The Best Crab Apple Trees for Pollinating Your Apple Orchard

As an apple grower, ensuring proper pollination for your apple trees is crucial for maximizing fruit production. While many apple varieties are self-fertile, planting crab apples throughout your orchard can improve pollination and increase yields. But with hundreds of crab apple cultivars to choose from, it can be overwhelming to select the best crab apples for pollinating your specific apple varieties. In this article, we’ll explore the top crab apple trees that serve as excellent pollinators to complement your apple orchard.

Crab apples or Malus species, are small wild apple trees that bear fruit ranging from cherry-sized to golf ball-sized. While their fruit is generally too sour or bitter for fresh eating, crab apples have an extremely important role in the orchard as pollinizers.

Crab apples tend to bloom earlier in the spring and for longer periods of time than regular apple trees. They also produce an abundance of pollen. When planted with other apple varieties, crab apples pollinate the trees, which makes the fruit set better and the apples better shaped and ready to sell.

While crab apples make great pollinators, it’s important to select varieties that overlap in bloom time with your desired apple cultivars Proper crab apple selection ensures an adequate pollen source is available during the critical pollination window

Top Crab Apple Trees for Pollinating Common Apple Varieties

Here are some excellent crab apple trees to consider for pollinating popular apple cultivars:

For Early Bloomers Like Gala, Jonagold, and Honeycrisp

• Chestnut Crabapple – Blooms early with profuse white flowers. Pollinates most early and mid-season varieties.

• Evereste Crabapple – Features white flowers with a pink blush. Extended bloom period from early to mid-season.

• Sargent Crabapple – Bears bright pink buds opening to white flowers. Blooms early.

For Mid-Season Varieties Like Red and Golden Delicious

• Magdeburg Crabapple – Prolific light pink blooms. Flowering overlaps with many mid-season apples.

• Brandywine Crabapple – White flowers with a hint of pink. Blooms mid-season.

• Profusion Crabapple – Dark pink buds open to bright rose flowers. Ideal for Delicious group pollination.

For Late Bloomers Like Fuji, Braeburn, and Pink Lady

• Golden Hornet Crabapple has lots of white flowers and deep pink buds. Blooms mid to late season.

• White Angel Crabapple – Large white flowers. Extends bloom into late season for Fuji pollination.

• Prairie Fire Crabapple – Bright pinkish-red flowers. Blooms late.

Key Crab Apple Selection Criteria

When selecting crab apples, keep these key criteria in mind:

• Overlapping Bloom Period—For effective pollination, the crab apple bloom should happen at the same time as the apple variety you want.

• Flower Color – Bees tend to visit flowers of a similar color. For best results, choose crab apples with flower color similar to your apples.

• Flower Abundance – Seek out heavy flowering crab apples that produce copious amounts of pollen.

• Size and Shape of the Tree: Crab apples that are small and straight are great for designing an orchard. Avoid large, spreading types.

• Disease Resistance – Select disease-resistant varieties to minimize pest issues. Common apple diseases like apple scab and fire blight can also infect crab apples.

Crab Apple Pollination Tips and Considerations

To make the most of crab apples for pollination:

• Situate crab apples throughout the orchard, not in solid rows. Scattered placement encourages better cross-pollination.

• Use a ratio of 1 crab apple for every 5-10 apple trees. Higher ratios around 1:5 are better for more effective pollination.

• Plant crab apples on the same or slightly more vigorous rootstock as your apple trees. Avoid overly vigorous rootstocks.

• Prune and maintain crab apples diligently to promote flowering and control size. Crab apples tend to bear on 1-year old wood.

• Monitor for ripe crab apples dropping in late summer/fall and clean up promptly to reduce pest issues.

Incorporating the right crab apple trees in your orchard can significantly improve pollination, fruit set, fruit quality, and yields for your apple crop. Pay close attention to bloom timing, flower attributes, disease resistance, and tree form when selecting crab apple pollinizers. With proper planning and care, crab apples will be a valuable addition to your apple plantation.