Characteristics of Toringo Crabapple Tree (Malus sieboldii) in the Wild

Toringo crabapple or Siebold’s crab (Malus sieboldii syn Malus toringo) is a species of tree from the Rosaceae family. The tree is found in mixed forests, among the bushes, on the slopes of mountains at an altitude of 150-2000 m above sea level in China, Korea, and Japan. Due to its natural habitat on the slopes of the mountains, it is sometimes referred to as the Wild apple.

Toringo crabapple makes a great ornamental tree because of its showy flowers in spring. Outside of its place of origin, this tree is cultivated as a complementary tree to the landscape and as a bonsai specimen.

One of its cultivars Malus toringo ‘Scarlett’ has received the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.

 

Characteristics of Toringo Crabapple Leaf

Leaf-blade, elliptical, 3-7.5 × 2-4 cm in size, both surfaces pubescent when young, puberulous lower part along the median vein and lateral vein when aged, rounded or wedge-shaped base and wide serrated margins, and often 3-lobed (rarely 5-lobed) on new branches.

 

Characteristics of Toringo Crabapple Flower

The flowers are pink, appear at the tips of twigs, 4-6 cm in diameter, with 4-8 flowers, bracts are deciduous, linear-lanceolate, membranous, adaxially pubescent. Sepals are longer or slightly longer than hypanthium.

 

Characteristics of Toringo Crabapple Fruit

The fruit is red or yellow-brown pommel, subglobose, 6-8 mm in diameter.

 

Characteristics of Toringo Crabapple Tree

Toringo crabapple is a deciduous tree that grows as a shrub or a small tree that reaches 5-6 meters in height.

The rootstock of this tree was often used as a connection for the Apple zumi tree (Malus sieboldii var. zumi).