Oikos Crabapple

Malus spp.

Origin: Michigan

Improvement status: Evolutionary Population

Seeds per packet: ~10

BOTANICAL SAMPLE - NOT GERMINATION TESTED

Life cycle: Perennial

We're thrilled to offer these diverse hybrid crabapples from Ken Asmus of Oikos Tree Crops, adding to our increasing supply of really cool apple genetics. Here's what Ken has to say about them:

"Selected seedling apples from our seedling crabapples with very clean foliage and dense clusters of small fruits. This crabapple is a good seed strain cross for developing small clean mini apples that have very clean skins with no disease issues. All are collected from small crabapples that are half inch or less in size. These were selected from larger populations of heavy fruiters here at our farm done by tagging plants in the field known for their healthy foliage throughout the summer months with no apparent foliar diseases. This alone often translates to healthier populations with greater yield of fruits. These are spur-type fruiters with small red, yellow or orange fruit. The parentage was not of concern compared to overall health which was the priority.

The parents of crosses used are Malus x purpurea, Minnesota crab-dolgo and Malus chinensis types. The goal of all these seedlings was to develop a hybrid seed strain of vigorous apples that could be used for fruit production for jelly, wildlife use, rootstock for apple trees but primarily to create a strong population for further cultivar development of delicious-to-eat small apples. Each tree has been in my orchard over 20 years grown from seed selected for tree health first. Flower color can vary from red, pink and white.

How these trees were selected: Every now and then I would get an apple flowering at a young age and showing incredible vigor compared to other apples in its seed bed with other apple trees grown from seed. I out plant the seedlings that had very clean foliage. I planted them out on a slope at my farm usually in tree shelters to protect against browse. Most crabapples are selected for their floral characteristics. These often have that [good flowers] but the amount of benefits to birds and mammals from these wonderful apples are amazing, especially if they stay up into the tree through the winter months. Almost all of them do exactly that."

We can't wait to see what cool apples come from these and the other apple seeds we're offering!

GROWING TIPS: To germinate the seed: Store seed in moist media under refrigeration with a zip lock bag for 90-120 days. Plant in the spring in a good garden soil lightly covering the seed. Normally most of the seeds will come up in the first spring season. Seeds can also be plucked out as they sprout in the bag and put into pots. Apple seeds can be fall planted too with very good results in the field. Lightly cover the seeds and protect from pilferage by covering with a light coating of gypsum and dried pelletized chicken manure. This will break down over the winter providing additional fertilizer. Ken will use a liquid feed while planting the apple seeds and spraying directly on the seeds within the row of seeds covering them fully (in the fall).