RELATED to roses, crab apples have clusters of spring flowers made up of five, often slightly cupped petals that are followed by small apple-like fruits. Crab apples are distinguished from eating apples and cooking apples by having small fruits with an extremely sour taste.
Although most crab apple trees have unremarkable green foliage, some varieties have purple leaves in spring and summer, making a very effective backdrop for the flowers, while some develop colourful autumn foliage in yellow, orange, gold, red or maroon tones.
The autumn fruits come in yellow, orange, red and almost black, and can provide a spectacle as colourful as the spring flowers.
Crab apples are important for insects
