The crabapple is a beautiful spring-flowering tree that is valued for its flowers, fruit and variations in growth habit and size. The trees come in a wide variety of sizes and forms. The height and width of the crown or canopy can range from 10 to 25 feet. The unusual branching of most crabapples creates a strong silhouette in winter when the leaves are absent.

The blooms, which come out in the spring before or with the leaves, range from white to red. Some crabapple trees bloom heavily only every other year, some have outstanding fall color, while others do not, depending on the cultivar.

The fruit, which appear in summer, vary in size, but are less than 2 inches in diameter and may be red, yellow, or green (fruit larger than 2 inches are considered apples). While all crabapples are edible, fruit of many ornamental crabapples are too tart to eat raw.

Some crabapples are used as rootstocks for domestic apples to add beneficial characteristics. For example, the rootstocks of Malus baccata varieties are used to give additional cold hardiness to the combined plants for orchards in cold northern areas.

Over 800 cultivars are known, with more being developed each year, including some that are more disease resistant.