Alphabetical Plant Listing

Flowering Crabapples with Persistent Fruit

Malus, Crabapples, Crab Apples, Spring Flowering Trees, Fall Fruit Tree


Among the most prized of 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.

From fall into winter, crabapples put on a terrific display of colorful fruit in a wide array of colors, including pale lime, chartreuse with yellow highlights, various shades of gold often rouged with pink, orange, or bright red cheeks, bright orange, crimson, carmine, burgundy or even bishop's purple. If persistent, their color parade can be enjoyed for months unless hungry birds feast on them.

  • Persistent fruits cling to the branches and do not drop. Not only do they provide color and winter interest, but they do not litter the ground.
  • Fruit can be large (1-2 in. or 2.5-5 cm), medium-sized (0.5-1 in. or 1.3-2 cm), small (0.25-0.5 in. or 0.6-1.3 cm) or mini-fruited (less than 0.25 in.). Generally speaking, the smaller fruits are an asset as they do not fall, rot or litter the yard.
  • If you want a flowering crabapple with terrific winter interest, you may want to select a tree with persistent fruits. Be aware, that your crabapple tree may become a banquet for wildlife in winter when food is scarce or difficult to find due to snow cover!

To help you select the best flowering crabapple for your yard, we have compiled lists of varieties and cultivars with long-lasting fruits.

Guide Information

Hardiness 4 - 8
Heat Zones 1 - 9
Plant Type Trees
Plant Family Malus - Crabapples
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 - Crabapples Great Plant Combination Ideas with Malus - Crabapples Guides with Malus - Crabapples

By Zanna Pesnina/Shutterstock

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

Hardiness 4 - 8
Heat Zones 1 - 9
Plant Type Trees
Plant Family Malus - Crabapples
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 - Crabapples Great Plant Combination Ideas with Malus - Crabapples Guides with Malus - Crabapples

Find your Hardiness Zone

Find your Climate Zone

Find your Heat Zone

Join Gardenia.net

Create a membership account to save your garden designs and to view them on any device.

Becoming a contributing member of Gardenia is easy and can be done in just a few minutes. If you provide us with your name, email address and the payment of a modest $25 annual membership fee, you will become a full member, enabling you to design and save up to 25 of your garden design ideas.

Join now and start creating your dream garden!

Create a New Collection

Optional. For your reference.


Move Selected Plants to a Different Collection


Delete Collection

This field is required.

Rename Collection

This field is required.