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ID dark red flesh crab apple #854785
Asked November 06, 2023, 11:28 AM EST
Muskegon County Michigan
Expert Response
Hi Deborah, thanks for the question.
There are several other red fleshed cultivars. It is difficult to tell from the pictures; however, along with your description this could be "Firecracker" (a.k.a. "Scarlet Surprise, Bill's Red Fleshed Crab"). There seems to be some confusion whether these are all the same. As far as eating, university sources indicate that crabapples are edible, but you should avoid eating the seeds (same goes for apples). Check out these links:
Apple - Scarlet Surprise - tasting notes, identification, reviews (orangepippin.com)
https://naturewalk.yale.edu/trees/rosaceae/malus-x/crabapple-tree
Are crabapples safe to eat? Horticulture expert says ‘yes’ (k-state.edu)
I hope this is helpful.
Sent from my iPhone
On Nov 8, 2023, at 1:57 PM, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote: