Malus Sylvestris (L.) Mill Taxonomy Author, Year Ph

Forest Ecology and Forest Management Group

Tree factsheet images at pages 3, 4

Malus sylvestris (L.) Mill taxonomy author, year Ph. Miller, …. synonym Pyrus malus Family Rosaceae Eng. Name Crab apple; Wild crab; European wild apple Dutch name Wilde appel subspecies - varieties - hybrids Malus domestica is a hybrid of unknown origin cultivars, frequently used: after multiple hybridization many cultivars have been made many fruit varieties of Malus domestica

references Plants for a Future Database; http://www.pfaf.org/index.html Weeda, E. J. et al. 2003. Nederlandse Oecologische Flora deel 2 Maes. 2006. Inheemse Bomen en Struiken Boom, B.K. 2000. Nederlandse Dendrologie

morphology crown habit tree, round max. height (m) 15 max. dbh (cm) >50 actual size Europe - UK year … d(130) 113; h 6 year … d(..) 57; h 17 actual size Netherlands year 1850-1860 d(130) 83; h 15 leaf length (cm) 3-6 leaf petiole (cm) 2-3 leaf color upper surface green leaf color under surface green leaves arrangement alternate flowering May flowering plant monoecious flower hermaphrodite flower diameter (cm) 3-4 flower male catkins length (cm) - pollination insects fruit; length pome (pitvrucht); 3-4 fruit petiole (cm) 0,5-1 seed; length (cm) pip (pitje); approx 0,5 seed-wing length (cm) - weight 1000 seeds (g) 33 seeds ripen October seed dispersal birds

habitat natural distribution Europe in N.W. Europe since approx 7000 BC natural areas The Netherlands forests; forest edges geological landscape types The Netherlands loess covered terraces, till plateau, higher river and brook valleys (Hoek 1997) forested areas The Netherlands clay and loamy soils area Netherlands not a forest canopy tree, understorey and forest edges % of forest trees in the Netherlands <0,1 soil type pH-KCl neutral to alkaline soil fertility nutrient rich light half shade tolerant when young, light demanding when mature shade tolerance 2.3 (0=no tolerance to 5=max. tolerance) drought tolerance 3.2 (0=no tolerance to 5=max. tolerance) waterlogging tolerance 1.7 (0=no tolerance to 5=max. tolerance) plant communities in the Netherlands Klasse der doornstruwelen: -Rhamno - Prunetea

management status Europe rare indigenous species in forests and forest edges status The Netherlands rare indigenous species in forests and forest edges application nature tree; fruit tree propagation seed regeneration planting; natural regeneration from seed optimal gap size for regeneration forest edges first plantation Netherlands not a plantation tree resprouting after cutting good growth rate (M.A.I. in m 3ha -1j-1) slow, (data unknown) diseases Erwinia amylovora – bacterium - Fireblight – Bacterievuur; Venturia inaequalis – fungus – Blackspot – blad- en takschurft insects Cydia pomonella -codling moth larva, feeding on the apple core

wood wood apple (Dutch: appel) wood structure key characteristics of pores diffuse porous; pores solitary vol. mass heartwood (kg/m3) 700 elastic modulus (N/mm 2) approx 7800 (Pyrus)

durability heartwood fungus 4 heartwood color reddish brown sapwood color white to pale yellow contents gum in the heartwood products turnery, cutlery, furniture

non-timber products fruits cooked for jellies, preservative; contains pectin seeds contain toxic hydrogen cyanide

Ülo Niinemets and Fernando Valladares. 2006. Tolerance to shade, drought, and waterlogging of temperate Northern Hemisphere trees and shrubs. Ecological Monographs 76:521–547

Wild Crab leaves branchlets

Wild Crab flowers and leaves Domestic apple blossom (left) and Wild apple blossom (right

Two apple trees at a former meadow left: Buskett’s Lawn in New Forest, U.K. right: young plant at a former horse meadow, France photography 4x © Leo Goudzwaard