Common Name: flowering crabapple
Type: Tree
Family: Rosaceae
Zone: 4 to 8
Height: 6.00 to 8.00 feet
Spread: 10.00 to 15.00 feet
Bloom Time: April
Bloom Description: Rose pink
Sun: Full sun
Water: Medium
Maintenance: Low
Suggested Use: Flowering Tree
Flower: Showy, Fragrant
Leaf: Good Fall
Attracts: Birds, Hummingbirds, Butterflies
Fruit: Showy, Edible
Tolerate: Air Pollution
Culture
Best grown in medium moisture, well-drained, acidic loams in full sun. Adapts to a wide range of soils. Established trees have some drought tolerance. Although some flowers may be lost, it is best to prune this tree as needed in late winter. Spring pruning should be avoided as it produces fresh, open cuts where fireblight bacterium can enter.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Malus is a genus of about 35 species of deciduous trees and shrubs from Europe, Asia and North America.
Genus name from Latin is an ancient name for apple.
'Pink Princess' is a dwarf form of Sargent crabapple. Although it may be grown as a short tree (to 8' tall), it is perhaps more typically grown as a broad-spreading, horizontally-branched, slightly pendulous, multi-stemmed shrub rising 6-8' tall and spreading 12-15' wide. Purplish buds open in spring to rose-pink flowers (1" diameter) which are followed by small, deep red crabapples (1/4" diameter) which mature in fall and persist into winter. The pea-sized fruits are sweet-flavored like rose hips, but are not usually used in cooking. Birds find the small fruits quite attractive, however. Ovate, lobed leaves (to 3" long) emerge purplish red in spring, mature to dark green and then turn yellow in autumn. Introduced by Schmidt Nursery of Boring, Oregon in 1987.
Problems
The main diseases of crabapple are scab, fire blight, rusts, leaf spot and powdery mildew. Potential insect pests are of lesser concern and include tent caterpillars, aphids, Japanese beetles, borers and scale. Spider mites may occur.
Generally, 'Pink Princess' has excellent disease resistance to the main diseases of crabapples.
Uses
This dwarf crabapple is perhaps best when planted in groups in borders, near fences or as a wind screen or informal hedge. Also effective as a small specimen.