Rivers Flowering Chinese Crabapple

This tree comes to us, as so many things do, from China, where it is  a revered ornamental widely cultivated in the north and east. The ‘Rivers’ variety has double pink flowers as well. Fruits are large at almost 1 inch diameter [2].

This huge Rivers crabapple is 43 years old

Also called Asiatic apple, the plant is naturalised in North America and used as an ornamental. Some varieties grow to 30 feet with and equal spread. Like all crabs, they like full sun and rich, well-drained soil, but will thrive on crappy sandy or clay soil. And like all crabs, they are in varying degree subject to the depredations of apple scab, powdery mildew, fire blight and rust.
Rivers crabapple feature red buds opening to pale pink blossoms

Malus spectabilis ‘Riversii’, Morton Arboretum acc. 153-64*2, photos © Bruce Marlin

Family Rosaceae
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Online since 2002