NICE! Plant of the Month
(Malus ioensis var. texana (Synonym: Pyrus ioensis var. texana))
Family: Rosaceae (Rose Family)
Other Common Names: Texas crabapple, Prairie crabapple
Type: Small deciduous, wide spreading, multi-branched tree 12-15 ft high or large shrub forming thicket by root suckers; spine-tipped spur shoots; bark on young trees is smooth and reddish brown to gray; older trees have deep fissures and ridges; one of our showiest trees.
Natural Habitat: An adapted variety native to three counties in the Texas Hill Country (Blanco, Kendall, & Kerr) near stream banks and heads of canyons in well drained locations; this is the western most extent of wild crabapples.
Preferred Site and Use: Ornamental for well drained sites only.
Deer Resistance: Browsed frequently by deer (deer candy); for tree form protect by caging until growth is well above browse line then protect trunk with a small cage of a few inches in diameter; for shrub form permanent caging will be necessary.
Wildlife: Fruit eaten by a number of small mammals and numerous birds.
Light Tolerance: Full sun is best but will tolerate afternoon shade.
Flowers: Highly fragrant, dramatic 1.5″ wide 5-petaled apple blossoms show colors ranging from reddish buds to pink to white petals in mid-April.
Fruit: ½ – 1″ diameter green mini apples mature in October; very astringent but edible; cook to make excellent jelly, preserves, cider, and vinegar.
Leaves: Alternate, simple, usually 2-3″ long, margins toothed, upper surface shiny green; fall color is a potential kaleidoscopic array from purple, red, pink, orange, to yellow depending on the tree.
Water Requirements: Natives are xeric once established; water during establishment period.
Soil Requirements: Adapted to alkaline, dryer, well drained soil.
Maintenance: This native requires little maintenance if established in a well drained location where the soil is amended with compost and mulched beyond the drip line; some of typical apple problems such as cotton root rot.
Planting Instructions: Space plants 6-15 feet apart depending on the final desired appearance. Dig hole at least two – five times wider than, but the same depth as the root ball in the nursery container. Sides and shape of the hole should be irregular, not smooth. Remove plant from container, taking care to support the root ball. Loosen exterior roots gently with your fingers. If the plant is root-bound and cannot be loosened by hand, the outer roots may be cut in several places to avoid root girdling. Lift the plant by the root ball and place into the hole. Backfill the planting hole, using soil that was dug from the hole. Do not add any soil to the top of the root ball, but a thin layer of compost may be spread over the root ball and disturbed soil surface. Gently firm the soil with your hands, but do not tamp it down. Place 3-4 inches of mulch over the disturbed soil around but not touching the base of the plant.
Watering Instructions: Water deeply after planting to settle soil around roots. Then every 7-10 days, as needed, during the first growing season. Before watering, check for soil moisture at a depth of an inch or two at the edge of the root ball. Skip a watering after a rainfall of ½ to 1 inch. Maintain this watering schedule until the first fall following planting. Reduce watering during the cool fall and winter months. In a “normal” year, no watering may be necessary during the fall and winter, but during a dry period, monthly watering may be needed. Second Spring and thereafter, water monthly only during periods of drought. Once established, natives will survive with little supplemental irrigation.
NICE! Tip: This is a much underused tree, which is disappearing from the wild due to severe overgrazing by the exploding overpopulation of deer in the Hill Country. Beware of introduced hybrids or Malus floribunda, which grows naturally in the acidic soils of eastern Texas, and are not well adapted to our alkaline soils. Plant this ornamental as a specimen plant or establish a colony in a protected, well drained location, and enjoy a riot of color from spring to fall. Hard to find, but well worth the effort!
Look for the NICE! Plant of the Month signs and information sheets on your next visit to a participating Boerne nursery. And thank you for supporting native plants by using them in your landscapes.
