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Woody > Malus > Malus baccata > Malus baccata var. mandshurica

Malus baccata

var. mandshurica


Manshurica Siberian Crabapple, Manchurian Crabapple




Origin:  Manchuria, China; This species can also be found growing in Russia, Korea and Central Japan. Introduced into cultivation in 1824.
Family
Rosaceae
Genus
Malus
Species
baccata
Category
Woody
Type
Tree (deciduous)
Variety
mandshurica
Pronunciation
USDA Hardiness Zone
2 - 7
Canadian Hardiness Zone
0a - 6b
RHS Hardiness Zone
H6 - H7
Temperature (°C)
-46
Temperature (°F)
-50
Height
9 - 12 m
Spread
9 - 12 m
Photographs
Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
AprilMay
Landscape
Ideal for city settings because of its pollution tolerance and natural beauty. It is low-maintenance and its density can help provide windbreaks and shade in the summer months. M. baccata var. mandshurica is often planted as a conservation tree, and is popular with pollinators. Various animals also feed on its fruit from autumn into winter.
Cultivation
Prefers full sun and moderately fertile, well-drained loam with a lower pH level. Moderate pruning is required and should be done in later winter or early spring.
Shape
Upright rounded.
Growth
Medium
ID Characteristic
Can be differentiated from other Malus species by its slightly larger blooms and fruit (than M. baccata) and intensely sweet scent.
Pests
Moderately to very susceptible to powdery mildew. Can be susceptible to apple scab, apple canker and honey fungus. Can fall prey to tent caterpillars, fall webworms, aphids, Japanese beetles, borers and scale.
Habitat
Mixed temperate forests.
Bark/Stem Description
Deep creases in mature bark.
Flower/Leaf Bud Description
Buds follow an alternate pattern and are 2 - 5 cm long with overlapping (imbricate) scales.
Leaf Description
Alternate elliptic-oblong leaves that are approximately 7.5 cm long with serrate margins. Undersides of leaves are paler than the smooth, darker tops.
Flower Description
Corymbs can contain 3 - 6 highly-fragrant blooms approximately 3.8 cm in diameter.
Fruit Description
Crabapples that measure 1.6 cm on average that hang from 2.5 cm stems.
Colour Description
Nearly white with flowers in spring and green with foliage in the summer. In autumn the leaves turn yellow and the white flowers are replaced with red or yellow fruit.
Texture Description
The bark is coarse and deeply defined on the trunk. The leaves have smooth cuticles. Smaller branches and twigs have a lumpy appearance due to numerous buds and nodes.
Notable Specimens
Missouri Botanical Gardens, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America.
Propagation
Chip budding in late summer, grafting in mid-winter or seed.
Ethnobotanical Uses (Disclaimer)
The fruit is edible and can be consumed raw, cooked or preserved. The wood from this tree is used for smoking meats. The juice is used for liver problems as well as gout, dysentery and diarrhea relief.
References
Missouri Botanical Garden (2016) Malus manshurica. Retrieved from http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/ Tober, D. (2013) Manchurian crabapple (Malus mandshurica). USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, Plant Materials Center, Bismarck, ND.
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