Crabapple Varieties & guys' comments / input

[sandbur]

I doubt the widow sprays anything on her flowering crabs. They are much cleaner than my trees. I did not see many red cedars in her area and she is right along the Mississippi River. My environment is much different, but my flowering crabs are pretty healthy looking.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Bur & Greyphase - Do either of you guys have Winter Wildlife crabs from SLN ?? It seemed to me one - or both - of you had one or 2 of them. So many posts, I can't remember !! How are they doing for you ...... tree shape, growth, fruit size, cropping ???

 

[CrazyEd]

Ed - What does the Centurion fruit look like ??

I picked this little gem of a fruit off the Centurion I grafted in April 2014.

But to get the above, you must go back in time to May 7, 2015. This was an eager little tree, now pushing 5'+. The other noticeable characteristic that makes a Centurion stand out in my nursery amongst 200 trees, it's dark purple foliage, very similar to a B118 rootstock tree.

 

[greyphase]

Bur & Greyphase - Do either of you guys have Winter Wildlife crabs from SLN ?? It seemed to me one - or both - of you had one or 2 of them. So many posts, I can't remember !! How are they doing for you ...... tree shape, growth, fruit size, cropping ???

B&B
I have a Winter Wildlife from SLN planted 2005. No sure exactly when it started to bear but it was early of a tree on Antonovka rooststock. It's been a reliable producer of 1-1 1/2 inch fruit that holds some till spring. My tree was savaged by a bear a few years ago but it has an upright growth habit. My avatar is a cluster of Winter Wildlife crabs and here's a pic taken last Sept.

It's a nice crab to have for late winter feed. No disease problems just some bug damage.

 

[greyphase]

B&B

Here's my old Centurion crab planted in 1986. No insect or disease problems and a heck of a pollinator. Fruits are small and hang all winter.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Thanks Ed and Grey !! We have a Centurion at camp - 3rd leaf on Ant. - no fruit yet. Maybe next year will be the first. It'll be good to have them hanging on the tree all winter for birds and grouse ....... maybe some turkeys ?? It's in amongst some other apples so the pollen should be readily available.

The Winter Wildlife crab looks mighty nice in the pic. 1" to 1 1/2" is perfect size for the deer. Having some drop sporadically thru winter will be a big help for the critters. Have you tasted any of the WW crabs, Grey ?? They LOOK good enough to eat !! Just wondering ...

Thanks again, guys. I appreciate the info !!

 

[sandbur]

I don't have WW crab but it sounds interesting!

Bur & Greyphase - Do either of you guys have Winter Wildlife crabs from SLN ?? It seemed to me one - or both - of you had one or 2 of them. So many posts, I can't remember !! How are they doing for you ...... tree shape, growth, fruit size, cropping ???

 

[Charman03]

What crabs drop in October or November that I can arrow a deer off of?

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Thanks, Bur. I know you have Morse Bunches crabs - I thought you had SLN's Winter Wildlife crab too. I planted 2 WW at camp this spring, so no fruit for another 2 years or so. I remember seeing pics of WW from someone on here. Greyphase has some ^^^^^. I thought a couple guys had WW pics. Memory short - like other things !!!

 

[sandbur]

I found this wild crab along side a state highway. The seeds are still white, so it has some time until it is ripe.
It would be a good variety for a mid-Sept bow opener.
It does not taste too bad either.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Is Whitney cold hardy for up in the North country like where you guys live ?? I don't know enough about it's cold-hardiness. I only ask because I'm wondering if it IS a Whitney or if Bur found some rogue gem of a crab. You guys seem to have a big supply of wild, unknown, un-named stuff up there. I wish we had that kind of supply around here !!!:(

Whatever you found there Bur - it looks like a dandy !!

 

[sandbur]

It looks like a whitney. However there is a whitney about 10 miles from this tree that I took scion from. The known whitney has apples that are totally red and mush at this point.Most are on the ground.

If the wild tree is whitney, the shade around it could make it ripen a bit later. It also has apples slightly smaller than the known whitney.

 

[sandbur]

Whitney is hardy into zone 3. Given its growing location, I doubt what Art found is a Whitney. May have some Whitney heritage (may be a Whitney too I suppose, just not likely)

Posting at the same time and I agree.
It seems like there might be another blooming tree or two in this small area between a railroad track and the state highway, but the other trees are smaller. I just noticed their blooms for the first time this spring.

 

[leexrayshady]

What crabs drop in October or November that I can arrow a deer off of?

Every other year haralson would be an awesome choice

 

[sandbur]

Every other year haralson would be an awesome choice

I prefer haralson over haralred for deer. Some body by the name of Lee sent me this picture awhile ago.
I will have scion from a late dropping crab if anyone wants some. Lee-you got a tiny bit of it two years ago, but there is better scion on the top of the tree. It has grown well with cleft grafts on seedlings.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I might take a stick or 2, Bur, if you don't mind. I'm gonna do more grafting this coming spring of a few different varieties.

 

[sandbur]

Stu- I think I need more rootstock! Trying to cut back and I get more ideas.
I spotted another wild crab along a creek on some new land that the Rice Sportmen's club just dedicated today. The highway was too busy to stop with the weekend, but....

 

[Rally1148]

I prefer haralson over haralred for deer. Some body by the name of Lee sent me this picture awhile ago.View attachment 6982
I will have scion from a late dropping crab if anyone wants some. Lee-you got a tiny bit of it two years ago, but there is better scion on the top of the tree. It has grown well with cleft grafts on seedlings.

Not this year, but in the next few!

 

[sandbur]

Not a disease free tree, but I am pretty impressed with this seedling for a deer crab. It also tastes pretty decent.


This is not a Morse bunches crab, but is a 'Bur Bunches seedling.

 

[Freeborn]

Those look perfect for deer Art. Did you grow them from seeds? We have to find something to trade as I would like to try a few of your apples.