Rank Species | Higher classification Apples | |
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Similar Apples, Malus 'Evereste', Malus sieboldii, Malus baccata, Malus prunifolia | ||
Malus floribunda, common name Japanese flowering crabapple, Japanese crab, purple chokeberry, or showy crabapple, originates from Japan and East Asia. It may be a wild species, or a hybrid of M. sieboldii x M. baccata.
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Description
Malus floribunda forms a round-headed, small deciduous tree with narrow leaves on arching branches. The flowers are white or pale pink, opening from crimson buds. The fruit is red and yellow, of about 1 cm in diameter.
Resistance
Tree has good disease resistance to apple scab and powdery mildew.
The initiators of the PRI disease resistant apple breeding program have discovered that Malus floribunda has resistance to the apple scab and founded the program to introduce this VF gene into cultivated apples. Their work had been progressing with great success.
Awards
This crapapple species is considered as one of the best crabapples for form and flower and has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
