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Apple and crabapple trees (Malus spp.) are familiar and much loved, but there’s an interesting mystery surrounding these fruit trees. Arboreta across the world track plants that may become invasive, and apples are one of the most commonly noticed escaping plants. Right now there are very few reports of escaped apples in the Lake States.
Malus spp. in woods. Photo by iNaturalist by Tony Ernst.
How you will help
How you will help
Report naturalized trees using EDDMapS. Early detection is key to controlling new invasive species. Apple and crabapple trees are common and beloved fruit and community trees. However, if you see non-native apple (Malus spp.) species escaped into natural areas, report them to EDDMapS. We want to know if they're spreading.
Watch this 2:11 minute video to learn how to report to EDDMapS.
Identification
Identification
Learn to identify non-native apple and crabapple trees. Many ornamental fruit trees will begin to flower around the same time in the spring. Apple and crabapple trees usually bloom about two weeks later than Callery pear. Last year in Minnesota they started blooming in very late April.
Prairie crabapple, Malus ioensis, is the only apple tree native to Minnesota, and should not be reported to EDDMapS if found in the wild. It can be distinguished by its unique lobed or deeply serrated leaves and small green fruit.
Watch this 6:23 minute video to learn how to identify common ornamental fruit trees.
Malus spp identification
Malus spp identification
The white, pink, red or purple five-petaled flowers can look similar Callery pear, but Malus species smell wonderful.
Photo of domestic apple, Malus domestica, by Howard F. Schwartz, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org.
Malus spp. bark is gray and flaky.
Photo by Becca MacDonald, Sault College, Bugwood.org.
Photo of crabapple fruit from iNaturalist by mmmiller.
Lookalike: Prairie crabapple (Malus ioensis)
Lookalike: Prairie crabapple (Malus ioensis)
Native prairie crabapple fruit.
Photo by T. Davis Sydnor, The Ohio State University, Bugwood.org.
Prairie crabapple bark is scaly and peels into strips.
Photo by Katy Chayka, MinnesotaWildflowers.info.
Native prairie crabapple leaves are lobed.
Photo from iNaturalist by Ed Mallam.
Lookalike: Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana)
Lookalike: Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana)
Callery pear are likely to be the very first blooms in the spring. The five-petaled white flowers commonly smell like vomit, rotting fish or wet animal waste.
Photo by Dan Tenaglia, Missouriplants.com, Bugwood.org
Callery pear bark is brown and furrowed.
Photo by Chuck Bargeron, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org.
Callery pear fruit.
Photo by Chuck Bargeron, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org.
Lookalike: Wild plum (Prunus americana)
Lookalike: Wild plum (Prunus americana)
Plum has white, five-petaled flowers that smell sweet and floral. It has long yellow-tipped stamens at the center.
Photo of wild plum from iNaturalist by john_hall.
Plum bark is gray with irregular ridges and patches that may curl with age.
Photo of wild plum trunk bark by Linette Maeder.
Wild plum fruit.
Photo from iNaturalist by thedrw.
Lookalike: Serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.)
Lookalike: Serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.)
Serviceberry flowers have narrower petals, creating space between each of the five white petals.
Photo of common serviceberry from iNaturalist by kkucera.
Serviceberry bark is typically grey and smooth with shallow cracks.
Photo of common serviceberry from iNaturalist by brycetheplant.
Serviceberry fruit is berry-like.
Photo of common serviceberry from iNaturalist by jshwlkr.
Learn more
Learn more
Public Gardens as Sentinels Against Invasive Plants | Midwest Invasive Plants Network
Questions about this project? Contact Angela Gupta, UMN Extension Forester, agupta@umn.edu
or Hana Kim, UMN Extension Educator, kim00688@umn.edu.
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