How do you recognise Japanese crab apple (Malus floribunda)?

Leaf

Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, Wikimedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Japanese crab apple

Malus floribunda Siebold ex Van Houtte

Also known as: Japanese flowering crabapple, Showy crabapple

Family: Rosaceae

4 to 6 m tall with a similar spread, rounded spreading habit

Very widely planted as a specimen in ornamental gardens, parks and urban avenues for its spectacular spring blossom

Flowering: April

Full sun

Very hardy, to -25°C

Its deep carmine-pink flower buds contrast with the almost white flowers once open, giving the tree a gradient of colours in full bloom.

🍃 Leaves

Ovate toothed leaves, bright green, sometimes tinged with bronze as they unfold

🌸 Flowers

Bright pink buds opening into very abundant pinkish-white flowers, covering the whole tree in spring

🍎 Fruits

Small crab apples about 1 cm across, yellow to red, persisting on the tree for part of the winter

🪵 Bark

Smooth greyish-brown bark on young trees, cracking slightly with age

🗺️ Distribution

Native to Japan, very widely planted as an ornamental tree throughout France since the 19th century

🐝 Value for pollinators

Abundant, early flowering rich in nectar, among the first important nectar sources for bees in spring

✂️ Horticultural uses

One of the most widely planted ornamental apples in France for its spectacular blossom; the small persistent crab apples feed birds in winter

Pips slightly toxic in large quantities (as in most Malus), fruit pulp harmless

ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.

🌱 This database is constantly evolving — species and information are added and corrected regularly. Spotted a mistake? Report it below.