plant 'em if you've got' em. If you do not have 'em, get' em. They are not called "Jewel of the landscape" by accident. They are beautiful ornamental flowering crabapples offer distinct feature of the landscape for each season, easy to grow, usually require little maintenance, and somewhere in the local nursery or garden center is one with his name on it.

First, let's talk a little about crabapples. Both apples and crabapples are in the rose family (Rosaceae) and gender, Malus. This is where size really matters. Trees that produce fruit in more than two inches in diameter are considered to be an apple. Trees that produce fruit two inches or less in size are considered crabapples.

There are several beautiful varieties of crabapples as long and Hopa not produce fruit is large enough to chew on and that is often used for making jelly. What will be shared in this article, however, data on the baker's dozen of my favorite ornamental crabapples. Here we go.

1 Malus' Adams' (Adams Crabapple) is round with a mature height of about 25 minutes and spread 20 '. It is decorated with pink flowers, orange to red fall color and the ½ "to 5 / 8" red fruit that keeps well in winter. It is considered hardy in zones 4-7, it also has good resistance to disease.

2 Malus' Indian Magic '(Indian Magic Crabapple) is somewhat vase-shaped in form, with a height of 18' and the spread that is similar. It is a red buds that open to deep pink flowers, and has a great orange to red ½ "fruit that persists throughout the winter. the leaves are dark green, turning reddish orange in fall. It is resistant to disease and is considered hardy in zones 4 -7.

3 Malus 'Donald Wyman' (Donald Wyman Crabapple) shows a rounded shape at maturity, with a height and spread of about 20 minutes each. It is a large white flowers, 3 / 8 "red fruit that lasts well into winter, a shiny green leaves in summer. Hardy in zones 4-7 it has excellent disease resistance.

4 Malus' Liset '(Liset Crabapple) is 18 "tall 15' wide spread and a dense rounded form. Its flowers are deep red color, the leaves are bright purple, and the fruit is ½" red brown in color. It is very disease resistant and rated for zones 4-7.

5 Malus' Pink Spires' (Pink Spires Crabapple) is one of my favorites, where space is limited, because it is upright in form, and only 12 'spread. It can even be used in the boulevards for this very reason. It eventually reaches a height of 20 'has profuse pink flowers and small, dark red fruit. the leaves are red in spring, all green bronze during the summer. This cancer has a big heart, is rated for zones 2-7.

6 Malus 'profusion' (luxury Crabapple) becomes a 20 'tall tree with a 25' spread at maturity. It shows bronze leaves in spring, more green over time. The flowers are red with pink center and the fruit is deep red. It has shown good resistance to disease, and is rated for zones 4-7.

7 Malus 'Red Jade' (Red Jade Crabapple) is my favorite of all cancers. It reaches a maximum height of 10 'with spread of 12' has a distinctive form of crying and extremely interesting branching habit. Although zone 4-7 tree, I have one that works glorious here in the northern reaches zone three. With a little protection from winter winds and rabbits, it was a real success story for us. In addition to the branching characteristics are white to pale pink flowers and lovely green summer foliage. As I now look out my window at this In mid-January morning, I observed a small red fruit contrasts with the fresh snow. This cancer really makes a statement along the edge of decorative pond or waterway or in a secluded courtyard.

8 Malus' Red Splendor '(Red Splendor Crabapple) is an upright spreading form with both height and spread 20'. It is decorated with a single pink flowers, small red berries persist through winter and the foliage that turns reddish purple in fall. zone 3-7 tree , It showed excellent resistance to disease.

9 Malus 'Royal Gem' (Royal Gem Crabapple) is very small and compact form with height and width of both the 5 '- 8'. This zone is 3-7 variety of red flowers, yellow fall color and strong resistance to disease. Because of their small stature makes a great accent or specimen plant.

10 Malus "Royalty" (Royalty Crabapple) shows the height and spread of each of the 20 'and an upright rounded form. Its flowers are dark red, deep red fruit up to you and it's brilliant red to purple foliage all summer. This zone 3-7 tree is very hardy and blight resistant.

11 Malus sargentii (Sargent Crab) is very small spreading crabapple with dark green leaves, fragrant flowers you with red buds open white. small red fruit kept until the birds get them. This is achieved by the height to 8 'and spread for 15 minutes or more. zone 4-7 plant is one of the best crabapples available copy.

12 Malus 'snowdrift' (dis Crabapple) is an extremely durable Hombre that will brighten any yard. It is a favorite of mine for many years, displaying pink buds opening mass of white flowers, a bright green summer foliage and small orange to red fruit that keeps well in winter. Its hardiness zones 3-7 makes it very useful to the north of the country.

13 Malus 'Spring Snow' (Spring Snow Crabapple) is an unusual choice in the sense that no fruit. It reaches a mature height of 20 'with spread of 15', is somewhat upright in form, has pink buds open white flowers and has a glossy green summer foliage. Although zone 4-7 tree, I've used it with good results in the third zone She shows good heat tolerance and disease resistance.

Although there are many other beautiful crabapples to choose from, it's a pretty good list to start with. Grace your garden in spring with these beautiful blooms in summer with the developing fetus and beautiful foliage in the fall with the changing colors of the ripe fruit, and winter brings a wonderful view of the branching structure, persistent fruit and if they are lucky visit to the Bohemian or Cedar Waxwings. If you do not already have a flowering crabapple, by all means bring home one of these orphans from your local garden center. You'll be glad you did.