Crab apple trees are common backyard plants. It’s common to wonder if the tiny apples from these trees are safe to eat.
Gardeners are often puzzled when a small ornamental shrub suddenly produces bright red fruits resembling tiny apples. This phenomenon frequently stems from flowering quince (Chaenomeles species) But other plants also yield similar miniature apple-like fruits This article unravels the mystery of these captivating red morsels.
Flowering Quince: The Classic Culprit
Flowering quince (Chaenomeles spp.) is the most common source of tiny apple-shaped fruit on landscape shrubs. It’s an old-fashioned deciduous shrub that was extremely popular in colonial times. Distinctive features include:
- Dense tangled branching rising to about 5 feet tall and wide
- Simple dark green leaves arranged alternately along thorny stems
- Profuse flowers emerging before leaves in spring, ranging from white to pink to ruby red depending on variety
- Hard apple-like fruits 1-2 inches across ripening in late summer/fall, usually too tart for fresh eating
- Requires minimal care besides pruning immediately after flowering
Flowering quince tolerates a wide range of conditions including heat, cold, and drought. Random seedlings often appear near old home sites. The fruits can be processed into jellies, preserves, and tart syrups.
Alternatives for Mystery Apple Fruits
While flowering quince accounts for most miniature apple fruits on shrubs, two other possibilities exist:
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Chinese Quince (Pseudocydonia sinensis) – Deciduous shrub to 15 feet tall Large fragrant white or pink flowers Fruits resemble lumpy yellow-green apples and can be eaten cooked.
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Crabapples (Malus species) – Several species of small ornamental apple trees produce clusters of true crabapples under 2 inches wide. Most common are the oval greenish-yellow fruits of Oregon Crabapple (Malus fusca).
Positively Identifying the Fruiting Shrub
To diagnose a mystery apple-bearing shrub, examine other features:
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Growth habit – Flowering quince is an intricately branched shrub under 5 feet tall, while Chinese quince and crabapples form larger woody plants.
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Leaves – Flowering quince has simple elliptical leaves. Chinese quince foliage is deeply lobed. Crabapple leaves are oval with serrated edges.
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Flowers – Flowering quince blooms have fringed petal edges. Chinese quince flowers have smoother margins.
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Fruit stems – Flowering quince fruits attach directly to branches. Crabapples and Chinese quince fruits have noticeable stems.
Watching the shrub through the seasons provides more clues to its identity based on changing characteristics. Proper identification enables appropriate care for optimum fruit production.
Common Uses for Tiny Ornamental Fruits
The primary value of flowering quince fruits is ornamental appeal. The abundant shiny red fruits persist after leaf drop, supplying winter interest. But they can also be harvested for making quince jelly and syrups. Tart and firm, they contain significant pectin.
Crabapples add ornamental and wildlife value to landscapes rather than culinary usage. The hard greenish fruits often persist through winter. Birds devour them quickly if accessible. Deer also browse fallen crabapples.
Chinese quince fruits are large enough for cooking. They can be baked into desserts, added to stuffing, or made into preserves. Their lemon-quince flavor lends interest to harvest recipes.
Cultivating Shrubs for Optimal Fruiting
To encourage the best fruit production:
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Plant in full sun and well-drained fertile soil. Avoid excess nitrogen.
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Prune immediately after flowering since fruit emerges on old wood.
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Control pests like apple maggot flies, plum curculios, and codling moths which also attack these fruits.
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Pick fruits promptly when ripe. Remove fallen fruits around trees to discourage pests.
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Apply organic mulch to conserve moisture and reduce weeds.
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Avoid excess drought stress by watering during dry periods.
With proper care, flowering quince, crabapples, and Chinese quince will reward you with their charming crops of jewel-like fruits. Solving the mystery of your landscape’s tiny apple impersonators will enable you to fully appreciate their ornamental and edible virtues.
Small red apple-like fruits on landscape shrubs commonly originate from flowering quince. But Chinese quince and ornamental crabapples may also be the source. Examining growth habit, flowers, leaves, and other traits helps distinguish between possibilities. Managing pollination, pests, water, and nutrients optimizes fruit production. Cultivating one of these captivating old-fashioned shrubs will add intrigue and beauty to your garden.
What Do Crab Apples Taste Like?
The name “crab apple†is an accurate representation of these fruits’ 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. ‌.
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.
Where and How Are Crab Apples Commonly Used?
Do you have a crab apple tree in your yard and don’t want the fruit to go to waste? With the right recipe, you can turn their sour taste into a tasty treat. Â.
Adding sugar to these little apples is a great way to tone down their strong flavor, and the sharp taste can become deliciously tart when mixed with a sweetener. They’re excellent in desserts such as pies, chips, and tarts.
Crab apple enthusiasts also love making them into jelly or jam. The high levels of pectin in these fruits help to give jelly or jam its jiggly texture. Â.
It’s up to you how you use these little apples. If you don’t like the taste, you can always enjoy the beauty that crab apple trees bring to the world when they bloom. Â.
1st CLASS-(Unit5)FRUITS..Apple apple,Red red apple( rhyme)by SREENIVASULU BIKKI.Pamidi. ANANTAPUR
FAQ
What are the tiny red apples called?
What is a tiny fruit that looks like an apple?
Are crabapple fruits edible?
Is Kei apple fruit edible?
What does a red apple look like?
Red apples are one of the most common types of red fruits in temperate climates. The round crunchy fruits can be as small as 0.8” (2 cm) or as large as 4” (10 cm) in diameter. Depending on the variety, large red apples can have dark red, mottled skins, and bright yellow flesh. Or they can have red and green, sometimes yellow skins.
What fruits look and taste like apples?
A few fruits that look and taste like apples include things like pears, quinces, red plums, red passion fruits, pomegranates, loquats, medlars, crab apples, and more. We’ll explore each of these fruits below so you have a better understanding of why they might look and/or taste like apples! Which Fruits Look Like Apples?
What shrubs have apple-like fruit?
Other notable shrubs with tiny apple-like fruit include the hawthorns. Cockspur hawthorn (Crataegus crus-galli) is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 7 and produces white flowers on a tree up to 24 feet tall. Washington hawthorn (Crataegus phaenopyrum) thrives in USDA zones 3 to 8. This plant features white flowers on a tree up to 30 feet tall.
What does a red passion fruit look like?
These fruits are red on the outside, approximately the same size as a large apple, and have slightly shiny skins. They are therefore easy to mistake for apples, unless you can see the top of the fruit, which doesn’t dip down into a core, but has a sort of frilled collar instead. A red passion fruit can look surprisingly like a dark red apple.
What are some examples of red fruits?
Red fruits come in all shapes and sizes. The most common red fruits are red apples, red pears, strawberries, raspberries, red cherries, and red plums. Some examples of exotic red fruits include red cactus fruit and red passion fruit. Other exotic fruits include red dragon fruit and lychee with its bumpy red skin and white fleshy center.
What does red jewel fruit look like?
The pink flowers turn to yellow crabapples. The Red Jewel produces lots of white flowers (sometimes with a hint of pink) which turn into strikingly bright red fruits. If left unharvested, the fruits will hang on the tree all winter, making Red Jewel a great source of wildlife food. 30 Fun and Fascinating Texas Trivia Questions