I just tasted on of the fruit on a tree (at my new house) I had been told was a flowering plum, and discovered to my happy surprise it is actually a crabapple! The tree flowered amazingly last spring, bright deep pink. It's biggish for a fruit tree, 10-20 years old. It has been pruned so far as a decorative tree, but I would like to have bigger crabapples I could use for jelly and liqueur. The fruit this year is only about 2cm diameter, dark purple-red, and quite hard/dry. What do you think, if I prune it as a fruit tree, will I get bigger fruit next year? Or is it more dependent on watering the tree well throughout summer? Is there a fundamental difference between flowering crabapples and eating crabs?
The size and quality of the fruit relies more on genetics than growth conditions generally. Maybe if you post an image, someone can ID the type of tree you have.
With hundreds of cultivars identification of a given flowering crabapple tree may require knowledge of the flowers as well as the leaves and fruits. Many mal-prune these into the same caricature-like topped specimens as is done with orchard apples in home settings, if that is the case with yours restoring it to a naturalistic structure may greatly improve vigor and therefore fruiting.
Thanks for your replies. I will see if my teenager can upload a photo. From looking at blossom images online, it may be a Makamik. Ron, what I think you are saying is that a more natural, vase-like shape will result in a healthier tree and therefore better fruit - did I get that right?
Brutal topping etc. commonly practiced destroys the health and beauty of the tree. Flowering crabapples shouldn't require much pruning once mature shape is developed. Orchard-style pruning and training practiced by fruit hobbyists, like Japanese style pruning is something best practiced after it has first been studied in sufficient depth for it is to be performed proficiently. In some places classes and seminars on fruit tree pruning are available. Accurate identification of crabapple cultivars also requires some study, noting pertinent details of leaves, flowers and fruits of tree in question and finding out which variety has the same combination of features. Multiple similar, related kinds are around - one seen in pictures may look like a particular tree in some way but not be the same introduction at all. Comparison with written descriptions as well as other living specimens of known identification in collections and nurseries may often be required.
