Malus angustifolia
| Malus angustifolia | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 6 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 23' |
| Blooms: | Mid Spring-Late Spring |
| Open Woods Forest | |
| Native to: | |
| Shelter | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Malus angustifolia (common name: southern crab)
Propagation: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in the autumn in a cold frame. It usually germinates in late winter. Stored seed requires stratification for 3 months at 1°c and should be sown in a cold frame as soon as it is received[1]. It might not germinate for 12 months or more. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle. If given a rich compost they usually grow away quickly and can be large enough to plant out in late summer, though consider giving them some protection from the cold in their first winter. Otherwise, keep them in pots in a cold frame and plant them out in late spring of the following year.
Cuttings of mature wood, November in a frame[2].
Cultivation: An easily grown plant, it succeeds in most fertile soils, preferring a moisture retentive well-drained loamy soil[3][1]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Prefers a sunny position but succeeds in partial shade though it fruits less well in such a situation[3][1].
The flowers have a perfume of violets[4].
A short-lived tree in the wild[5].
The fruit is a good wildlife food source, especially for birds[1].
Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus[1].
Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[1].
Range: Eastern N. America - Maryland to Florida, west to Texas and Louisiana.
Habitat: Woods and thickets, especially along river banks[5].
Edibility: Fruit - raw or cooked[6][7]. A fragrant aroma, but the fruit is harsh and acid[2]. The hard sour fruits are often used for making preserves, cider, jellies etc[8][9][10]. The fruit is about 25mm in diameter and is slightly pear-shaped[1].
Usage: Wood - hard, heavy, close grained[8][6][9][5]. It weighs 43lb per cubic foot[11]. Of no commercial value, but it is used locally for making levers, tool handles and other small objects[8][6][9][5].
Pollinators: Insects
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Heavy Clay: Grows in heavy-clay soils.
Known Hazards: All members of this genus contain the toxin hydrogen cyanide in their seeds and possibly also in their leaves, but not in their fruits. Hydrogen cyanide is the substance that gives almonds their characteristic taste but it should only be consumed in very
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References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Bean, William. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Murray, 1981.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ Genders, Roy. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale, 1994.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Elias, Thomas. The Complete Trees of North America. Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1980.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.
- ↑ Tanaka, Tyōzaburō. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing, 1976.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Uphof, Johannes. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim, 1959.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Sargent, Charles. Manual of the Trees of North America. Dover, 1965.
- ↑ Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
- ↑ Britton, Nathaniel and Addison Brown. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada. Dover Publications, 1970.