Malus sylvestris, better known as crab apple, is often found in woodland, especially oak woodland, and hedges. Often associated with old orchards and farms, the Woodland Trust recommends going one step further and bringing the tree’s natural beauty to your own back garden.

Colourful, useful and hardy – these are just some of the attributes that make the crab apple worthy of a place in your garden. In spring this deciduous tree shows off its attractive pink or white apple blossom. Autumn’s colourful crop of fruit will often go unmatched.

The fruit, or crab apples, look like miniature apples; yellow-green in colour, sometimes tinged with red. The fruits are best in September/October and, although extremely sour when raw, are popular for making jelly – our familiar crab apple jelly. The garden birds, however, will thank you for foregoing the jelly, preferring that you leave their much-loved source of food in tact.

Any gardener will be pleased to know that the crab apple tree is hardy and will grow on most soils, with the exception of waterlogged soil. A well-drained, sunny location is ideal.

Malus sylvestris can grow up to 10 metres tall, so some consideration needs to be given to space. Don’t be discouraged, however, if you don’t have a sizeable garden; there is a wide selection of cultivated varieties, ensuring something for even the smallest garden.

With its beautiful spring blossom and popular autumn fruit, the crab apple is sure to bring a huge amount of pleasure to you and your local wildlife.

If you would like to learn more about the apple orchards of County Armagh, their history and apple customs and traditions then visit Armagh Apple Blossom on Your Place and Mine.

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