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This week's native tree is a colourful seasonal provider of flower and fruit, which goes by
the Latin name of Malus sylvestris. It is also known by numerous other more common names,
such as Silver Branch, Silver Bough, Scribe Tree, European Wild Apple and Wood apple.
However, the name that rings a bell with most of us is the more commonly used one, the crab
apple or as Gaeilge, 'an crann fia-úll'.
Native wild Crab Apple trees are relatively rare in Ireland, with the majority of them
growing within the hedgerows and woodlands on the eastern side of this isle, particularly on
neutral or slightly alkaline soils. It's a deciduous tree, which rarely grows beyond eight
metres (24ft) in height.
To seek out a wild-growing crab apple, begin your search in late April, when its leaves open
out. The simple leaves are oval, three to four centimetres long, with a slightly ruffled edge
and short pointed leaf tips. Alternately produced along the growing shoots, the upsides of
the leaf display a fresh green hue, whereas the underside are an off-white colour. This
difference adds a welcome colour variation to the tree every time a stiff breeze disturbs the
foliage.
The next best time to spot the crab apple is when it is in flower. The attractive blossom
clusters, which were earlier crimson in the bud, open throughout the month of May in shades
of pink and white with yellow centres. This flower of the wild apple is quite rightly held up
as a symbol of horticultural beauty. It has many imitators, from the paint manufacturers to
the nurserymen, who borrow the shade and the term 'apple blossom' to help sell their new
products. The flowers are pollinated by a few of the 90 possible associated insects that the
crab apple provides a home and sustenance for.
Another form of wildlife that benefits from the growth of the crab apple tree are our native
birds, they relish the trees autumn crop of greenish-yellow miniature apples. Crab apples are
much loved by birds as a source of food and much-loved by myself for all the amusement the
offer me, every time I watch a small robin wrestle and win with one of the many 2.5 cm (1
inch) wide fruits. Those birds will then depart to scatter the apple seed throughout the
hedgerows where they perch, where it will grow to complete another of nature's life circles.
Raw crab apples are much too acidic for us humans; instead, we use the fruit in the creation
of jams and jellies, often combined with rowan or blackberries. For those of you who like
their apple tarts, it is said you can add one or two sliced up crab apples for that extra
dose of face contorting sourness.
If you want to grow your own crab apple tree, ideally offer it a position in full sun with a
moisture retentive but not waterlogged soil. Even with a smaller garden, don't be put off by
the wild crab apples size however, as there is a great selection of smaller cultivated
varieties, ensuring you will find definitely find a crab apple tree to suit your size of
garden. Until next week, happy gardening and remember that a weed is just a plant in the
wrong place.
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