crabapple tree

Discussion in 'Fruit and Nut Trees' started by robertm3210, Mar 5, 2006.

  1. robertm3210

    robertm3210 Member

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    Hi, i just bought a house and it has a crabapple tree. I was wondering if anyone knows if crabapples are fruits that are commonly eaten, if so where. also, are there food companies that sell crabapples as a product or if they might use them as an ingredient?yoi can reach me at the following e-mail address: robertm3210@yahoo.com
     
  2. globalist1789

    globalist1789 Active Member

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    Google "crabapple recipe". Jelly is VERY common.
     
  3. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Yes: crabapples are eaten, crabapples are processed and sold.
     
  4. robertm3210

    robertm3210 Member

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    in the us? i was told that they are very bitter. My gardener called them "not edible"
     
  5. robertm3210

    robertm3210 Member

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    all crabapple trees? are there diff kinds?
     
  6. robertm3210

    robertm3210 Member

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    where? in the US? i thought that thay are bitter, my gardner told me they me"not edible"
     
  7. robertm3210

    robertm3210 Member

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    where? in the US? i thought they are bitter, my gardner told me they me"not edible"
     
  8. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Various kinds are planted specifically for eating. To some any apple producing fruits below a certain size (1 inch diameter?) is a crabapple.
     
  9. robertm3210

    robertm3210 Member

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    being that it is winter and there are no fruits on the tree at this time, can you tell what kind of tree or what kind of apples grow on it?
    thanx for the info it is greatly appreciated!
     
  10. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    If you have one of the hundreds of kinds of crabapples (Malus) planted in North America for ornamental use alone then it probably won't be of much use for eating. Some Malus are strictly for looking at, some are dual purpose (edible fruit but also having attributes of first group), others are considered primarily orchard varieties.
     
  11. robertm3210

    robertm3210 Member

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    can you tell by looking at a pic taken wintertime? the reason its so important to me is that according to my religion you are not allowed to cut down a tree that grows fruit that is comonly eaten. I hope to be able to extend my house, but this tree is in the way. I need an expert opinion to help me through this problem. The more info I get, the better decision I can make.- so if its a malus, what do you mean "it wont be much use for eating"?
     
  12. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Any fruit remnants on the ground?
     
  13. robertm3210

    robertm3210 Member

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    Thank you so much again for being helpful. i can check, but i dont think so. According to the old owner it did'nt grow anything last season.When should it start blooming? by the way whats your expertise?
     
  14. Daniel Mosquin

    Daniel Mosquin Paragon of Plants UBC Botanical Garden Forums Administrator Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    On matters of special concern such as religious tenets, you are better off to seek out (or purchase) advice / knowledge from either a certified arborist (who will consult in person) or visiting something like the Walk-In plant resources clinic at Brooklyn Botanic Garden, with a sample in hand (you will need fruit).

    While I would trust Ron B's ID for this plant if enough facts were presented online to identify it, that is not the case here. There are only enough facts to accumulate uncertainty.

    Therefore, for your own peace of mind, you'll need to make the extra effort and pay someone who can consult on-site, or visit a place who can answer with certainty, sample in hand.
     
  15. mr.shep

    mr.shep Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Location:
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    Even though a flowering tree may not produce
    what some people would call an edible fruit,
    the fruit may still be edible but not have the
    sugar content, flavor or the flesh consistency
    of a fruiting tree or shrub (a fruiting Quince
    and a flowering Quince come to mind here).

    We are not in the business of telling people
    it is okay to knock down a tree unless the tree
    cannot be saved or is too far gone to be saved.

    I suggest when the tree is in bloom that you
    contact your nearest cooperative extension
    office, bring in a limb from your tree and ask
    them what variety of Crabapple it is that you
    have. You can ask them if the fruit is edible
    or not and tell them why you asked them that
    question and then see the look on their faces
    when they tell you the answer.

    Still, the final decision is yours to make that
    you can find peace with as far as taking the
    tree out for reasons other than personal ones
    or for the good of the tree or to help protect
    other plants. We cannot get into a religious
    discussion here unless someone from your
    same faith wants to chime in and give you
    some pointers but to most of us it is the
    tree, as is, that is important. Not the wanton
    removal of it unless it is something that just
    has to be or needs to be done due to the
    decline of the tree or due to the nature of
    the tree itself. If your Crabapple showed
    signs of pneumallaria (spelling?) canker
    then sure take it out as it will not get any
    better for you and do what you want with
    the grounds.

