Crabapple Collection
CRABAPPLE COLLECTION
Crabapples are apple trees grown for their ornamental value.
Although they were first developed for their fruit, breeding and
selection have during the last fifty years improved flowers, fall
foliage, fruit retention, disease resistance and varied growth
habits. Today hundreds of different crabapples are available. The
flower colors range from white to purple, pink to deep red. Their
growth habits include weeping, spreading, rounded, vase-like and
columnar. Tree height at maturity might range from 8 to 35 feet.
Many new selections are resistant to common apple diseases such as
scab, fire blight and rust. And selection for fall leaf color along
with fruit retention has made the crabapple a versatile,
four-season plant.
Our collection contains over 210 specimens representing 135 kinds
of crabapples. Some of the specimens are fifty years old. The time
these trees flower varies from year to year, but the best chance
for viewing is usually between May 10 and 20. During the rest of
the year, there is a wide range of leaf and fruit characteristics
to see. This collection is one of the largest in New England.
Last modified December 17 2002 03:12 PM
