New Species of Crab Apple (?)

[crabappleseeker]

I'm interested in a species of crab apple that is not prone to leaf disease. My husband and I are considering landscaping for our new home, and he doesn't want one because he says they frequently drop their leaves from disease. Is there a new, hardier crab apple that isn't as prone to this? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Nickrosis]

Have I got a list for you....

You have no idea how many crabs fit the bill.

Make the choice: http://ohioline.osu.edu/sc157/sc157_18.html
Look for "none" in the scab column.

Keep in mind that, we're not talking about absolute "immunity." Resistance is something that is variable, depending on the weather conditions, innoculation potential, etc.

The things you're fighting are leaf spot and apple scab which both gravitate towards the same areas with low airflow and high moisture on tender tissues. For even better protection, you can contract for precisely timed sprays to attack the fungus just as it appears.

Nickrosis

 

[Nickrosis]

By the way, one of the authors of that article is DA BOMB DIGGETY DIGGETY! James A. Chatfield - I saw him speak at the Wisconsin Arborist Association chapter meeting in Green Bay last January.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

**DA BOMB DIGGETY DIGGETY!**

I just felt the generation gap open up again I asume you liked his talk

I would suggest enquiring in your area on known resistant cultivars of crabapple. There is some "regionality" in this.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Here is a reply from a freind Tom, Reed and I have down in Miss-er-ee.

Meesh-el says:

our landscape construction supervisor who, prior to working here, owned and operated a nursery in southeast missouri for many years, and now moonlights as a landscaper:

in his own estimation, crabapples look beautiful when flowering and are crap the rest of the time - he calls them crapapples. therefore, he doesn't use them in his designs and plantings. he did say though that, as far as apple scab is concerned, he thought floribunda was as good as any, and sargent's and siberian would do fairly well here. he also said 'brandywine' is touted as being resistant, but he didn't think it could be depended upon, and that in addition, it gets apple-cedar rust readily.

from my own experience with the various crabapples we have on campus, they all seem to fare about the same when it comes to apple scab - which means that by this time of year they DO look like crap. i think the 'robinson' trees we have seem to stay greener and denser longer. i haven't done any type of research, though, and it's possible that that's due to location/less disease pressure where they are. i don't know.

sorry i don't have any more information than that...other than what anyone could look up or get from nurserymen as to purported resistance.

m

 

[Nickrosis]

They don't look like crap if you used Daconil.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Try Eagle, but not around Berberis. You get around 6 weeks of cover and 5 days of back-up protection, ie it is suposed to get the mycilium inside the leaf.


Some people just don't like certain trees. Why I've even heard people badmouthing Acer negundo!

http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/tree/aceneg/

 

[Nickrosis]

I've used Daconil as part of a rotation with Eagle and Cleary's 3336F. Eagle is nice to use with those dissolvable packets.

Acer negundo? You mean the species widely planted in Poland because of its wonderful characteristics? Alongside the lovely Robinia pseudoacacia?

Nickrosis

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

If you are using clearies on crabs, use a spike of banner maxx, it has some backup protection. Eagle is the only thing I've seen owrk better then Clearry's/banner. I just hate what Eagle does to barberry, not that I like barberry much

 

[Nickrosis]

It's kind of like the ornamental version of Urtica dioica. We called it Urtica Hurtica at camp this summer.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

But it is a mint!