Red Barron Flowering Crab

Crabapples and Autumn Qualities: Ornamental crabapple trees ...

It is important to remember that no single crabapple species or cultivar is suited for all sites and designs despite current crabapple breeding and selection research programs. The eighteen cultivars in the UMass Memorial Garden consistently grow well and appealingly here in western MA. In the orchard setting, cultural practices are rigorously kept up.

Trickle irrigation delivers water to trees in the crabapple planting. Environmentally friendly pest-management spray schedules for both diseases and pests (Japanese beetles and aphids) are maintained. Regular pruning removes unwanted branches and sucker growth from seed-grown rootstock to keep the trees beautiful, healthy, and vigorous.

There are 18 cultivars (cultivated varieties) in the Tribute Garden at UMass' Cold Spring Orchard for Research and Education. Each of these possesses special assets that show off nicely in autumn and winter. Here is a selection of a half-dozen of my favorites in this garden, which highlight these autumn features:

'Red Baron' ('Red Barron') is about 20' by 12' (slightly columnar) in its prime, but is, when mature, as wide as tall. This is one of the best crabapples for fall leaf color. The fruit is glossy dark red and about ½" across. It is slightly susceptible to rust and fireblight; vulnerability to scab is uncertain. 'Snowdrift' , a vigorous grower, has a heavily textured rounded pattern with glossy, dark green foliage. It stands, at maturity, roughly 15' to 20' by 15' to 20'. In addition, this crabapple needs little pruning to reach this shape and maintain it. The fruit is orange-red and about 3/8" in diameter. Unfortunately, this striking tree shows a slight to moderate weakness to scab, and most tests show severe susceptibility to fireblight. 'Prairiefire' is upright when young with an irregular, untidy, and open pattern. Its pattern becomes rounded as the tree ages; mature size is about 20' high and 20' wide.

Red

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