Crab Apples facts & history

Crab apples are one of the ancestors of the cultivated apple of which there are more than 6,000 varieties, it grows throughout Europe and can live to up to 100 years.
Mature trees can grow up to around 10 meters in height.
They have an irregular, rounded shape and a wide, spreading canopy.
With greyish brown, flecked bark, trees can become quite gnarled and twisted, especially when exposed, and the twigs often develop spines.
This 'crabbed' appearance may have influenced the tree's common name, 'crab apple'.
The brown and pointed leaf buds form on short stalks, and have downy hair on their tips, followed by glossy, oval leaves, which grow to a length of 6cm and have rounded triangular teeth.
In spring, the sweetly scented blossom is pollinated by bees and other insects, which develops into small, yellow-green apple-like fruits, around 2-3cm across. Sometimes the fruits are flushed with red or white spots when ripe.
The crab apple is one of the few host trees to the parasitic mistletoe and trees are often covered in lichens.
The leaves are food for the caterpillars of many moths, including the eyed hawk-moth, green pug, Chinese character and pale tussock.
The flowers provide an important source of early pollen and nectar for insects, particularly bees, and the fruit is eaten by birds, including blackbirds, thrushes and crows.
Mammals, including mice, voles, foxes and badgers also eat crab apple fruit.
The trees are often planted in commercial orchards as their long flowering period makes them excellent pollination partners for cultivated apples.
The fruit can be roasted and served with meat or added to ales or punches.
More commonly it is used to make crab apple jelly, and also as a natural source of pectin, for setting jams.
The pinkish wood has an even texture and makes good quality timber, and lends itself particularly well to carving and turning.
Apple wood gives off a pleasant scent when burned, and smoke from an apple wood fire gives an excellent flavour to smoked foods.
It is also a good wood for cooking fires because it burns hot and slow, without producing much flame.
Because of the plentiful blossoms and small fruit, crabapples are popular for use in bonsai culture.
In Ireland a yellow dye was extracted from the bark to colour wool.
The crab apple tree is susceptible to a variety of fungal infections, including apple scab, honey fungus and apple canker.
The bacterial disease fireblight gives the appearance of being scorched.
These threats can easily spread to cultivated apple trees and will eventually reduce the health of the tree.
Open Road by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution licence (creativecommon...)
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[@Xplorefiles]

A friend of mine recently died and the university is planning on planting a crab apple in her memory, I was furious at first because I heard rumors that nobody likes crabapples, but after seen this video I feel more calm. But I certainly hoped they would plant a tree of her favorite fruit instead.

[@sreykimsear]

Me too, I eat crabapples all the time with a mixture of salt and chili mash or I might do with spicy fermented shrimp. Yum

[@teperikaetr]

A friend of mine gave me a small tree of apple from a grannysmith apple. That he germinate the seeds from that regular apple. After 4 years that apple tree gave a. Bunch of apples. In the summer time. Me and my kids are them. They were sour, but really juicy. Since we love sour stuff. We kept watching the tiny apples. On Autumn, I picked all the rest of the apples and looked for recipes. They were with a beautifull orange red color, really juicy, with a taste sweet and sour. We love them.

[@krishernandez5456]

I eat crapapples when they're small, sometimes they're bad but I know they're not poisonous.

[@matthewreyes2401]

My parents had one of these in our house in Cali. Good times.

[@basharatullah285]

I have this tree in my garden did not know what it was thank you so much this information is very useful

[@ravinderkhurana1669]

Nice video

[@samonamoniquesavedbyjesus]

They use to grow in various cities in Hampton Roads area. I use to eat them at my school bus, walking around in Norfolk and Portsmouth and Virginia Beach. My other favorite thing in my childhood was honeysuckers while playing with lightening bugs. I don't see anything like this anymore. I still love the city I'm just saying. Samona Samona

[@dude...are-you-sure]

Lightening bug totally miss these east coast critters. I remember bringing some to Cali in a jar when was a kid and the kids in CA tripped out on these.

[@Jesus-The-Everlasting-Father]

We used to pick them at Central Park, NY when i would take my nephews for a walk. I eat them with salt. A lot of kids would also forage there while having fun in the park. But we would be careful not get caught by the Park police lol 🤣. Hispanic kids were my rivals and they know where the best spots are 🤣🤣. When i visited the area recently to look for the crab apples, they were gone, replaced with flowering plants.

[@Wholesomeday]

I would love to see more edible fruits and plants grown in parks for people to take with info about them next to the plants.

[@NKHYS-c5l]

They removed it because those trees are infested with bugs and all kinds of diseases that can easily spread to orchards.

[@lordimamsupriadi3936]

When i was child me and my friend after school always eat crabapple ride with bike and still live now.

[@rogerbahakel8130]

there are many types of crabapples,some are green and sour,my favorite is the small red ones.

