Gardening Trees, Shrubs & Vines Trees 13 Stunning Crabapple Trees That Add Long-Lasting Color to Your Landscape These crabapple trees can fill your yard with colorful flowers, fruit, and fall foliage. By Sheryl Geerts Sheryl Geerts Sheryl Geerts is an editor and author who has nearly three decades of writing and editing experience. She enjoys writing about garden, food, and home topics. Her bylines have appeared in Better Homes and Gardens, Allrecipes, Martha Stewart Living, and several other publications. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on February 28, 2023 Reviewed by Sylvia Duax Reviewed by Sylvia Duax Sylvia Duax has over 15 years of experience as a professional Horticulturist with expertise in: sustainable garden maintenance techniques; Southeastern U.S., especially in the mid-Atlantic regional gardening; native plants; wildlife gardening; small space, urban and container gardening and community engagement. Learn about BHG's Gardening Review Board Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Denny Schrock Crabapple trees light up spring landscapes with their fragrant blooms. The springtime show is followed by jewel-like fruit that attracts birds and adds pretty fall color. There are many varieties, but here are the best crabapple trees for colorful flowers, showy fruit, and fall foliage. In addition, crabapple trees have good disease resistance when planted in a sunny spot. 3 Tips for Landscaping Under Trees to Dress Up Your Yard 01 of 13 Adams Denny Schrock Add some rosy color to your landscape with 'Adams' flowering crabapple. Small, glossy, red crabapples with blood-red pulp follow its abundant semi-double deep pink blooms. The fruit matures in the fall, persists in the winter, and attracts birds. This tree's green leaves also have reddish tints in spring, turning orange and red in the fall. In addition, this variety has good resistance to the major diseases that can affect crabapples. Form: Broadly rounded Size: Up to 25 feet tall and wide Zones: 4-8 02 of 13 Adirondack Janet Mesic Mackie This crabapple variety's long-lasting, deep pink buds are known to open into nearly pure white flowers. Its blooms develop into abundant orange-red fruits that hang on into early winter. Adirondack's leaves are green most of the year before turning yellow in fall. The relatively upright form of the Adirondack makes it a perfect choice for narrow spaces in the landscape as a hedge or an espalier. The tree has excellent resistance to apple scab, powdery mildew, cedar-apple rust, and good resistance to fire blight. Form: Narrow, upright oval Size: Up to 18 feet tall and 10 feet wide Zones: 4-8 How to Espalier Fruit Trees, Vines, and Other Greenery 03 of 13 Callaway Peter Krumhardt The large red fruits of 'Callaway' crabapple trees are good for making tart jelly and attracting birds to the garden. The tree blooms in mid spring with single white fragrant flowers. Its leaves emerge green; then they turn shades of yellow, orange, and red in fall. It is one of the best crabapple trees for southern areas because it has a low-chill requirement for flowering and fruiting. It also has excellent resistance to scab, fire blight, powdery mildew, and cedar-apple rust, even through hot, humid summer conditions. Form: Oval, rounded Size: Up to 25 feet tall and 20 feet wide Zones: 5-8 04 of 13 Cinderella Denny Schrock If you want a crabapple tree but think your yard doesn't have room for one, take another look at Cinderella (also called 'Cinzam'). This dwarf crabapple tree fits almost any landscape or in container gardens. It's a compact plant with densely packed white blooms and golden yellow fruits. Its green foliage turns golden yellow in autumn. It also has good resistance to apple scab and excellent resistance to fire blight, powdery mildew, and cedar-apple rust. Form: Oval, dwarf Size: Up to 8 feet tall and 6 feet wide Zones: 4-9 05 of 13 Harvest Gold Denny Schrock A late-flowering crabapple tree with pink buds that open to single white blooms, Harvest Gold (or 'Hargozam') is often considered the best gold-fruited crabapple. Its bright yellow fruits last into winter, and its green foliage turns yellow in fall. The tree's shape makes it a good small shade tree as well as an attractive flowering and fruiting ornamental plant. It also has good resistance to all four major crabapple diseases: Fire blight, apple scab, powdery mildew, and