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University
of Rhode Island GreenShare Factsheets
Sustainable
Landscapes: Sargent Crabapple
Malus sargentii
Pink buds, opening to pure white flowers and a lovely
shrub-like form make Sargent crabapple a good tree for many
different landscapes. Sargent crabapples are resistant to
most crabapple diseases and flourish with a minimum of care.
A favorite of many growers and arborists, Sargent crabapple
has a unique size and form, growing as a dense, mounded shrub
rather than a tree. Its flowers are fragrant, light pink in
bud, opening to pure white. The fruits are small, shiny, bright
red and a favored food for birds. Although it flowers heavily
only in alternate years, the many attributes of the Sargent
crabapple offset this potential drawback. The tree grows 6
to 10 feet tall and almost twice as wide.
There are an extensive number of species and cultivars
of crabapples with tremendous differences in leaf and flower
color, leaf shape and vigor. A carefully chosen crabapple can
be a delight to the landscape, but a poor choice could yield
an extremely pest and disease prone plant with more headaches
than delights. M. sargentii is highly resistant to the
most serious crabapple diseases
Prefers full sun and moist, well-drained, slightly acidic
loams but is quite adaptable to varying soil conditions. Hardy
in zones 4-8.
Suitable in a wide variety of habitats, including very
urban situations. From backyards to sidewalks, the Sargent
crabapple is valued for its shrub-like form, outstanding flowers
and colorful fruits which are much favored by birds.
Shows excellent resistance to apple
scab, cedar apple rust and powdery
mildew. It shows slight susceptibility to fire blight
but it is not a significant problem in the Northeast. Sargent
crabapples require little maintenance; pruning is seldom
necessary except to remove dead, damaged or rubbing branches.
M. sargentii 'Rosea' grows taller than species
and is more susceptible to fire blight and scab. 'Jewelberry'
looks much like M. sargentii but flowers and fruits
annually and retains its fruits longer.
Almost all flowering crabapples are self-sterile. Most
common propagation is by grafting or budding onto rootstocks
chosen for vigor, hardiness or reduced suckering. Sargent crabapple
can also be propagated by softwood cuttings taken in June/July
or by seed. Seed propagation is frequently used with Sargent,
but considerable variation in size of the progeny can result.
Pesticides
are poisonous! Read and follow all safety precautions on labels.
Handle carefully and store in original containers out of reach
of children, pets or livestock. Dispose of empty containers
immediately, in a safe manner and place. Pesticides should never
be stored with foods or in areas where people eat.
When trade names are used for identification, no product endorsement
is implied, nor is discrimination intended against similar materials.
Be sure that the pesticide you intend to use is registered for
the state of use.
The user of this information assumes all risk for personal injury
or property damage.
For more
information, call the URI CE Gardening and Food Safety Hotline
at 1-800-448-1011 or (401)874-2929 from outside Rhode Island;
Monday-Thursday between 9 am and 2 pm.
University
of Rhode Island Cooperative Extension provides equal program
opportunities.
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