Common Name: flowering crabapple
Type: Tree
Family: Rosaceae
Zone: 4 to 8
Height: 6.00 to 8.00 feet
Spread: 6.00 to 8.00 feet
Bloom Time: April
Bloom Description: Pink maturing to white
Sun: Full sun
Water: Medium
Maintenance: Low
Suggested Use: Flowering Tree
Flower: Showy, Fragrant
Attracts: Birds, 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.
‘Leprechaun’ is an upright-spreading, medium-sized, pink-flowered crabapple tree that typically matures to 8’ tall and as wide. Single, fragrant, pink flowers bloom in spring (April in St. Louis). Flowers fade to white as they mature. Flowers are attractive to bees. Flowers are followed by cherry-red crabapples (to 1/ 4” diameter) that mature in fall and persist into early winter. Birds are attracted to the fruit. Fruits may be harvested for making preserves. Ovate dark green leaves (to 3” long) turn quality golden-yellow in fall.
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, ‘Leprechaun’ has good disease resistance to the main diseases of crabapples.
Uses
Plant as a specimen/accent or in small groups. General landscape use.
Street tree.