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Great Companion Plants For Your Flowering Crabapples

Plant Combinations, Border Ideas, Spring Borders, Summer Borders, Fall Borders, Companion Plants, Malus

Flowering Crabapples, Crabapples, Malus, Plant Combinations, Border Ideas, Spring Borders, Summer Borders, Companion Plants, Fragrant Treess, Small Trees, Winter Fruit, Fall Fruit

Among the most prized ornamental trees, flowering crabapples have long been a staple of landscape gardening. They are best known for their spectacular display of magnificent blooms in spring and colorful fall fruit. Their summer foliage, small stature, and various tree shapes add to their charm and give them year-round interest.

Spectacular on their own, they can hold center stage across the seasons by themselves. However, their magnificence can be enhanced by companion plants that will frame and accent their beauty.

Choose the right companion plants and extend the season of interest of your garden

Here is the list of favorite companion plants for your flowering crabapples.

Flowering Crabapples, Crabapples, Malus, Plant Combinations, Border Ideas, Spring Borders, Summer Borders, Companion Plants, Fragrant Treess, Small Trees, Winter Fruit, Fall Fruit Conifers

Among nature’s most beautiful and interesting trees, conifers deserve a spot in most gardens. Adding year-round beauty and structure to your landscape, these shapely and statuesque evergreens include Spruces (Picea), Firs (Abies), Cedars (Cedrus), False Cypresses (Chamaecyparis), and many others. The contrast of pink or white flowering crabapples against a background of blue conifers, such as blue spruces, is particularly outstanding.

Flowering Crabapples, Crabapples, Malus, Plant Combinations, Border Ideas, Spring Borders, Summer Borders, Companion Plants, Fragrant Treess, Small Trees, Winter Fruit, Fall Fruit Lilacs

Hardy and vigorous, early flowering lilacs (Syringa x hyacinthiflora) are terrific shrubs that reward us with an abundance of exquisitely scented flowers in mid-spring, about 7-10 days earlier than common lilacs. But this is not their only charm. Their foliage often colors up to shades of red, purple, and gold in fall, extending their season of interest. Easy to grow, Hyacinth Lilacs are low-maintenance shrubs that will grow and flower profusely without much attention.

Flowering Crabapples, Crabapples, Malus, Plant Combinations, Border Ideas, Spring Borders, Summer Borders, Companion Plants, Fragrant Treess, Small Trees, Winter Fruit, Fall Fruit Flowering Dogwoods

Flowering dogwoods (Cornus) are excellent landscape choices for all four seasons and wonderful crabapple companions. Awakening in spring with their delicate bracts, their foliage turns glorious shades of gold, red, or purple in fall and their brilliant red berries attract winter songbirds for the pleasure of all.

Flowering Crabapples, Crabapples, Malus, Plant Combinations, Border Ideas, Spring Borders, Summer Borders, Companion Plants, Fragrant Treess, Small Trees, Winter Fruit, Fall Fruit Magnolias

Magnolias are outstanding early flowering trees of great beauty and help create glorious combinations with crabapples. Pale yellow magnolias enhance the beauty of pure white or pale pink flowering crabapples, while pink and purple magnolias look stunning with white flowering crabapples.

Flowering Crabapples, Crabapples, Malus, Plant Combinations, Border Ideas, Spring Borders, Summer Borders, Companion Plants, Fragrant Treess, Small Trees, Winter Fruit, Fall Fruit Hostas

The large, showy leaves of Hostas complement the blooms and fruits of the crabapples nicely. Large-leaved blue hostas will lend charm to your blooming crabapples. Edge their bed with smaller golden-leaved hostas to create an excellent background for the cascades of red fruit the trees produce in the fall. An amazing number of hostas are available in a wide range of sizes, shapes, and colors, and they create striking combinations!

Flowering Crabapples, Crabapples, Malus, Plant Combinations, Border Ideas, Spring Borders, Summer Borders, Companion Plants, Fragrant Treess, Small Trees, Winter Fruit, Fall Fruit Hemerocallis

Hemerocallis (Daylilies) are colorful, spreading perennials that grow in sunlight or under the dappled shade cast by the crabapple trees. Often called the perfect perennial because of their numerous qualities: showy flowers, a wide array of vibrant colors, drought tolerance, ability to grow in most areas, and low care requirements, they are remarkable and stunning additions to the garden where they bloom vigorously for weeks and weeks. They parade their attractive blossoms in summer under the green canopy of crabapples.

Flowering Crabapples, Crabapples, Malus, Plant Combinations, Border Ideas, Spring Borders, Summer Borders, Companion Plants, Fragrant Treess, Small Trees, Winter Fruit, Fall Fruit Peonies

Herbaceous peonies and tree peonies (Paeonia) are wonderful companions to crabapples with their brilliant colors. They are compatible in color, fragrance, and form and make each other look better. Plant peonies along a garden walk and savor the beauty and pervasive perfume they lavish on those who pass by.

Flowering Crabapples, Crabapples, Malus, Plant Combinations, Border Ideas, Spring Borders, Summer Borders, Companion Plants, Fragrant Trees, Small Trees, Winter Fruit, Fall Fruit Groundcovers

Underplant your crabapples with low-growing plants such as Periwinkle (Vinca minor), Mondo Grass (Ophiopogon japonicus), and Liriope. Small Violas, Creeping Veronica, Creeping Phlox can also create very fine color combinations.

Flowering Crabapples, Crabapples, Malus, Plant Combinations, Border Ideas, Spring Borders, Summer Borders, Companion Plants, Fragrant Treess, Small Trees, Winter Fruit, Fall Fruit Spring bulbs

Some perennial bulbs do well under trees, such as Snowdrops (Galanthus), Crocuses (Crocus), Grape Hyacinths (Muscari), Winter Aconites (Eranthis), Siberian Squills (Scilla siberica), Snowflakes (Leucojum), Bluebells (Hyacinthoides) and early blooming Daffodils (Narcissus). They all look stunning, forming a carpet of flowers dancing in the dappled light under crabapple trees.

Flowering Crabapples Cultural Requirements

A wide range of companion plants will bring out the best qualities of your crabapples and share their space with a serene balance. Select any ornamental grasses, perennials, shrubs, or trees with the same growing requirements as your crabapple tree.

  • Crabapples tolerate various conditions but thrive, exuberate, and radiate beauty when grown in full sun (at least 6 hours) in deep, rich, well-drained soils. Use our Plant Finder to find the perfect companion plants for your crabapple trees.
  • Make sure your site drains well. Crabapples do not like waterlogged or overly dry soils.

Guide Information

Plant Type Trees
Genus Malus - Crab Apple
Exposure Full Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Mid, Late)
Summer (Early, Mid, Late)
Fall
Winter
Soil Type Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained
Characteristics Cut Flowers, Fragrant, Showy, Fruit & Berries
Tolerance Drought
Attracts Birds
Landscaping Ideas Beds And Borders, Small Gardens
Garden Styles City and Courtyard, Informal and Cottage, Traditional Garden

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While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.

Guide Information

Plant Type Trees
Genus Malus - Crab Apple
Exposure Full Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Mid, Late)
Summer (Early, Mid, Late)
Fall
Winter
Soil Type Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained
Characteristics Cut Flowers, Fragrant, Showy, Fruit & Berries
Tolerance Drought
Attracts Birds
Landscaping Ideas Beds And Borders, Small Gardens
Garden Styles City and Courtyard, Informal and Cottage, Traditional Garden
Compare All Malus (Crab Apple)
Compare Now
Explore Great Plant Combination Ideas
Malus (Crab Apple)
Guides with
Malus (Crab Apple)

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