# Southern Crabapple (*malus angustifolia*)

The Southern Crabapple is a small tree that produces delicious, tart apples! Children love to explore its branches and discover the unique shapes of its leaves and fruits.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger
- **Habitat:** Southern Crabapple trees thrive in open woodlands and along roadsides, often found in the southeastern United States.
- **Also known as:** Florida Crabapple

![Southern Crabapple](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/A_guide_to_the_trees_%28Plate_LXXX%29_%288435943414%29.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Lounsberry, Alice., Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:A_guide_to_the_trees_%28Plate_LXXX%29_%288435943414%29.jpg)

## Appearance

The Southern Crabapple is a small, deciduous tree with a rounded crown, covered in clusters of fragrant pink to white blossoms in spring. Its small, round fruits ripen from green to yellowish-green, often staying on branches into winter.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Rosales
- **Family:** Rosaceae
- **Genus:** Malus

## Interesting facts

- Despite its name, the Southern Crabapple is a true apple, just a smaller, wilder kind!
- If you find its tart fruits, they are packed with more Vitamin C than many common apples!
- Its extra-hard wood was historically used by pioneers to craft tools and furniture!
- This tree often forms dense thickets, creating secret hiding places for small animals and birds!

## Special abilities

- **Thicket Defender:** Southern Crabapple has thorny branches that help protect its tender leaves and fruit from hungry browsing animals.
- **Tough Root System:** Southern Crabapple can thrive in many soil types, even poor or disturbed ground, thanks to its robust root system.
- **Winter Feeder:** Southern Crabapple holds onto its tart fruits through winter, providing a crucial late-season food source for wildlife.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 600-1000 cm
- **Spread:** 400-800 cm
- **Flower Size:** 2-3 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Spring (March-May)
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** Mild
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** European Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Gathers nectar and pollen from its flowers.
- **Eats:** [White-tailed Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — Browses on its leaves and young twigs.
- **Eats:** [American Robin](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-robin) (*Turdus migratorius*) — Feeds on its tart fruits in late fall and winter.
- **Eats:** [Cedar Waxwing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cedar-waxwing) (*Bombycilla cedrorum*) — Devours the lingering crabapples during migration.

## Traits

- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.
- [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night.
- [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger

Always check with an adult before trying any wild fruits.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Southern Crabapple?

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 Southern Crabapple?

600-1000 cm

### How wide does Southern Crabapple spread?

400-800 cm

### How big are the flowers on Southern Crabapple?

2-3 cm

### When does Southern Crabapple bloom?

Spring (March-May)

### Is Southern Crabapple edible?

Yes

### Is Southern Crabapple toxic?

Mild

### What is Southern Crabapple's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Garibaldi Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/garibaldi-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park

## 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*)

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Source: [Southern Crabapple: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/southern-crabapple)