Is this an edible crabapple? - Ask Extension
Hello,
I just bought a house in St. Paul this summer and am not quite sure what this tree out front is, and if the fruit is edible. It doesn't look l...
Knowledgebase
Is this an edible crabapple? #887607
Asked October 09, 2024, 10:21 PM EDT
Hello,
I just bought a house in St. Paul this summer and am not quite sure what this tree out front is, and if the fruit is edible. It doesn't look like the crabapples I grew up making into jelly, but does look like something similar. Thank you!
Ramsey County Minnesota
Expert Response
This appears to be a Siberian Crab apple. It’s edible but is usually planted as a windbreak, for ornamental reasons or fruit for wildlife.
We have been seeing a a lot of apple scab this year so if your tree lost a lot of leaves early on, we recommend good fall clean-up. Rake up fallen leaves and fruit and put them in your municipal compost. Do not compost at home as the pathogens that cause apple scab will not be killed in a small home compost pile.
