# Pacific Crab Apple (*Malus fusca*) The Pacific Crab Apple is a small tree that grows beautiful flowers and tasty apples. It is often found near water and is loved by many animals. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** Coastal areas ![Pacific Crab Apple](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Malusfusca.jpg&width=800) Photo: Gordon Leppig & Andrea J. Pickart, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Malusfusca.jpg) ## Appearance The Pacific Crab Apple is a small, deciduous tree featuring dark, often flaky bark and clusters of delicate pinkish-white flowers in spring. Its small, firm fruits ripen to a tart reddish-yellow in late summer, distinguishing it from larger, cultivated apples. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Rosales - **Family:** Rosaceae - **Genus:** Malus ## Interesting facts - Indigenous peoples traditionally used its sour fruit for food and medicine! - Its tiny apples can stay on the tree all winter, feeding hungry birds! - Many animals, from bears to deer, love to munch on its juicy apples! - This tough tree can even grow right along salty shorelines! ## Special abilities - **Tidal Zone Titan:** Pacific Crab Apple can tolerate waterlogged and even somewhat brackish soils, allowing it to thrive where other trees cannot. - **Winter Pantry:** Pacific Crab Apple has fruits that often persist on branches through winter, providing crucial food for wildlife during cold months. - **Soil Stabilizer:** Pacific Crab Apple can grow extensive root systems that help prevent erosion along riverbanks and coastal areas. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 500-1200 cm - **Spread:** 300-1000 cm - **Flower Size:** 1-2 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring to early summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** European Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Its sweet flowers attract bees - **Eaten by:** American Black Bear (*Ursus americanus*) — bears feast on ripe, fallen apples - **Eaten by:** [Mule Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mule-deer) (*Odocoileus hemionus*) — deer browse on its leaves and twigs - **Eaten by:** [American Robin](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-robin) (*Turdus migratorius*) — robins enjoy the persistent winter fruits ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth. - [Broadleaf Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/broadleaf-tree): Broadleaf trees are angiosperms characterized by flat, wide leaves that are typically shed annually in temperate climates. - [Fruit Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-bearing): Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds. - [Fruit Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-tree): A fruit tree is a perennial tree that produces fruit, which is edible to humans or animals. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Do not eat any fruit unless an adult says it's safe! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Pacific Crab Apple? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Pacific Crab Apple? 500-1200 cm ### How wide does Pacific Crab Apple spread? 300-1000 cm ### How big are the flowers on Pacific Crab Apple? 1-2 cm ### When does Pacific Crab Apple bloom? Spring to early summer ### Is Pacific Crab Apple edible? Yes ### Is Pacific Crab Apple toxic? None ### What is Pacific Crab Apple's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Sequoia Park Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sequoia-park-zoo) — California, US · Zoo - [Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/rathtrevor-beach-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park - [Carmanah Walbran Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/carmanah-walbran-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park [View all places to see Pacific Crab Apple](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/pacific-crab-apple) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Pacific Crab Apple: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pacific-crab-apple)