cedar-apple rust. Form: Upright oval Size: Up to 25 feet tall and 25 feet wide Zones: 4-8 Take the Guesswork Out of Pruning Fruit Trees with These 9 Tips 06 of 13 Louisa Denny Schrock The spreading, weeping form of 'Louisa' has a graceful appearance. Clusters of delicate pink blooms cover its arching branches, followed by amber-yellow pea-size fruits that mature in fall and hang on into winter. Its foliage is glossy dark green and turns yellow in autumn. If left unpruned, its branches will drape to the ground. The tree has excellent scab resistance and good resistance to fire blight, cedar-apple rust, and powdery mildew. Form: Spreading to weeping Size: Up to 15 feet tall and wide Zones: 4-8 07 of 13 Prairifire Denny Schrock Pinkish-red flower buds on the Prairifire crabapple tree open to deep pink blooms. The flowers are followed by masses of purplish-red fruits that attract birds. Its leaves emerge purplish, mature to bronzy green, and develop a yellow-orange glow in autumn. This tree has reddish-brown bark similar to cherry trees, which looks especially eye-catching when contrasted with a blanket of snow. Form: Upright Size: Up to 20 feet tall and wide Zones: 4-8 08 of 13 Profusion Peter Krumhardt Named for its abundant magenta pink blooms, 'Profusion' crabapple has many attractive landscape qualities. Its foliage emerges purple, turns bronzy green in summer, and rounds out the season with mottled yellow, orange, and green tones. The tree develops ruby-red fruits that may be harvested for jellies. The foliage has excellent resistance to cedar-apple rust, good resistance to fire blight, and powdery mildew, but only fair resistance to apple scab. Form: Rounded, spreading Size: Up to 20 feet tall and 35 feet wide Zones: 4-8 How Fruit Tree Planters Should Be Potted and Maintained 09 of 13 Red Jewel Denny Schrock Red Jewel (also called 'Jewelcole') lives up to its name by producing abundant cherry-red fruits after its large, white flowers bloom. The fruits remain on the tree until the following spring in mild-winter areas. This variety's green foliage turns yellow in fall. The tree's shape remains fairly narrow, so it's a good choice for smaller yards. The tree also has good disease resistance, but occasional fire blight or powdery mildew may develop. Form: Irregular oval Size: Up to 12 feet tall and wide Zones: 4-8 10 of 13 Robinson Denny Schrock Known for being a fast-growing cultivar, 'Robinson' crabapple has pale pink blooms that develop into dark red fruits, which persist on the tree into winter. Its leaves emerge purple but turn bronze-green as they mature, then take on bright orange fall color. Apple scab, fire blight, cedar-apple rust, and powdery mildew rarely affect this tree's foliage. Form: Upright when young; rounded with age Size: Up to 25 feet tall and wide Zones: 4-8 11 of 13 Royal Raindrops Denny Schrock The easy-to-grow crabapple tree Royal Raindrops (which has the unfortunate variety name 'JFS-KW5') begins the season with magenta-pink blooms that develop into persistent red fruits. Its unique deep purple cut-leaf foliage in the summer is an outstanding ornamental feature. In autumn, the foliage turns a mix of orange, scarlet, bronze, and purple. This small tree's strong branching pattern and dense canopy hold up well in windy sites. Form: Upright rounded to vase shape Size: Up to 15 feet tall and 12 feet wide Zones: 4-8 12 of 13 Snowdrift Denny Schrock It's safe to assume that with a name like 'Snowdrift', this crabapple variety produces pure white blossoms in spring. The fragrant blooms are followed by orange-red fruits that hang on the tree well into fall. The tree has glossy green leaves in summer and reliably provides muted yellow fall color. Occasional fire blight and scab can affect it, though. Form: Rounded to upright spreading Size: Up to 20 feet tall and wide Zones: 4-8 13 of 13 Sugar Tyme Denny Schrock Sugar Tyme ('Sutyzam') crabapple is a prolific bearer with pink buds that open to pure white fragrant blossoms. The showy flowers are followed by masses of small, glossy, red fruits that mature in autumn and hang on the tree into winter. Its dark green leaves develop muted fall colors of mottled green, yellow, and orange. It's no wonder this disease-resistant tree looks spectacular all year long. Form: Oval Size: Up to 18 feet tall and 15 feet wide Zones: 4-8 Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit