# Is this a crabapple?



## DarleneJ

Tree is located in a hedge near a field. It bloomed white blooms at the same time as my apple trees. I assumed it was an apple but the fruit is very tiny and presents differently. Thoughts?


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## vicker

Now that is something I've never seen before  Very interesting. I'm going to take a wild guess, and say that it is some strange thing that grew from the seed of a hybrid apple 
To my knowledge, crab apples have thorns, but do look sort of like that, almost like a hawthorn. I've never seen a full grown hawthorn either. Maybe that is what it is. Nice! Can't wait to learn what it is.
ETA
Well now, after looking at Google images, I'm thinking that it may be a crab apple. It has been so long since I saw one that I forgot what they actually look like  I'll be quiet and listen now.


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## Badger

Very likely an older variety of crab apple - Not Hawthorn - The fruit should make a nice jelly.


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## DarleneJ

We had a beautiful crabapple tree (no thorns) when I was growing up, only it had the prettiest pink blossoms and the bark was nowhere near as "crunchy" as this one looks like The fruit were also deep red all throughout their growing process. Mom said they were poisonous. Now I know that a lot of people thought they were.

This one looks different enough to throw me for a loop. (Doesn't take much.) In the winter when we moved in I thought fer sure it was an apple tree. In the spring the leaves looked like apple. The blossoms looked like apple as well. But the fruit (and there's a lot of it) doesn't fit the bill.

Just in case it's some weird hybrid, I'll be careful whenever I pass by. 

It sure could be some older, non-ornamental variety.

Thank you both for your insights.


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## CrazyMooseFarm

We have one though smaller we make them into applebutter as they dont last.


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## o&itw

Looks like a crab apple to me. I suspect it is an older. "developed" variety.


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## DarleneJ

developed? wha?


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## thequeensblessing

Google Dolgo crab apple. I have 2 dolgo trees, and they make the most delicious jelly, butter, and rosy crab apple cake and pie. If that's what you have, the apples will turn deep red when they are ripe and you are a very lucky person!


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## thequeensblessing

Or are you sure its not a regular apple? My Dolgos are still very much green and somewhat smaller than yours.


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## DarleneJ

My regular apples are much larger. The apples in my pic are only the size of my pinkie nails. They are very little yet. Even though the pic makes them look larger.

I'm really hoping it is a crab apple. The tree is absolutely loaded.


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## vicker

Your picture really makes clear to me their close relation to roses.


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## rockhound

Crab apple trees come in all shapes and sizes of fruit from pea size to around two inch diameter. Most are so small and hard, jelly is about all you can make out of them. Tastes good tho. They are good pollinators for other apples that aren't self-fertile.


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## o&itw

DarleneJ said:


> developed? wha?


These crab apples are going to be somewhat larger than regular crab apples and do not have thorns. When horticulturists were first "improving" fruit, they tried to make the fruit larger and get rid of thorns. Later, the market for new varieties was in making the flowers larger, more prolific, and in different colors because people became more interested in landscaping, and were less and less interested in making their own jellies, etc.


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## DarleneJ

o&itw said:


> These crab apples are going to be somewhat larger than regular crab apples and do not have thorns. When horticulturists were first "improving" fruit, they tried to make the fruit larger and get rid of thorns. Later, the market for new varieties was in making the flowers larger, more prolific, and in different colors because people became more interested in landscaping, and were less and less interested in making their own jellies, etc.


Okay. I see. Thank you for the information. I'm looking forward to seeing (and tasting) the end result.


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## CampingSurvival

Yep! It is a crab apple. There are many varieties of crab apples and the fruit can be different sizes depending upon the variety. The fruit is edible. Here's an article on crab apples as an edible: http://ruralspin.com/2012/04/09/the-humble-crab-apple-an-underutilized-free-food/


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