Malus Sylvestris - Crab Apple

Malus sylvestris, commonly known as Common Crab Apple, is a charming British native tree valued for both its spring blossom and autumn fruit. With a naturally rounded form, it works beautifully as a specimen tree in gardens, as part of mixed hedgerows, or within woodland schemes. As one of the ancestors of all cultivated apples, Malus sylvestris is also an excellent pollinator for other apple varieties.

This hardy tree thrives in well-drained soils but will tolerate heavier ground, making it suitable for a wide range of planting locations. Its ovate mid-green leaves are 4–8cm long, and the dark brown bark is cracked into rectangular plates, occasionally with small thorns. In May, the tree produces saucer-shaped five-petalled flowers, tinged with pink, which attract bees and other pollinators.

By autumn, the small, round fruits ripen from green to yellow with red flushes. Though too sour to eat raw, these crab apples are ideal for jams, jellies, cider-making, or as an ingredient in traditional recipes like medieval Lamb’s Wool. The dense wood is prized for wood-turning and makes a sweet-scented fuel when burned. Birds and small mammals feed on the fruit, while insects shelter in the bark, enhancing the tree’s value for wildlife.

This is the size and type we sell: Malus sylvestris Common Crab Apple 20–60cm Cell Grown, professionally grown for hedgerows, woodland planting, and ornamental purposes.

Features & Benefits

Attractive rounded British native tree

Produces pink-tinged white blossom in May

Small, sour fruits for jams, cider, or wildlife

Excellent pollinator for other apple trees

Supports insects, birds, and small mammals

Hardy and adaptable to a wide range of soils

Can be used in hedges, woodlands, or as a specimen tree

Applications

Native hedgerows

Woodland planting schemes

Garden specimen tree

Mixed wildlife hedges

Orchard pollinator planting

Height & Spread (Approximate)

After 10 years: 5–6m height x 4m spread

After 20 years: 8–10m height x 6–8m spread

Growth assumes suitable site conditions.

Botanical Name | Malus sylvestris

Common Name | Common Crab Apple

Plant Type | Deciduous tree

Growth Rate | Medium

Mature Height | 8–10m

Mature Spread | 6–8m

Soil Type | Well-drained to heavier soils

Aspect | Full sun to partial shade

Hardiness | Fully hardy in the UK

Plant Size & Type | 20–60cm Cell Grown, 20–40cm 1+0, 40–60cm 1+0 / 1+1, 60–80cm 1+1

Maintenance | Prune in winter to maintain shape

Wildlife Value | Flowers attract bees; fruit eaten by birds and small mammals; bark shelters insects