I have always enjoyed crabapples during late summer early fall. They can be a little sour, but they make a good snack if you find them in the woods while you’re exploring.
Crabapples are a wild apple variety that is typically smaller than those sold in grocery stores. They’re usually less than 2 inches in diameter.
Even though one crabapple isn’t very tasty by itself, a tree full of them can be very tasty. This is because crabapples grow in groups. Apples from one tree can be used to make apple butter, apple sauce, jelly, cider, chutney, or pie.
Crab apples are a tasty foraged treat, but knowing precisely when to harvest them is key. While ornamental for their spring blossoms crab apples transform into a edible delight by fall. This guide covers techniques for identifying ripeness, ideal picking times and using visual cues to collect crab apples at their peak flavor.
What are Crab Apples?
Crab apples belong to the genus Malus which also includes domesticated apples. They are smaller, often growing no bigger than 2 inches wide. While some species of crab apples do produce pleasant tasting fruit, they have a higher acidity and astringency compared to grocery store apples.
There are around 25 different crab apple species found across North America. They thrive in temperate regions and are commonly used ornamentally in landscapes parks, along streets and in gardens.
In the wild, crab apple trees grow in woodland edges, thickets, fencerows, and abandoned homesteads. Their flowering period is spring, with fruits maturing in late summer through fall.
When Are Crab Apples Ready to Pick?
Crab apples ripen from late September through November in most regions. However, the ideal harvesting time is after the first hard freeze. Frost helps soften crab apples and mellows their tart flavor.
Here are signs crab apples are ripe and ready for picking:
-
Color change – Skin color shifts from green to yellow, orange, red, or mottled. Color varies among crab apple species.
-
Fruit softening – Ripe crab apples feel slightly soft and yield to gentle pressure.
-
Seed color – Cut fruits open and check seeds. Brown seeds indicate ripeness.
-
Taste – Sample taste. Ripe crab apples taste mildly sweet with a tart, astringent edge.
Ideally, allow crab apples to hang on the tree as long as possible. Flavor continues improving with freezing nighttime temperatures. Harvest before heavy frosts ruin the fruits.
Spotting Ripe Crab Apples on the Tree
Keeping an eye out while foraging makes harvesting easier. Here are tips for identifying ripe crab apples before picking:
-
Color – Scan the canopy for pops of color signaling ripe fruit. Red and yellow crab apples are most obvious.
-
Location – Crab apples grow on short spur branches, unlike regular apples. Check these fruiting spurs which protrude from small limbs close to the trunk.
-
Size and shape – Ripe crab apples are round or oval. Green, immature fruits are smaller and oblong.
-
Ease of removal – Give fruit a gentle twist. If ready, ripe crab apples should separate easily from twigs.
What Not to Pick
Avoid harvesting crab apples that are:
-
Still green – Unripe fruit tastes too tart. Leave them to ripen more.
-
Shriveled or mushy – This indicates rotting or overripe fruit.
-
Marked with spots or blemishes – Damaged, diseased fruit should not be collected.
Only pick crab apples that appear plump, firm, and display their ripe color. Discard any that are punctured, leaking juices, or feel light and hollow.
Storing the Harvest
Enjoy freshly picked crab apples right away. They also store well chilled for several weeks.
Short term storage: Refrigerate ripe crab apples in a perforated plastic bag for 1-2 weeks maximum. Check regularly and remove any spoiled fruit.
Long term storage: Crab apples keep for months in the freezer. Rinse, pat dry, and spread in a single layer on a sheet pan. Freeze, then transfer to freezer bags once hard.
How to Use Crab Apples
The high pectin content makes crab apples ideal for:
- Jams, jellies, and preserves
- Applesauce
- Juices and cider
- Vinegars
- Pies, pastries, and baked goods
Remove seeds before eating raw. Otherwise, seeds can be safely consumed in cooked recipes without worry.
Crab apples pair deliciously with spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. Sweeten with sugar or honey to balance their tartness.
Where to Find Crab Apples
Keep an eye out for crab apple trees in these common urban and rural locations:
- Hedgerows
- Along roadsides
- In parks and gardens
- Near old homesteads
- Woodland edges
- Overgrown fields
Spring blossoms help identify potential harvest spots. Note locations to revisit once fruits develop.
Many older neighborhoods contain ornamental crab apple trees worth scouting as well. Just be sure to only pick from trees you have permission to harvest.
Crab Apple Lookalikes
Two trees produce fruit that resembles crab apples, but are actually different species:
Hawthorns
Similarities: Small, apple-like fruit. Thorns on branches.
Differences: Hawthorn thorns are longer with no buds. Fruit can be dry and mealy. Winter buds are round versus pointed.
Wild Plums
Similarities: Small, oval, yellow/reddish fruit with single pit.
Differences: Plums have a waxy white coating or “bloom.” Lenticels on branches are often horizontal.
Neither hawthorn nor plum fruits are toxic. But correctly identifying crab apples ensures the best flavor.
Foraging Crab Apples Safely
Before consuming foraged crab apples, always verify:
-
You have positively identified the tree species. Especially if new to foraging, take an expert forager along to show you.
-
The fruit is ripe. Never eat obviously underripe or overripe crab apples.
-
The fruit is undamaged. Discard punctured, leaking, or suspicious looking specimens.
When in doubt, remember “When in nature, don’t eat it!” Proper identification ensures a delicious, safe foraged feast.
Enjoying the Versatility of Crab Apples
Keep an eye out for ornamental crab apple trees this spring, both in the countryside and right in your neighborhood. Then revisit in fall to harvest the ripening bounty. Follow the visual cues to pick only ripe fruits at their flavor peak. The versatility of crab apples, from juicy eaten fresh to cooked in pies and preserves, makes foraging these petite wild apples a seasonal treat not to be missed!
Where do crabapples grow?
Crabapples are common and widely distributed across the Midwest. They live in parks, old fields, grasslands, open woods, thickets, abandoned orchards, and old farmhouses. You can also find them near hiking trails.
Everything You Need To Know About Crab Apples!
FAQ
How do you know when crabapples are ripe?
When should crabapples be picked?
When can you eat crabapples?
How long will crab apples keep after picking?
When are crab apples ripe?
Apples and crab apples can typically be classified as early summer (July to mid August), mid-summer (mid-August to early September) or fall apples (mid-September to October). If you don’t know the variety, no problem, there are plenty of other ways to judge ripeness.
How do you know if a crabapple tree is ready to harvest?
Harvesting crabapple tree fruit at the right time ensures the fruit has an appealing texture and flavor. The color of the crabapple seeds, color of the skin, firmness of the fruit and taste of the apples helps determine if they’re ready to harvest or need more growing time on the tree.
How do you know if a crab apple is ripe?
Crab apples can almost look like cherries sprouting from their trees because they’re 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.
When should you plant crab apple trees?
You can plant crab apple trees whenever your soil can be worked. Container grown trees, or those sold as “balled and burlapped” can be planted spring, summer, or fall. Bare root trees need to be planted in the early spring. [Go here for more on planting bare root fruit trees .] Are crabapples poisonous? No. All crab apples are edible.
