Crabapples

Highlights

Native crabapples are among the most beautiful native trees, putting out white to pink-hued flowers every spring. After the flowers come the miniature apples. The apples are edible but tiny—they are often used in jams and jellies due to their size. If cleaning up fallen apples in your yard in the fall sounds like a bummer, plant your native crabapples away from high-traffic areas where the fallen fruit won’t bother you. Scroll on to meet some native crabapple options.

The world is filled with fruiting trees, and North America is home to around four native crabapples. (The list ranges between 4-5 species.) In this article, we’ll introduce four native species, share planting tips, and include some sourcing recommendations.

Let’s start with a basic question all gardeners ask:

What are the benefits of planting native crabapples?

Planting native plants, including native crabapples, makes our yards gorgeous while helping the birds, butterflies, and animals (and saving us time.) Here are three reasons why planting native crabapples is worth it:

1. Wildlife support. Native crabapples help give butterflies and songbirds the food and homes they need to survive.
2. Native plants save time and money. After the first year of establishment, they thrive with normal rainfall.
3. Native crabapples offer cinematic, seasonal beauty. Let’s move away from boring, static, non-native evergreens like boxwoods and enjoy a plant that changes dramatically with the seasons, like native crabapples.

And one more benefit to share…

Native crabapples are host plants

Native crabapples are essential for helping butterfly and moth populations.

Native crabapples are host plants for an astonishing 287 butterflies and moths. Notable butterfly and moth partners include the red-spotted purple butterfly and viceroy and eastern tiger swallowtail butterflies. (Here’s a quick host plant overview if you’re wondering what it means.)

Native crabapples help all these butterflies and moths!

We’ve covered the benefits; let’s dig into some individual options.

Meet North America’s native crabapples

Sweet crabapple

Malus coronaria

Its ‘sweet’ common name comes from its sweet-smelling flowers in the spring. This tree has the most expansive native range of all the native crabapples. The champion American crabapple (or the tallest of these species) is in Vermont!

• Size: Short tree, under 25 feet
• Flowers: Pink flowers, Apr-Jun
• Fruits: Yellow-gold, Sept-Oct

Southern crabapple

Malus angustifolia

It’s common name makes you think it is only for the South, but its native range is more expansive, extending up to Pennsylvania and Illinois.

According to the North Carolina Gardener’s Toolbox, “Some states consider this native to be threatened or ‘of concern’ due to losses of native habitats or inadequate reseeding.”

• Size: Short tree, under 25 feet
• Flowers: Pink to white flowers, Feb-May
• Fruits: Yellow with reddish hues, Aug-Sept
• Evergreen in southern locations

Prairie crabapple

Malus ioensis

Living in the Midwest? Here is the native crabapple for you.

• Size: Smallest of the native crabapples, topping out at 20 feet
• Flowers: Pink flowers, Apr-Jun
• Fruit: Yellow-green fruits, Aug-Sept

Oregon or Pacific crabapple

Malus fusca

Living in the west coast, or even Alaska? This is the crabapple for your yard. According to Native Plants Pacific Northwest, it’s also the only native apple found on the west coast.

• Size: Small trees, topping out at 25 feet
• Flowers: White flowers, Apr-Jun
• Fruit: Warm yellow-orange fruits, Aug-Sept

Backyard Ecology has an excellent overview of three of the four native crabapples:

That’s the good news. Now let’s share a few things to consider, alongside some recommendations to help.

What are good pairings for native crabapples?

Some so many fantastic native shrubs and flowers pair beautifully with native crabapples. Some ideas to consider include:

Where can I buy native crabapples?

Crabapples are beloved plants in the plant nursery world; let’s ensure you get the right one. The Bernheim Arboretum in Kentucky notes, “Currently, there are over 1,000 horticultural varieties of crabapples, with more being added to the market every year.” (And they should know—their crabapple collection contains dozens of crabapple species.)

How do you find a native crabapple needle in this botanical haystack?

Look for the Latin

To make sure you’ve found a native crabapple, look for the Latin name on the nursery tag. Every plant has a single, consistent Latin name. It makes finding a specific plant 100000x easier, and it’s why Latin naming was invented.

We included the Latin botanical names for all the native crabapples; scroll up to find them. (And don’t be intimidated by botanical Latin! We all lived through a pandemic—you got this. Here’s a quick Latin pep-talk if you’d like one.)

There is one non-native you’ll find everywhere

The Japanese flowering crabapple (M. floribunda) is a larger tree than our North American crabapples, growing to 30-40 feet. This species is found in iconic locations like Central Park in NYC and is the basis for dozens of cultivars that fill conventional nurseries. (Unsure what a cultivar is? Here’s a quick cultivar overview.) Check the tag to be sure you’re planting native.

To make finding native crabapples even easier, here are four sourcing ideas to help you find one for your yard:

Common challenges with these native trees

Crabapples are known for a few shared issues:

They can messy

One bummer about planting native crabapples is crabapples on the ground in the fall. Some people find it bothersome to have a pile of fallen fruit that attracts wildlife like deer and squirrels.

Plant crabapples out of the way of houses or highly visible gardens to minimize the mess. Some ideas for placement that are out of the way include the edges of backyards or along long driveways.

Deer love them

Deer will happily snack on the fallen crabapples or the branches themselves. If you struggle with attracting deer, this might not be the native plant for you.

Explore our guide to Deer-Resistant Natives for alternatives.

Like all apple trees, they can attract pests and diseases

All fruit trees attract wildlife—bugs, birds, and animals. They also can be known for diseases, which can limit their lifespans. Here are some tips for keeping your native crabapples healthy:

• No pesticides = better chances of bug equilibrium. Keeping pesticides away from your garden will help the birds keep the bug populations in check. (Skeptical? It’s worth noting a chickadee family needs 6,000-9,000 bugs to feed a single nest!)
• Spacing around your crabapple ensures light + air. This cuts down on mold and ensures a happy plant.
• Sunlight helps. Crabapple trees in shady areas can increase the chances of diseases.

With its stunning blossoms, and ease of care, native crapapples are statement trees any American landscape will benefit from. Planting native trees is not just about creating a beautiful garden; it’s about nurturing a sustainable and thriving ecosystem right outside your door. They are a beautiful flowering tree for Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Northeast, or southern gardens. Looking to build a native yard? Don’t forget to visit our Best Native Plants for Birds or our Best Native Trees for Front Yards. Happy planting!

Similar plants

• Dogwoods
• Serviceberry
• Birch
• Pines
• Redbud
• Asters
• Goldenrods
• Black-Eyed Susans
• American Plum

Written by

Emily Lessard

Founder & Editor, The Plant Native

Emily Lessard is the founder and editor of The Plant Native, the site that helps homeowners across North America get started with native plants. She holds a Sustainable Landscapes certificate through the Pennsylvania Landscape & Nursery Association, is finishing a Native Perennial Garden Design Certificate at Temple University, and is the author of Plant Native: A Practical Guide to Over 100 Native Plants of North America (Quarto, March 2027). She gardens outside Philadelphia in the 8.3 Southeastern Plains ecoregion.

Meet Emily

Updated October 9, 2026Find more: Pink · White · Beginner Guide · Keystone · Statement Tree · Tree · Spring · Full Sun · Part Sun

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