Woody > Malus > Malus 'Makamik'
Malus
'Makamik'
Makamik Crabapple
Origin: Cultivated by Isabelle Preston at the Canadian Department of Agriculture Central experimental Farm at Ottawa in 1928.
Mike's
Opinion
"
Makamik Crabapple is an improved cultivar of the Malus species. It is resistant to most of the common diseases known to Malus, however it may still suffer from powdery mildew. Its great ornamental value makes this an exceptional specimen tree year round. In the spring it is blanketed with stunning fuchsia coloured flowers. Its foliage is a copper tipped dark green that turns yellow in the autumn, and its clusters of dark red fruit can persist well into the winter. The loose spreading form of this tree makes it a great shade tree, however don’t plant it in high traffic areas as it can be messy with fruit litter. It is very tolerant of pollutants making it an ideal urban tree, able to survive in the city core. It does need some maintenance with litter clean up and pruning, but overall is a beautiful tree that brings interest to the landscape.
Michael Pascoe, NDP., ODH., CLT., MSc. (Plant Conservation)
"
| Family |
| Rosaceae |
| Genus |
| Malus |
| Cultivar |
| 'Makamik' |
| Category |
| Woody |
| Type |
| Tree (deciduous) |
| Pronunciation |
| USDA Hardiness Zone |
| 4 - 8 |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone |
| 2a - 7a |
| RHS Hardiness Zone |
| H4 - H7 |
| Temperature (°C) |
| -40 - (-46) |
| Temperature (°F) |
| -40 - (-50) |
| Height |
| 3 m |
| Spread |
| 4 m |
Photographs
Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
| General Description |
| A small deciduous tree with a rounded canopy of dark green leaves that turn yellow in the autumn. Covered in fuchsia coloured flowers in the spring, 'Makamik' produces clusters of deep red pome fruit that can persist though the winter. |
| Landscape |
| 'Makamik' Crabapple is a tree best suited as an accent plant in a landscape. In the spring its broad spreading branches are covered in a striking display of fuchsia coloured flowers. Its coppery bronze tipped, dark green foliage turns yellow in autumn, and its dark red fruit can be seen through summer into the winter months, making this an attractive specimen throughout the seasons. The size and shape of the 'Makamik' makes it a great shade tree, however be aware that this tree does create a good amount of litter and therefore should not be planted around walkways, laneways or patios if you are not prepared to do some cleaning up. |
| Cultivation |
| This tree is grown in full sun. It is not picky about soil type or pH. It likes well drained, normal to moist conditions and should not dry out. It is highly tolerant of pollutants. |
| Shape |
| Loose spreading, rounded, low canopy with a semi-weeping form. |
| Growth |
| Medium |
| ID Characteristic |
| In the spring, 'Makamik' is blanketed in deep pink flowers. Its leaves are dark green with a coppery, bronze tip. The fruit is a dark red pome, less than 5 cm in diameter and grow in clusters. |
| Pests |
| 'Makamik' is resistant to most of the pests and diseases the average Malus suffers from including apple scab, fire blight and rust. It does, however suffer from powdery mildew caused by the fungus Podosphaera leucotricha. This fungus leaves a white, powdery substance on the tree’s foliage and new growth. It can stunt or distort the growth of the tree and may affect the development of the fruit. Powdery Mildew can be controlled by pruning off infected shoots and applying a fungicide, horticultural oils or sulfur to the tree. |
| Habitat |
| Horticultural origin. |
| Bark/Stem Description |
| The bark has a rough, scaly texture and is greyish brown in colour. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description |
| The distinctive purple, glabrous buds are about 5 mm and are alternate in arrangement. |
| Leaf Description |
| The leaves are a dark green with coppery bronze tip and turn yellow in the autumn. They are 5-10 cm in length, simple and ovate in shape. |
| Flower Description |
| The flowers are alternate in arrangement and have an umbel type shape. They are a simple flower with five petals that boast a beautiful fuchsia colour. |
| Fruit Description |
| 2 cm in diameter, this pome fruit is a deep red that can persist well into the winter. It contains a maximum of ten seeds that turn a dark brown when the fruit is ripe. |
| Colour Description |
| In early spring, the buds are a deep purple, developing into a beautiful deep pink flower in May. The Makamik has bronze tipped, dark green leaves that turn yellow in the autumn. The pome fruits show clusters of deep red and the bark is a grey brown. |
| Texture Description |
| Medium |
| Notable Specimens |
| Malus x 'Makamik' can be found in the Crabapple Orchard located at the Village of Yorkville Park, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Royal Botanical Gardens, Burlington, Ontario, Canada. |
| Propagation |
| Malus 'Makamik' can be propagated through grafting, stem cutting or micropropagation. Grafting is usually done with a whip graft. This is done within the summer months and involves taking a branch tip from the Makamik and grafting it onto a rootstock, usually from Malus baccata. The downfall of this method is that it may cause unattractive unions that will be visible as the tree grows. Stem cuttings are taken from semi hardwood from June through August. The cuttings are dipped in a hormone solution and placed in a flat containing a medium such as peat and perlite. They are covered and left in a cool, dark area. The cuttings root in about four weeks, at which time they can be transplanted. Talc based hormones seem to show better results than solution formulas for stem cuttings, and an 8% Indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) hormone strength is usually used. |
References
"Crabapples for the Home Landscape." The Morton Arboreum. The Morton Arboreum, 2012. Web. 18 Nov. 2012. .
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