid' [2]
Rose Family: Rosaceae
Height: 15 feet / USDA zones hardy to 4a
[Cirrus Home] [Tree Encyclopedia] [Trees Table of Contents] [Family Rosaceae Table of Contents]

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

Prairie Maid Crabapple - Malus 'Prairie Maid'

Prairie Maid crabapple above, on May 4th. Below, photographed May 8th; bloom explosion in less than 4 days. A spectacular change, this
variety changes from blood-red "baby buds" to mixed red and white mature blooms, resulting in a creamy pink overall appearance.

Prairie Maid Crabapple, Morton Arboretum acc. 186-87*5, from cutting, is 22 years old [2]

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]

Prairie Maid crabs at Crabapple Lake at the Morton Arboretum grow right at water's edge. Accessions 186-83*3 & 2.

Prairie Maid Crabapple - Malus 'Prairie Maid'
Prairie Maid crabapple above, on May 4th. Below, photographed May 8th; bloom explosion in less than 4 days.
A spectacular change, this variety changes from blood-red "baby buds" to mixed red and white mature blooms.

Prairie Maid Crabapple Flowers May 8, near Chicago

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

USDA National Forest Service Fact Sheet 393, Malus x 'Mary Potter'
Prairie Maid Crabapple, Morton Arboretum acc. 42-84*1, photographed May 4th and May 8th, 2009. Photographer: Bruce Marlin
Morton Arboretum Crabapples For The Home Landscape

Custom Search

[Cirrus Home] [Tree Encyclopedia] [Trees Alphabetic Table of Contents] [Family Rosaceae Table of Contents]