Virginia Tech Dendrology

southern crab apple Rosaceae Malus angustifolia (Aiton) Michx. symbol: MAAN3
Leaf: Alternate, simple, elliptical to narrowly ovate, 1 1/2 to 3 inches, pinnately veined, finely serrated and may be somewhat lobed; green above, paler and mostly glabrous below.
Flower: Perfect, showy, pink to white in color, with 5 petals for each flower, displayed in few-flowered panicles; appear in early spring; fragrant.
Fruit: A yellow-green pome with some red when ripe, to 1 inch in diameter; edible but sour to astringent; ripening in early fall.
Twig: Moderate to slender, red-brown to gray and mostly glabrous at maturity; buds reddish-brown, tomentose along the scale edges; spur shoots prominent and often thorn-like.
Bark: Initially smooth and red-brown to gray, later thin and irregulary scaly.
Form: A large shrub to small tree reaching 30 feet with an irregular crown, twisted trunk, and low branching; spur shoots are prominent and may be thorn-like; root suckers may produce thickets.
Looks like: hawthorn - apple - plumleaf crab apple

Additional Range Information: Malus angustifolia is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting. Download the full-size PDF map.
External Links: USDA Plants Database - USDAFS Forest Products Lab
All material 2025 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson; Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range map source information