Top Ornamental Crabapples for Wisconsin

Malus 'Pretty Maid' in flower — Malus ‘Pretty Maid’ in flower

Why grow crabapples?

Ornamental crabapples are very popular, small to medium-sized ornamental trees suitable for urban environments. There are more than 650 different cultivars of crabapples with a variety of leaf, flower, and fruit colors, fruit sizes, and growth forms. Crabapples are tolerant to a wide range of soil conditions, as long as they are well drained. It is important when selecting crabapples to not only select for ornamental value, but also disease resistance. In addition, it is best to select a crabapple with small-sized fruit that persist throughout the winter. The list below provides information on some of the most ornamental, disease resistant crabapples available for landscaping in Wisconsin. Cultivars listed below are considered proven performers. This list is by no means comprehensive and new introductions are currently being evaluated.

White flowers/red fruits:

Malus baccata ‘Jackii’: 30′ tall; fragrant flowers; persistent fruit
Malus sargentii: 6-8′ tall; mounded, shrubby form; wide spreading; fragrant flowers
Malus sargentii ‘Tina’: 4-5′ tall; dwarf form; wide-spreading; slow grower
Malus x zumi var. calocarpa: 15-25′ tall; broad form; fragrant flowers that are pink in bud; persistent fruit
Malus ‘Jewelcole’ (Red Jewel™): 15-18′ tall; rounded form; persistent fruit
Malus ‘Sutyzam’ (Sugar Tyme®): 15-20′ tall; oval to rounded form; fragrant flowers
Malus ‘Adirondack’: 15-20′ tall; upright growth habit to oval; dark green leaves

White flowers/yellow fruits:

Malus ‘Ormiston Roy’: 20-25′ tall; rounded form; fruit turns yellow-orange in late fall
Malus ‘Hargozam’ (Harvest Gold®): 20′ tall; upright form; persistent, golden fruit

Red or Pink flowers/red to maroon fruits:

Malus ‘Prairifire’: 15-20′ tall; rounded form; purple, shiny bark; purple leaves; dark purplish-red flowers
Malus ‘Prairie Maid’: 15′ tall; purple to green foliage; deep pink flowers; cherry-red fruit
Malus sargentii ‘Candymint’: 8-10′ tall; pink flowers with white centers; red fruit

Weeping form:

Malus ‘Coral Cascade’: 15′ tall; semi-weeping form; pinkish-white flowers; persistent, orange fruit
Malus ‘Louisa’: 10-15′ tall; graceful, weeping form; pink flowers; yellow fruit
Malus ‘Manbeck Weeper’ (Anne E.™): 10′ tall; wide-spreading weeper; persistent fruit
Malus ‘Molazam’ (Molten Lava®): 10-15′ tall; horizontal weeper; white flowers; orange fruit