[@theinvincible7511]

Does these flowers smell..

[@LinV24]

So this is what lil Wayne looks like

[@adiantititi]

Cawn Voidgod i was watching Mean Tweets Music Edition from Jimmy Kimmel Live, then i search and found this. I'm shocked on reading your comment haha

[@3lttlbrds]

Cawn Voidgod that's why I'm here

[@namenezes]

lol ha ha..

[@meme-ist7559]

@@adiantititi Me too !

[@jessiehamilton1534]

Its 👎 not

[@nichellejones1673]

I wish i knew how to get some i eat this when i was a kid love them use to put them in vinegar and a little seasoned salt let it get cold

[@davidfrison2765]

I eat about 10 crab apples a day.. Since the last month or so.. Since they started growing.. Every night before bed I enjoy a feast of crab apples.. They can't be any different than other apples.. If anything they are better if an apple a day keeps the doctor away... Then 10 a day keeps 10 doctors away.. Your body gets used to them at first.. It was like ohhh god.. Now it's just like having one.. But gives you more than a redbull would.. Even physicians will tell you if you want to quit smoking and drinking coffee triggers your craving for a cigarette... Than eat an apple instead of a cup of coffee.. It has a natural caffeine ..im literally sitting down and typing with phone in hand and crab apple In the other hand.. I want to pick as many as I can.. Before the October frost.. And make some Jam and preserve them... Pears are also going to be In season real soon... Now those would make good Xmas gifts.. I think I even got so. Some certa up in the cupboard... Go buy some Mason jars and a way I go... Bet I can make some good concoction of peard apples and apple pear jelly... I know I'm getting old when I start to watch tutorials about making jams and preserving ..

[@jackryan2612]

PLEASE DAVID THIS IS AN INTERVENTION, NO MORE APPLES

[@davidfrison2765]

@@jackryan2612 I can't help myself.. Im sorry I just ate a granny Smith and 4 crab apples... I feel so guilty LMFAO

[@davidfrison2765]

I also have a stash of 2 granny Smith apples and a bag of crab apples for tomorrow

[@davidfrison2765]

@heavenzceed I can't smoke that crap without getting paranoid.. So I'll stick to my apples thank you very much

[@davidfrison2765]

@heavenzceed yes I completely believe in the notion that marijuana is a wonder drug compared to the drugs being pushed by the pharmaceutical companies... But it shouldn't be glorified in such a way that everyone forgets that it can have consequences for people who have a genetic predisposition to mental health issues and there is a time and a place for everything.. And not while driving or before work especially jobs that have the safety of others in harms way... But it ain't for everybody.. Certain drugs react differently to certain people.. And if paranoia is a side effect ..then why torture yourself and put up with it just because it's trendy.. Eventually the novelty wears off...

[@meehan302]

Thanks a lot for that use and interesting information . We have a lot of Crap Apples on out Allotment site . I think I will try to get the ladies to make Cray apple Jelly.

[@rebeccaskillman9105]

and pectin!

[@kena006]

"Crap apples" IM DYING XD

[@dragons_hook]

@@kena006 im laughing about "Cray apple jelly" like, is it apple jelly with crayfish?

[@TheMightyN]

Not just Europe. Crab Apples live in America too.

[@ultraburst3867]

Cosmo Kramer fuck you

[@cheesed-kun8445]

Cosmo Kramer damn I thought Europeans were nice people you are proof enough not to associate with them

[@TheMightyN]

@Cosmo Kramer Oh a universe joke. Well let this be the end all be all of comebacks... I wasn't the one decided to move here because of their snot-nosed brat of a king. And before that had an bonehead navigator that committed man-slaughter.

[@cheesed-kun8445]

Cosmo Kramer pretty shit joke

[@kena006]

@Cosmo Kramer wtf

[@marcusallen35]

Were those blue berries beside the apples?

[@lewis1544]

They looked like sloes to me.

[@justeenwade9601]

We have a lot of crab apple trees along the roads in the country and in town in Pennsylvania and New York state

[@coreyAppleton-nr2de]

Interesting video

[@yasinabaka]

Original apples

[@PakuZero]

music too loud

[@Wholesomeday]

Thanks for the feedback

[@dosydo8072]

@@Wholesomeday It really deafens the listener, so we get minimum of what you are saying , better please without manic guitars too, a double whammy. Glad to be visiting a tree tomoro!

[@mrscpc1918]

That is NOT a crab apple tree

[@AsgardsValkyrie]

I have crab apples but they don’t grow over an inch during the summer, I’ve lived here for 5 years and they haven’t grown from over and inch

[@olddave4833]

do they have plenty of sun and water

[@c.rutherford]

Love the taste of crab apples off the tree, you can never get them in produce where I live... and anything jammed or jellied, store processed is always drowned in sugar. Americans in particular, everything that touches their lips has to have that SOPS (same old pancake syrup) taste.... then they wash it down with Cola, blech. I'll take the fruits and vegetables the way nature intended, thanks

[@FaithDiscipline]

We get it you old windbag, America bad.

