| Location |
| Found just after mile marker 1.5 near Francis Hall. |
| Fact about this tree and why it was chosen |
| This crabapple tree and the others in this area were planted as ornamentals. They did not occur here naturally. It appears very old. |
| Latin name |
| The genus name is Malus. It is not known what species of crabapple this one is. There are thirty five species of crabapples with 700 hybrid cultivated varieties! This tree is most likely a hybrid of more than one species. |
| Fun facts |
| Crabapples are in the Rose family- bet you didn’t know that! The genus Malus includes wild and domestic apples. Crabapples and all other members of the apple genus require insect help with pollination. This is another reminder of the importance of bees for the health of an ecosystem. Crabapple fruit is usually too tart to eat on its own. However, they make really nice jelly and a small amount of them can add a delicious complexity to apple cider and other fruit juices. Trimmings of crabapple wood can be used to make an aromatic smoke when grilling or smoking foods. |
How to identify this tree: |
| Leaf |
| Leaves vary in size and shape depending on the variety so they are not always useful in identification. |
| Flower |
| Crabapple flowers are very showy in white, pink or red and have five petals. They usually bloom before the leaves unfold. |
| Fruit |
| The main way of differentiating crab apples from regular apples is the size of the fruit. Crabapple fruits are less than 2 inches in diameter while apples are greater than 2 inches. As in all members of the apple genus fruit cut horizontally reveals five carpels that are arranged like a star. Depending on the cultivar fruit color varies from deep red to yellow. |
| Form |
| They are usually short in stature- from 13-39 feet tall at maturity with a dense twiggy crown. Their trunks become more interesting and gnarly as they grow older. |