Japanese crab, Hybrid Chokeberry, Japanese Flowering Crabapple, Flowering crab, Showy Crab Apple
Malus floribunda
Family: Rosaceae
What it is like
A deciduous tree. It grows 6-9 m tall. It is a broad spreading shape. The bark is purple-brown and flakes into thin plates with age. The leaves are narrowly oval and 10 cm long by 5 cm wide. They taper to a point and have sharp teeth. They are dark green and smooth above and hairy when young underneath. Sometimes the leaves have lobes. The flowers are pale pink. They are 2.5 cm across and deep red in bud. They occur in clusters. The fruit are rounded and yellow. They are 2 cm across. The fruit are on long slender stalks. They are edible.
There are about 35 Malus species and very many cultivated varieties.
Where it is found
It is a temperate plant. It suits hardiness zones 4-9. Burnie Rhodo Gardens.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, Australia, Europe, Japan (country/location of origin), Netherlands, Tasmania
How it is used for food
Edible parts
Fruit