[@GamingCave02]

Once this Apple is ripened can one go up and pick one of those apples and eat it or would it make you sick?

[@annaelmquest5203]

+Some Random furry Nope I've eaten them loads of times and I've never gotten sick! I love them!

[@SuperThunderBolt2]

Gavin Makley It really depends. It can make you pretty sick if you have an Apple allergy but so far, they're safe. I spread cashew butter on mine.

[@justinhenry8596]

You're fine but they'll take all the moisture out of your mouth

[@alexei4117]

I am eating one as i write this review there safe and tasty

[@spyralspyder]

Depends on the crabapple.... They are all different... Some are tiny as cherries and tart as battery acid. Some might be passable to eat..... If you got one that is nice then take some scions and try to find a way to sell them.

[@kentpirate2411]

Shouldn’t Bob Dylan be singing this!?

[@robinshaw8178]

I have one of these annoying trees in my yard. I cant get that thing cut down fast enough.

[@chrisw353]

Crab Apple Pie mmmmm mmmmm good

[@scottd5540]

you mentoined some mamals eating the fruits would rats also eat them?

[@Erewhon2024]

Scott D Rats eat just about anything. Wild-type crabs (as opposed to small fruited domesticated apples that are also called "crabs") seem to hold onto their fruit much better than do domesticated apples--sometimes until they become "crab raisins" spring. They are therefore eaten mostly by birds and bushy tailed tree-rats (squirrels), though I'm sure Virginia opossums will also eat them (they definitely get into sweeter fruit like persimmons and muscadines). Regularly raking up dropped fruit (which you should do anyway to reduce apple maggots etc) &/or housing rat predators (like your dog) near the trees should reduce rat pressure. (But feed your pets indoors--rats and blue jays love dog food.)

[@helio2942]

apparantly European Crab apples may have more than 10 times more phytonutrients than commercial apples in stores

[@wandakelly9108]

My tree is looking good. Can't wait for them to flower and produce fruit!

[@maanyaaggarwal1653]

Who came here after watching on the face of it...

[@nofacegamer1978]

don't forget Virginia

[@qualqui]

Hmm.....I thought for a second that the crab apple is what we know here in Mexico as the 'tejocote', but they don't like alike. Anybody know what the tejocote is called in english?

[@Mbazzcommoner]

Joe Serrano I believe it is called a hawthrone fruit

[@qualqui]

The Common People, Thank you for your help.

[@Erewhon2024]

Tejocote is a Mexican hawthorn, but when it is sold (usually canned in syrup) in the US (or at least Chicago), it is just called "Tejocote" since it is familiar mainly to and purchased by immigrants from Mexico. It isn't hardy in most of the U.S. (probably would work in S. Florida, and lowland areas of California and Arizona), so if you are interested in growing it, you might try the Chinese haw ("shan zha"), the Mediterranean azarole, the (SE) American mayhaws, or maybe just crabapples or medlars as substitutes depending on the climate you are in (except for medlars and some crabapples, these will be tangier than the canned tejocote I've tried). Medlars need to "blet" (go soft as if decomposing) before you can eat them. After that, they are supposed to resemble spiced applesauce, which is vaguely like how I would describe tejocote as well.

[@thecoolhilaryyay6637]

I have that

[@brendanconnollyandirelandw889]

👍👌👏

[@jaxv94]

🖕🏿🎅🏿

[@1MadJack1]

@@jaxv94 lolololololololololololololololol

[@cerverg]

Fun fact the one in the video is not a Crab apple. It's more like a Crap (regular) apple. The real crap apples (there are many species from North America thru Europe to East Asia) and they are much much smaller.

[@tanjalenawhite148]

Can we eat crab 🍎

[@sirada4605]

Yes you can pickling, make sider, majority they make Crabapple jelly that's very nice 🙂🙂🙂

[@victorsoria6278]

How do u hate on crab apples? I guess 8 of y'all like oranges better? 😝

[@calebproductions5970]

Roast them w brown sugar.

[@michaeldougfir9807]

I appreciate the narration of this video. It is informative. But is this particular tree completely wild? It has great need of spraying and some earnest pruning! And not by the one who cut some branches off last time. Terrible work!

[@Wholesomeday]

Hello, this was filmed along a hedgerow next to the side of a farmers field so it is wild in the sense that it is not in someones garden and may have self set. I would think the only pruning it has had is when the farmer hacked back the whole hedge with a tractor which always leaves the hedge looking horrible. Thank you for the comment.

[@nate23630]

holy shit! this is so fucking cool!

[@juscallmevell]

These apples look nasty like it was shot in his back yard

[@AllisonBourque]

so bad