URI hosts open house at Flowering Crabapple Tree Garden Public invited during peak blooming period May 8-14 KINGSTON, R.I. — May 5, 2000 — The University of Rhode Island will show off its more than 60 varieties of disease-resistant flowering crabapple trees at an open house during the trees’ peak blooming period, May 8-14. The Flowering Crabapple Tree Display Garden will be open for self-guided walking tours from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day. “This event is challenging to plan because it’s difficult to predict the exact date when all of the trees will be in bloom,” explained Larry Englander, URI associate professor of plant pathology, who oversees the site. “So visitors might consider coming a couple of times to make sure they don’t miss anything.” The URI trees are part of a disease-resistance research plantation and have been selected to be resistant to Apple Scab, a common fungus known to defoliate crabapple trees by mid-summer. The trees are unusual in another way, too – they don’t drop their fruit. Located at URI’s East Farm on Route 108 just south of Route 138 in Kingston, the display garden has several hundred trees, with at least three of each variety. All are labeled for easy identification. “We’ve got trees in all different shapes and sizes,” notes Englander, “including pillar, pyramid, lollipop, spreading, weeping and shrub-like varieties. And their beautiful spring blooms and colorful fruit make them an attractive tree for landscaping.” The trees are not for sale, though many varieties are available at local garden centers for purchase. For additional information about crabapple trees or the URI display garden and open house, call Englander at 874-2933 or email him at Lenglander@uri.edu. # # # For Information: Larry Englander 874-2933, Todd McLeish 874-7892