How to Grow Crabapple (Rosaceae): Care Tips, Blooming Time and Number of Varieties

Crabapple has long held the title of “fairy among flowers” and is one of China's unique flowering species, a highly ornamental plant in the Rosaceae family. Below is a brief introduction to the cultivation methods and precautions for crabapple.

Cultivation methods for crabapple

1. Soil: When planted in soil, begonias require a slightly acidic sandy loam rich in humus, loose and well drained.

2. Watering: When watering begonias, you need to maintain fairly high air humidity, yet not let the potting soil stay constantly too wet; to maintain fairly high air humidity, you can regularly spray a fine mist of water on the leaves and around the pot. Watering should follow the principle of watering when dry and letting it dry between waterings; do not let the potting soil become waterlogged. If the potting soil stays too wet for a long time, it will cause root rot and may even kill the whole plant.

3. Sunlight: Begonias like a warm, humid environment and are afraid of direct strong light; they prefer a semi-shaded environment. In hot seasons, diffused light is suitable; in winter, full light is required. Under short-day conditions, flowering of tuberous begonias will be inhibited, while long-day conditions can promote flowering.

4. Pruning: When begonia seedlings reach 6 cm tall, pinch out the growing tips to encourage branching and improve the ornamental value of the whole plant. About 45 days before flowering, do light pruning to encourage branching and earlier flowering.

Once the plant has taken shape, pinching out the growing tips can delay the flowering period. After flowering, promptly cut off the spent flowers along with one section of the tender stem attached to them, to encourage the axillary buds on the lower branches to sprout; about 10 days after pruning, the young shoots can bud and bloom.

5. Fertilizing: During the growing period, begonias need more watering and more fertilizing. Half a month after potting, apply 1 round of decomposed cake fertilizer water; thereafter, during the growing period, apply 1 round of mild fertilizer water every 20-30 days. After the first flowers appear, reduce nitrogen fertilizer and increase phosphorus and potassium fertilizer.

6. Pests: The common pest of begonias is the leaf-rolling moth; its larvae feed on tender leaves and flowers, directly affecting plant growth and flowering. When only a few occur, catch them by hand; in severe cases, spray a diluted dimethoate solution for control.

Precautions

1. Watering and fertilizing

Watering should keep the potting soil moist. In dry weather and the height of summer, also spray water on the leaves and the ground to raise air humidity, which is good for growth. Avoid waterlogging in the pot and rain exposure, otherwise root rot easily occurs. In winter, the potting soil is better kept on the slightly dry side; every 7 days, spray the leaves and surroundings with clean water, which both increases humidity and keeps the leaves clean.

During the growing period, apply diluted cake fertilizer water about every 10 days; during the bud stage, apply a quick-acting phosphorus fertilizer. When fertilizing, be careful not to splash the fertilizer solution onto the leaves; do not fertilize during the flowering period or in winter and summer.

2. Light and temperature

The suitable temperature for the growth of the bamboo-joint begonia is 18-20°C, in a well-ventilated environment with diffused light. In hot seasons, measures such as shading, ventilation and spraying water are needed; in winter, it is best to keep the room temperature above 10°C, and the plant can be placed in a spot with plenty of sunlight. When grown at home, during the growing season place it outdoors in diffused light 1-2 times a week; in winter, place it in a sunny, wind-sheltered spot.

3. Tying and repotting

Because the bamboo-joint begonia plant is fairly tall, it needs supports such as thin bamboo canes to hold up the branches and prevent lodging. At the same time, every spring it needs repotting, soil changing and branch pruning, cutting off weak branches, overlapping branches and damaged roots. For plants that have already flowered for 2-3 years and are too tall, cut them back hard, leaving only 6-10 cm of stem, so they can sprout new branches again.

Propagation methods for crabapple

Seed sowing, division and grafting are commonly used for propagation.

Sowing can be done in autumn or, after sand storage, in spring. Seedling plants grow slowly and take 5-6 years to flower, and they often produce variations, so they are used only for rootstock cultivation and hybrid breeding. Horticultural varieties are mostly propagated by grafting, using seedlings of the Siberian crabapple or crabapple as rootstock; both branch grafting and bud grafting can be used. For branch grafting, cut grafting and cleft grafting can be used; for bud grafting, the “T”-shaped method is commonly used. Division is mostly carried out in early spring before buds sprout, or after leaf fall in autumn and winter.

When does crabapple generally bloom?