    You've already had contact with someone
    (Ron B) that will pretty well know what
    variety of Crabapple that you have is (by
    the way Mr. Ron did not get Plant Expert
    status in this forum due to his good looks.
    He is most deserving of that designation
    and earned our indebted respect in the
    process of attaining such a title in this
    forum. His qualifications in plants are not
    an issue here as he has proved he is quite
    capable of being held in such meritorious
    acclaim by the rest of us). So, whatever
    you want to know from this point forward
    has to rely on you to supply the needed
    information for others online and offline
    to have a better idea of what your tree is.

    Sorry guys but I could not leave this topic
    alone. There is a principle involved here.

    Jim
     
  16. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Thanks for the compliments. If retaining a local expert is an option it should certainly be possible for them to determine if the tree is an orchard cultivar (apple tree, in the common sense) or an ornamental cultivar (flowering crabapple). It sounds like this is all you really need. Pinning it down to specific cultivar ('Delicious', 'Almey'...) is vastly more difficult, with flowering crabapples particularly both fruits and flowers need to be seen so it is a slow process requiring visits to the tree both in spring and in summer (unless the tree is a locally common, highly distinctive kind).
     
  17. johnwyn

    johnwyn Member

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    Here in Wales/UK we, as children were sent to gather crabapples for jelly/jam making, and being kids would try the produce as we picked, I have tasted many different types, and apart from some being sour,most were nice to eat[even if they did give us bad bellies from eating to many]. They taste wonderful made into a jelly and served with roast pork. johnwyn[chef]
     
  18. robertm3210

    robertm3210 Member

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    i understand what you mean, but I am just trying to get an idea of what i am dealing with here. I dont know to much about trees let alone crabapple trees. I am not asking anyone here to give me an answer on my religeous issue, I just need to get an "experts" opinion". I am trying to get throught o the ny botanical garden, but have not had much success so far (its been a few days) attached, you will find pics of the tree. If anyone can tell me just by looking at it what kind of crabapple tree this is, it would help. Thanx!
     

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  19. mr.shep

    mr.shep Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Location:
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    We have individual County Farm Advisors offices
    around here whereby a Farm Advisor would be in
    charge of Horticulture. The county horticulturist
    would be the person we would contact to identify
    a Crabapple. New York works a little differently
    in that I think your cooperative extension is run
    through Cornell. I believe there is a cooperative
    extension branch in New York City if you are close
    to Brooklyn. Below is a link you can sort through
    to find the nearest office to you.

    Cornell Cooperative Extension

    I doubt anyone will be able to tell which form or
    variety of Crabapple you have without seeing the
    tree in bloom and leafed out. Just seeing the
    tree in bloom can fool us as we should see the
    leaf colors also. Most Crabapples are not the
    fruiting forms but are the more commonly seen
    and planted ornamental forms instead. We call
    the latter Flowering Crabapples here. There is a
    fine line that separates what is an edible form and
    what isn't. Technically the fruit from most of the
    ornamental flowering forms can be eaten but there
    are some of these trees that produce fruit that is not
    very good for eating. If we were starving we can
    eat them but we generally try not to eat them if
    given a choice. There are forms of Crabapple that
    are grown for their fruit, just like we have some
    Flowering Plums grown here, both as ornamental
    flowering plants and for their fruit.

    the reason its so important to me is that according
    to my religion you are not allowed to cut down a
    tree that grows fruit that is comonly eaten.


    More than likely the tree in question does not have
    fruit that is commonly eaten. To be more sure just
    wait and take a branch in bloom and in leaf to your
    nearest cooperative extension office and ask them
    what kind of Crabapple it is and ask is the fruit of
    edible value. If the tree turns out to be a fruiting
    Crabapple then you may want to go to the expense
    of moving it to another location if you want to
    extent your deck if that is your real intention.
    There is another way to deal with this situation.
    Have someone graft a scion from your tree and
    grow some plants of it to be replacements and
    then once you know the offspring will live then
    take the tree down. At least then you do not
    have to worry about making such a decision as
    you have compensated for the loss of the tree.

    Jim
     

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