Crab apple trees are common backyard plants. Itâs common to wonder if the tiny apples from these trees are safe to eat.
As a gardener, you may have noticed small bright red fruits that look like tiny apples growing on ornamental shrubs in your landscape. These intriguing miniature fruits often cause confusion leaving you wondering where they came from and if they are edible. This article unravels the mystery behind these jewel-like red gems that resemble bite-sized apples.
What Causes the Tiny Apple-Like Fruits?
The most common source of tiny apple lookalikes is the flowering quince shrub (Chaenomeles species). This old-fashioned deciduous shrub produces clusters of showy blooms in spring followed by hard, apple-shaped fruits around 1-2 inches wide in late summer and fall. The fruits are too tart for fresh eating but can be made into jellies, preserves, and syrups.
Other possibilities for the petite apple fruits include
-
Chinese quince (Pseudocydonia sinensis) – A 15 foot tall shrub with fuzzy, yellow-green fruits used for cooking.
-
Crabapples (Malus species) – Several species of ornamental apple trees bear clusters of true crabapples under 2 inches wide.
How to Identify the Mystery Shrub
To determine which plant is producing the miniature apple fruits, look at other identifying features:
-
Growth habit – Flowering quince is a low, tangled shrub under 5 feet tall. Chinese quince and crabapples are larger trees.
-
Leaves – Flowering quince has simple oval leaves. Chinese quince leaves are deeply lobed. Crabapple leaves have a serrated, oval shape.
-
Flowers – Flowering quince blooms have frilled edges. Chinese quince flowers have smooth margins.
-
Fruit stems – Flowering quince fruits attach directly to branches. Crabapples and Chinese quince fruits have noticeable stems.
Watching the mystery shrub over time provides more clues based on changing traits throughout the seasons. Proper identification enables appropriate care for optimal fruiting.
Common Uses for the Ornamental Fruits
The main value of flowering quince fruits is decorative appeal. The bright red fruits persist after leaf drop, supplying winter interest. They can also be harvested for making quince jelly and syrups which highlight their natural tart, firm texture and high pectin content.
Crabapples are best left for birds to enjoy. The hard greenish fruits provide ornamental and wildlife value, persisting through winter if not eaten by birds first. Deer also browse fallen crabapples.
The larger fruits of Chinese quince can be incorporated into baked goods, stuffing, preserves, and more thanks to their lemon-quince flavor. They are suitable for eating fresh when fully ripe.
Caring for Fruiting Shrubs
Follow these tips to encourage abundant fruit yields:
-
Plant in full sun and fertile, well-drained soil. Avoid over-fertilizing.
-
Prune immediately after flowering since fruits emerge on old wood.
-
Control apple maggot flies, plum curculios, and other pests that also attack apple crops.
-
Pick ripe fruits promptly. Remove fallen fruits to discourage pests.
-
Apply organic mulch to retain moisture and reduce weeds.
-
Water during droughts to prevent stress.
With appropriate care, flowering quince, crabapples, and Chinese quince will reward you with an eye-catching harvest of jewel-toned micro fruits. Identifying the source of those mystery apple lookalikes allows you to nurture the shrub for optimal fruit production. Soon your landscape will be enriched by these charming old-fashioned plants and their diminutive red fruits.
What Do Crab Apples Taste Like?
The name âcrab appleâ is an accurate representation of these fruitsâ mouth-puckering flavor. The deeper red varieties are well-known for being more bitter than those of other colors. Not even the ripest of crab apples resemble the sweet taste of an apple from an orchard.â
Some crab apple types are more palatable than others, but most people prefer not to eat them raw. The best way to enjoy these fruits is in baked goods and other sweetened recipes.
What Are Crab Apples?
Crab apples are miniature apples made by flowering crab apple trees. These trees are excellent pollinators, and their fruit feeds many kinds of wildlife. As a whole, crab apple trees are attractive and valuable for the environment.
They belong to the genus Malus, like other apple trees. But, they make small, sour fruits â much different than the Macintosh or Honeycrisp apples you see while shopping for groceries.
What do crab apples look like? Crab apples can almost look like cherries sprouting from their trees because theyâre very small. These little fruits come in many colors, including red, yellow, and green. The telltale sign of a crab apple is its mini size.
How can you tell if a crab apple is ripe? To check if a crab apple is ripe, cut it open and look at the seeds. If theyâre brown instead of white or green, it means the crab apple is ready to eat. It should also feel squishy when you press it with your hand. A ripe crab appleâs taste will be sour but not overwhelmingly so.
What makes a crab apple different from an apple? The fruit needs to have a diameter of two inches or less to be considered a crab apple. Anything more than that is an ordinary apple. Beyond the size, crab apples and apples have very different flavors.
Have you ever tried apple fries?
FAQ
What are the little tiny red apples?
Crab apples are miniature apples made by flowering crab apple trees. These trees are excellent pollinators, and their fruit feeds many kinds of wildlife. As a whole, crab apple trees are attractive and valuable for the environment. They belong to the genus Malus, like other apple trees.
What fruit looks like a tiny apple?
Crab apples are technically called such because of their size—small—and not their cultivar, since no two apple seeds are genetically alike. Think of them as their own fruit for culinary reasons, since you can’t use crab apples exactly as you would larger, more familiar apples.
Can you eat crabapple?
Yes, crab apples are edible, but they are generally not as palatable eaten raw as larger apples due to their tartness and small size. They are often used in cooking, especially for making jellies, jams, and baked goods.
Is the kei apple fruit edible?
Ripe fruit is edible and can be used to make excellent jam, jelly, cake, drink, dessert or is added to fruit salad. The unripe fruit is used to make pickles. Kei apple trees can be cultivated as a border or used to form an impenetrable hedge around a garden to keep unwanted animals and peo- ple out.