Malus fusca – Pacific Crabapple – Rosaceae (The Rose Family)

Description Malus fusca is our very own BC native Pacific crabapple which grows as a shrub or small tree adorned with clusters of fragrant, single, white to pink blooms in spring followed by clusters of small, oblong fruits that age from yellow to orange to red. Very cold hardy and slow growing with a mature height of 35 feet. Pacific crabapple supports a lot of biodiversity: the foliage is grazed by deer and acts as a larval host for butterflies, the nectar and pollen of the blossoms attract pollinators including the orchard mason bee, and the fruit is consumed by mammals and birds. First Nations used the tree for food, medicine, and tool making. The fruit are edible but full of pectin and tart to the taste so best used for jams and jellies often combined with other fruits. Great in the native plant, meadow or cottage garden, and by waterways and wetlands. Attracts pollinators, birds and other wildlife. Photo credit: Wikimedia.