Yunnan crabapple
Malus yunnanensis
Family: Rosaceae
What it is like
A deciduous tree. It grows 10 m tall. It is a broad column shape. The bark is dark grey-brown. It peels in small flakes. It is orange-brown when freshly exposed. The leaves are broadly oval and 10 cm long by 9 cm wide. They are heart shaped at the base. They are pointed at the tip and have shallow lobes. There are fine teeth. They are matt pale green above and softly hairy underneath. They turn orange to red and purple in autumn. The flowers are 1.2 cm across and are borne in flattened heads. The fruit are rounded and hard. They are 1.5 cm across and deep red colour. They occur in dense clusters.
There are about 35 Malus species and very many cultivated varieties.
Where it is found
It is a temperate plant. It is native to SW China. It grows in woods and thickets on mountain slopes. Burnie Rhodo Garden. In Sichuan and Yunnan.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, Australia, China, Myanmar, SE Asia, Tasmania
How it is used for food
Fruit are eaten raw.
Edible parts
Fruit
How it is grown
In southern China plants flower in May and fruit in August to Septermber.
Its other names
Local names
Lvba