David Crabapple - Malus 'David'

David Crabapple - Malus 'David' [2]
Rose Family: Rosaceae
Pink buds open to white flowers, scarlet fruit, good to excellent disease resistance. [4]
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USDA hardiness zones: 4 through 8A (Fig. 1)
Planting month for zone 7: year round
Planting month for zone 8: year round
Origin: not native to North America

Uses: residential street tree; espalier; small parking lot islands (< 100 square feet in size); medium-sized parking lot islands (100-200 square feet in size); large parking lot islands (> 200 square feet in size); narrow tree lawns (3-4 feet wide); medium-sized tree lawns (4-6 feet wide); wide tree lawns (>6 feet wide); recommended for buffer strips around parking lots or for median strip plantings in the highway; container or aboveground planter; trained as a standard; bonsai Availablity: generally available in many areas within its hardiness range.

Description
Height: 10 to 15 feet / Spread: 15 to 20 feet
Plant habit: spreading / Plant density: moderate
Growth rate: moderate / Texture: medium

Foliage
Leaf arrangement: alternate, simple, margin serrulate, elliptic;
Leaf venation: brachidodrome / Leaf type and persistence: deciduous
Leaf blade length: 2 to 4 inches
Leaf color: green
Fall color: yellow
Fall characteristic: not showy
Flower
Flower color: white
Flower characteristic: showy; pleasant fragrance [1]

David Crabapple - Malus 'David', Morton Arboretum acc. 90-90*3 [2]

Crabapples are versatile, small, ornamental trees used in the urban landscape. Crabapples bloom in spring, usually in May, bearing flowers that vary a great deal in color, size, fragrance, and visual appeal. It is common for flower buds to be red, opening to pink or white flowers. The fruit ripens between July and November, and varies in size from ¼”to 2” long or wide. Crabapples thrive in full sun and grow best in well drained, slightly acidic soils (pH 5.5-6.5); however, they will grow well in many soil types. Most crabapple selections tolerate the cold winters and hot, dry summers prevalent in the Midwest.

For many years, crabapple cultivars have been selected on the basis of their flowers, but with some cultivars, undesirable features, such as disease problems and early fruit drop, outweigh their short-lived spring beauty. No single cultivar can fulfill every landscaping need. [3]

Fig. 1
Hardiness zone map courtesy the Arbor Day Foundation*

DISEASE
Disease resistance should be your first consideration. Many resistant cultivars are available and recommended in order to avoid the most common disease problems. Before making a selection, keep in mind that not all crabapples do well in every location. Disease intensity varies from region to region, and disease strength can vary from year to year. For instance, some crabapples will be more prone to disease susceptibility in areas with greater rainfall than in drier climates. Careful consideration of the following information will be helpful in choosing the right crabapple cultivar. There are four diseases that seriously affect crabapple:

Apple scab is one of the most serious diseases from an aesthetic standpoint, but usually not a serious threat to the health of the tree. It is a fungal disease, which develops in cool, wet springs. On susceptible crabapples, apple scab causes spotting of the leaves, premature defoliation, and unsightly spots on the fruit. There are numerous cultivars that are resistant or very tolerant (still susceptible but with little defoliation) so choose one based on its resistance.
Cedara-apple rust is a less serious leaf-spotting disease common to our native crabapple cultivars. It is usually a problem in areas where native junipers (Juniperus) are planted. Selecting resistant cultivars can control this disease.

Powdery mildew is a fungal disease that can cause considerable damage to leaves and fruit of susceptible cultivars without threatening the health of the tree. Poor air circulation, close association with susceptible apple cultivars, and wet, humid weather conditions will greatly influence disease incidence and severity. Fire blight is a serious bacterial disease of crabapples. Though it is less common then the others, if left untreated it can be fatal to susceptible crabapple cultivars. Select resistant cultivars. [3]

David Crabapple
These lovely ladies are out and about on a sunny day in May, on the hill overlooking Crabapple Lake at the Morton Arboretum.

Please visit some of our other tree species and families:
Hickory Carya sp.	Umbrella Black Locust Robinia pseudoacacia	Japanese Horse Chestnut Aesculus turbinata	Tulip-Tree Liriodendron tulipifera