Crab apples vs. regular apples....

[John-W-WI]

This might be a really bad question, but I've often wondered.....

What determines a Crab from a regular Apple?

You can have tiny apples on an apple tree, and huge (relatively speaking) apples on a crab tree? What makes is one or the other?

And after you know which is which, why choose one over the other?

I'm thinking about planting some more soft mast in the future, and just had to ask :)

-John

 

[chickenlittle]

Apple/Crabapple is not a very useful divide and the 2" criteria does not help much. There are many species of malus from around the world and they can interbreed. Those are almost all considered crabapples but they have little in common. The apple is a hybrid originating from Asia species and bred from there into europe and spread around the world.

Some crabs are good for deer. Some crabs are good for birds. Some crabs aren't good for anything. Some crabs are specific species. Some crabs are hybrids of crab species. Some crabs are small apples. Some large apples are called crabs.

 

[sandbur]

The 2 inch division is pretty universal from what I have read.

You can confuse the issue more by calling some applecrabs or edible crabs.

Crabs seem to be a bit hardier for northern climates, might tolerate lower soil pH, and perhaps do better with less care.

 

[gwm]

What crab apple would you recommend?

 

[Turkey Creek]

What crab apple would you recommend?

Cant go wrong with Dolgo, Chestnut, Kerr, Hewes, and there are a number of unnamed seedling crabs that people have (such as Sandbur's Dog series).

 

[gwm]

^^^ Thank you.

 

[sandbur]

Cant go wrong with Dolgo, Chestnut, Kerr, Hewes, and there are a number of unnamed seedling crabs that people have (such as Sandbur's Dog series).

I would add whitney to that list.

 

[Don'tWorryIHuggedItFirst]

Centennial

 

[Bowsnbucks]

X-2 on the Centennial and I would add All-Winter-Hangover from SLN. If I was forced to pick only 5 crabs to plant, they would be All-Winter-Hangover, Dolgo, Chestnut, Kerr, and Violi's hanging crab ( also from SLN ).

 

[CrazyEd]

Tomorrow I will post a picture of 1 of 2 Kerr trees I have in my main orchard. Today it was still loaded with apple crabs.

 

[deepsleep]

Tomorrow I will post a picture of 1 of 2 Kerr trees I have in my main orchard. Today it was still loaded with apple crabs.

This is great to hear, Ed. My Kerrs should start putting on some fruit next year and I also worked over several remote seedling crabs to Kerr. I wasn't exactly sure when they drop but you are giving some confirmation that they hold pretty well.

 

[CrazyEd]

Here you go folks, as promised. this is a 4th leaf Kerr on b118 - 11/21/2015.

Next year i'm definitely going to thin this tree more, I might remove all fruit just so it can focus on growing wood. In my limited experience these trees produce early and produce a lot of fruit. I think fruit size will definitely push 2" if you thin properly.

 

[Tyler]

Will those apples just hang and rot though or what's thileir drop schedule like?

Sent from my SM-S920L using Tapatalk

 

[chummer]

Here you go folks, as promised. this is a 4th leaf Kerr on b118 - 11/21/2015.

Next year i'm definitely going to thin this tree more, I might remove all fruit just so it can focus on growing wood. In my limited experience these trees produce early and produce a lot of fruit. I think fruit size will definitely push 2" if you thin properly.

That is awesome. I have 4 in the ground that should have blossoms next year and I have 4 more coming in the spring. So far they are my best growing tree from my first attempt at apples. 3rd leaf next year.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Good to hear, Ed and Chummer. I have 2 at camp ( 2nd leaf ) and 1 more coming in the spring. Our All-Winter-Hangover from SLN is the winner when it comes to holding well and not getting soft. As of 11-21-2015 they are solid and tasty - not dry or mushy. Our Hyslop crab is still holding apples but they're dry and mealy. Deer may eat them as they drop, but they're no eater for humans.

We have some kind of regular apple that's more green than yellow, very solid and tastes pretty good that is still loaded. Some camp member planted it probably 15 yrs. ago and didn't make note of what it was. Apples are about 2 1/2" in dia. and have black mottling all over them - not pretty but good taste. Any clues Ed ??

Good to hear you're having success with the Kerrs up there Chummer. Give the All-Winter-Hangover from SLN a try. It's kicking a$$ here. Connor Hardiman is the new owner of SLN ( former staffer there ). chardiman@gmail.com if you want to get a catalog or communicate.

 

[chummer]

I have one from them planted last year. I was going to get some from him for next year but I have 20 coming from cummins and I am out of room until I get the new place up and running. I already have the holes dug for 12 trees anything else I plant will be going at the new place. I will hopefully bringing in an excavator next spring to dig stumps and holes for future trees. Next year is going to be crazy.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Chummer - Just a FYI - Our All-Winter-Hangover crab that's been in the ground 3 years had about 50 apples on it this year and it's 11 ft. tall. Apples are about 1 1/2" dia. and turn red. It's a super tree. We have 2 planted and 1 more coming in spring.

 

[chummer]

Chummer - Just a FYI - Our All-Winter-Hangover crab that's been in the ground 3 years had about 50 apples on it this year and it's 11 ft. tall. Apples are about 1 1/2" dia. and turn red. It's a super tree. We have 2 planted and 1 more coming in spring.

I go back and forth on this all time. Do I really want apples that hang past November? If the deer migrate when the snow comes what good are they doing. I am back on early droppers but I am sure I will switch back. At this point I have all months covered but I need to decide if I will double down on early or late droppers. Any chance those apples would be any good in April?

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Yep - I forgot about your deer migration. I see your point. I guess if I were there where you are I'd plant some chestnut crabs to put apples on the ground during archery and gun season. They're pretty tough in northern climates ( Sandbur grows them successfully in Minn. ), so maybe they'd be a good choice. I know Aero has them too and he said they were dumping apples pretty well in October & he's in N.E. Pa. not far from N.Y. border.

 

[chummer]

Yep - I forgot about your deer migration. I see your point. I guess if I were there where you are I'd plant some chestnut crabs to put apples on the ground during archery and gun season. They're pretty tough in northern climates ( Sandbur grows them successfully in Minn. ), so maybe they'd be a good choice. I know Aero has them too and he said they were dumping apples pretty well in October & he's in N.E. Pa. not far from N.Y. border.

I have 5 chestnut crabs i put in last year. They put on some good growth. I have a bunch of cider apples going in this year with Kerr as well. I think after that it will be Kerr, chestnut, and dolgo for the new place with a couple DR apples mixed in.