Malus coronaria
| Malus coronaria | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 4 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 23' |
| Width: | 23' |
| Blooms: | Late Spring-Early Summer |
| Open Woods Forest | |
| Native to: | |
| Shelter | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Malus coronaria (common name: garland 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[1].
A slow-growing and short-lived tree in the wild[4].
The fruit is a good wildlife food source, especially for birds[1].
The flowers are sweetly scented[5].
This species is closely related to M. ionensis[3].
Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[1].
Range: Eastern N. America - New York to South Carolina, west to Kansas.
Habitat: Bottoms, wooded slopes, thickets and clearings[6] in most soil types and moisture levels[7].
Edibility: Fruit - raw or cooked[7][8]. Fairly large, it is up to 5cm in diameter[1]. Harsh and acid[2], it is mainly used for jellies[9] but can be eaten raw when it is fully ripe[10]. The fruits can be buried in the ground overwinter and will have lost much of their acidity by the spring[9]. The fruit can also be dried and stored for later use[11]. Rich in pectin, so it can be added to pectin-low fruits when making jams or jellies[12]. Pectin is also said to protect the body against radiation[13].
Medicinal: An infusion of the bark has been used to ease a difficult birth and also in the treatment of gallstones, piles and as a wash for sore mouths[11]. A cold infusion of the bark has been used as a wash for black eyes, sore eyes and snow blindness[11].
A decoction of the root has been used to treat suppressed menses and so can cause an abortion, especially early in the pregnancy[11].
Usage: The plant can be used as a rootstock for cultivated apples, conferring a greater hardiness[12].
Wood - heavy, close-grained, not strong[14][15][4]. It weighs 43lb per cubic foot[16]. Used for making levers, the handles of tools, small domestic items and fuel[14][15][4].
Pollinators: Insects
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Seed Ripens: Mid Fall-Late Fall
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 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.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Elias, Thomas. The Complete Trees of North America. Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1980.
- ↑ Genders, Roy. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale, 1994.
- ↑ Lyndon, Merritt. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co, 1950.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 McPherson, Alan and Sue McPherson. Wild Food Plants of Indiana. Indiana University Press, 1977.
- ↑ Yanovsky, Elias. Food Plants of the North American Indians Publication 237. US Department of Agriculture.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
- ↑ Turner, Nancy. Edible Wild Fruits and Nuts of Canada. National Museum of Natural Sciences, 1978.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 Moerman, Daniel. Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press, 1998.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Lauriault, Jean. Identification Guide to the Trees of Canada. Fitzhenry and Whiteside, 1989.
- ↑ Allardice, Pamela. A-Z of Companion Planting. Cassell Publishers, 1993.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Uphof, Johannes. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim, 1959.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Sargent, Charles. Manual of the Trees of North America. Dover, 1965.
- ↑ Britton, Nathaniel and Addison Brown. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada. Dover Publications, 1970.