The crabapple commonly spoken of comes in two kinds. One belongs to the Rosaceae and is woody, such as the Xifu crabapple and the hall crabapple, and they all bloom in spring. The other belongs to the Begoniaceae and is herbaceous, such as the tuberous begonia and the wax begonia, and these can bloom in all four seasons. Generally, the flowering period is April-May.

How many kinds of crabapple are there?

The four classic crabapples: Xifu crabapple, hall crabapple, Chinese quince-leaf crabapple and Japanese flowering quince

1. Xifu crabapple

When it comes to the types of crabapple, the Xifu crabapple is especially famous, named because it grew in Xifu during the Jin Dynasty. The flowers form a layered umbel-like raceme, growing at the tips of the small branches. The buds are red, and the flowers are single or double, pale red or white. The flowering period is March-April each year. The fruit is spherical and red.

2. Hall crabapple

The hall crabapple is also one of the types of crabapple, named because its slender flower stalks hang down. The flowers are oval or leaf-oval in shape, clustered at the tips of the branches. The petals are rose-colored, and the flowers bend downward. The flowering period is April each year.

3. Chinese quince-leaf crabapple

The Chinese quince-leaf crabapple has as many as over a hundred varieties; some are grown mainly for their fruit, others win praise for their flowers. In spring, gorgeous flowers cover the branches, giving a feeling of abundant blooms, and some varieties bear golden-yellow fruit hanging on the branches in autumn, giving off a rich fragrance, making them ornamental flowering trees excellent in both flower and fruit.

4. Japanese flowering quince

The Japanese flowering quince is named because its flower stalks are short and thick or nearly absent. The leaves are leaf-oval or elliptical. The flowers are clustered. The flower colors include pink, vermilion and white. The flowering period is March-May each year, blooming before the leaves or at the same time as the leaves. The fruit is oval or spherical. The color is red or yellow-green, and the scent is very fragrant. Of course, besides the four classic types, crabapple also has the following varieties.

5. Creeping crabapple

Creeping crabapple. It is named because it grows creeping on its own, as if crawling on the ground. The leaf shape and flower shape of the creeping crabapple are similar to those of the Japanese flowering quince, but the flowers are fewer and denser, and the branches either grow obliquely or creep along the ground. The flower color is red or orange-red. The flowering period is very long; March-April each year is the peak flowering period, and there are also flowers in summer and autumn, but not many. The flowers open before the leaves or at the same time. The fruit is elliptical and spherical, and the color is orchid-colored with a red blush.

6. Dongyang brocade crabapple

Dongyang brocade crabapple, also known as multicolored crabapple, is also one of the types of crabapple. It is named because its flowers appear in many colors. A single plant can simultaneously produce flowers in colors such as bright red, pink, purplish red, red, vivid red, orange-red and white. The leaf colors are green, purplish red, red and yellow-orange. The leaves are at their most beautiful in autumn. The fruit is small and exquisite, and the color is red or yellow-orange.

7. Wax begonia

The wax begonia has a well-developed root system. The leaves are oval or broadly ovate, with an oblique base, and the color is red or purplish red. The flowers are borne in axillary cymes, with male and female flowers on the same plant, and the flower colors are red, pink and purplish red. The petals are single or double.

8. Baleng crabapple

Also known as Huailai crabapple or Haihong, it belongs to the Rosaceae, Maloideae, Malus, Xifu crabapple species, and is a rare fruit treasure with a long cultivation history in China. The Baleng crabapple tree has slender, uniform and soft branches and a graceful tree shape; it is an excellent first-choice ornamental tree for beautifying scenery, with extremely high ornamental value.

9. Japanese crabapple

Also known as Japanese quince or Japanese flowering quince. Its flowers are very similar to those of the Japanese flowering quince, only the leaves are slightly thinner. Its stems are mostly clustered, with many branches, and the branches have wart-like protrusions and fine thorns. The flower colors include bright red and pink; each cluster consists of several flowers, pressed close to the branches, gorgeous and charming. When in full bloom, it is a mass of blooms and extremely beautiful, making it an excellent choice for Spring Festival viewing.

10. Iron Cross begonia

The Iron Cross begonia has small, inconspicuous flowers; its yellow-green leaf surface is inlaid with red-brown cross-shaped markings, very elegant, and it is a rather precious variety among begonias. It is suitable for display and accent in hotels, halls, display windows and on windowsills.