This crabapple tree has late-season flowering and is moderate disease resistance. Crabapples are usually grown as ornamental flowering trees. The halliana, or Hall, crabapple has edible small, about 1/3 to .5 inch, purple or deep red-orange fruits in the fall. This tree is frequently damaged by deer. Its branching is dense. Pruning will help with air movement and improved health of the tree. It can grow in a wide variety of soils. It does best in full sun but can tolerate some shade. More information on Malus .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Fills a similar nicheDianthus caryophyllusLonicera x heckrottiiSyringa pubescens subsp. pubescens
Full plant profile
Growing Conditions
Plant type
Edible; Tree
USDA zones
4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage
Available space
12-24 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
2 - Understory
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Dense; Erect; Vase
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Ovate
Leaf margin
Serrate
Leaf size
1-3 inches long
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Dark green, long point, may be hairy on top side.
Fall color
Red/Burgundy
Flower color
Pink
Flower value
Edible
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Purplish red buds open to double, shell pink to rose colored flowers in clusters of 4 to 7.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Purple/Lavender
Fruit type
Pome
Fruit value
Edible
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, 1-3 inches wide
Fruit detail
The purple fruit is small, about one-third inch. It ripens from September into October and can stay on the tree all winter if not picked.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
China, Japan
Wildlife value
pollinators, wildlife
Attracts
Bees; Butterflies; Hummingbirds; Pollinators; Small Mammals
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Fruit; Flowers
Harvest time
Fall
Fruit type
Pome
Edibility
Flowers are edible in moderation, but contain the precursors of cyanide.