Malus fusca seeds (Pacific Crabapple)

Description

Our native crabapple that’s gaining popularity as a disease and drought resistant rootstock for domestic apples with great success.  Sweet almond scented pale amber/ivory flowers festoon the fruiting spurs in early May. Small oval bronzy coloured fruits are much enjoyed by the birds after a frost (if not sooner). Used for pectin, jelly. A great wildlife tree. Rugged bark on older specimens. Leaves often have pointed lobes midway along the edge…distinguishing it from domestic apple saplings.

First Nations harvested these green, placed them in bent cedar boxes filled with water and stored them in a cool place. Over the winter the flavour changed from tart to sweet with a scent of cotton candy. No disease problems. Aka: Pyrus fusca

• Seed Count: 12-15
• Collection Date:  Nov 2022
• Hardiness Zone: 5-9
• Height and Width: 8m x 5m.
• Germination test type: float; cut
• Family: Rosaceae

How to germinate Malus fusca seeds:

Soak seed 24 hours and sow 5mm (1/4 inch) deep in preferably compost. Keep moist. Needs 30-90 days of cold stratification. Will sprout with abandon in early March given 15-20C. Grow in containers or nursery bed until of sufficient size to be planted in its final site.