# Giant crab apple



## CFarmerLady (Dec 1, 2011)

I've never seen or heard of this tree ever occurring anywhere else. There are two specimens, both growing as decorations at a local nursing home. I don't have any pictures (yet), but I've personally harvested from these trees, and I'd just love to have a pair on my own homestead.
The trees are about 20' tall. Bark is very deep chocolate with purple tones in the fruit-bearing branches. Leaves are long and dark. But the fruits are the most surprising, three inches from blossom to stem and two inches thick, with dark purple-red skins and pink flesh. I've never seen the blossoms or fall foliage, but we've been harvesting from these trees for over fifteen years, and every year they've been so fruit-heavy they look like weeping willows with apples on them. :shocked: I would take three bushels off and it didn't even look like I'd been there. We harvest in July, and we make both apple butter and apple jelly. The butter is pink, but the jelly is ruby red.:icecream:
Any idea what variety of crab apple this is, and what do I need to do to start my own? Can I plant the apples and get trees? or do they need to be grafted like other kinds of apples?:shrug: Help would be greatly appreciated.


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## rockhound (Sep 25, 2009)

Most crabs will come true from seeds. At least I would plant some to grow as rootstock, then take cuttings the next year and graft the tops. Good luck. Sounds like a great apple.


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## naturelover (Jun 6, 2006)

Your description sounds like it may be *Ballerina Maypole* crab apple.

Does it look anything like this.


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## CFarmerLady (Dec 1, 2011)

Yeah! That's it!

What's your experience with this tree?


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## naturelover (Jun 6, 2006)

CFarmerLady said:


> Yeah! That's it!
> 
> What's your experience with this tree?


Sorry, no experience with the tree, just with the fruits that I've gotten from friends or that I've purchased at the farmers market when the fruit is in season. 

It is as you say, excellent for butters and jellies, also nice for making spicy pickled crabapples.

.


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## CFarmerLady (Dec 1, 2011)

Sounds awesome! Well, I guess I'll just have to jump in head first. We were going to try just planting whole apples that fell off on their own in gallon pots. If we get two trees, and if they're anything like their mamma, it'll be more than we'll ever actually eat, no matter how many kids we adopt.


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## DarleneJ (Jan 29, 2012)

Man, they look awesome. Why not try going back in the spring to see if any are growing around the parent trees or any suckers are trying to sprout? You would have to go early in the season before any mowing occurs. Definately try to grow your own.


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## thehermit1000 (Jan 24, 2013)

Planting whole apples is not a good idea. The seeds won't come up until the apple rots. You should take the seeds out and put them in a damp paper towel and then put the paper towel in a plastic bag. Keep the seeds in the frig for two or three months before you plant them, unless they have been out in the cold all winter.


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## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

Now is the time to collect scions, that is the branches from last year's growth. Keep the cut ends moist and refrigerated. When the weather warms up, graft them onto any existing apple tree.


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