3. MALUS Hall. Apple.
Trees, with scaly bark, slender terete branchlets, small obtuse buds covered by imbricated scales, those of the inner ranks accrescent and marking the base of the branchlet with conspicuous ring-like scars, and fibrous roots. Leaves conduplicate in the bud in the American species, simple, often incisely lobed, especially those near the end of vigorous branchlets, petiolate, deciduous, the petioles in falling leaving narrow horizontal scars marked by the ends of three equidistant fibro-vascular bundles; stipules free from the petioles, filiform, early deciduous. Flowers in short terminal racemes, with filiform deciduous bracts and bractlets, on short lateral spur-like often spinescent branchlets; calyx-tube obconic, 5-lobed, the lobes imbricated in the bud, acuminate, becoming reflexed, persistent and erect on the fruit or deciduous; petals rounded at apex, contracted below into a stalk-like base, white, pink or rose color; stamens usually 20 in 3 series, those of the outer series opposite the petals; carpels 3—5, usually 5, alternate with the petals, united into an inferior ovary; styles united at base; ovules 2 in each cell, ascending; raphe dorsal; micropyle inferior. Fruit a pome with homogeneous flesh, and papery carpels joined at apex, free in the middle; seeds 2, or by abortion 1 in each cell, ovoid, acute, erect, without albumen; seed-coat cartilaginous, chestnut-brown and lustrous; embryo erect; cotyledons plano-convex, fleshy; radicle short, inferior. Malus is confined to North America where nine species have been recognized, to western and southeastern Europe, and to central, southern, and eastern Asia. Of exotic species, Malus pumila Mill. of southeastern Europe and central Asia, the Apple-tree of orchards, has become widely naturalized in northeastern North America. Several of the species of eastern Asia and their hybrids are cultivated for their handsome flowers, or for their fruits, the Siberian Crabs of pomologists.
Malus is the classical name of the Apple-tree.
CONSPECTUS OF THE NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES.
Calyx persistent on the green or rarely yellow fruit covered with a waxy exudation; leaves of vigorous shoots laterally lobed; anthers dark (Chloromeles). Leaves glabrous at maturity. Leaves on flowering branchlets, acute or acuminate, serrate. Leaves at the end of vigorous shoots distinctly lobed, those of flowering branchlets incisely serrate or lobed. Leaves subcordate, with the lowest pair of veins springing directly from the base, light green on the lower surface.1. [M. glabrata] (A). Leaves truncate or rounded at base, the lowest pair of veins at some distance from the base. Leaves glaucescent beneath, thickish at maturity.2. [M. glaucescens] (A, C). Leaves light green on the lower surface, thin.3. [M. coronaria] (A, C). Leaves at the end of vigorous shoots only slightly lobed, those of flowering branchlets serrate. Leaves oval-elliptic, acute; fruit much depressed, distinctly broader than high.4. [M. platycarpa] (A, C). Leaves lanceolate, acuminate, thin; fruit subglobose.5. [M. lancifolia.] Leaves on flowering branchlets usually rounded at apex, those at the end of vigorous shoots only slightly lobed; fruit subglobose.6. [M. angustifolia] (A, C). Leaves tomentose or villose at maturity, at least those of vigorous shoots, strongly veined. Calyx glabrous on the outer surface; leaves of flowering branchlets without lobes, glabrous or nearly so.7. [M. bracteata] (A, C). Calyx tomentose or pubescent on the outer surface; leaves usually incisely lobed, pubescent or tomentose beneath, rarely glabrous.8. [M. ioensis] (A, C). Calyx deciduous from the yellow or reddish fruit without a waxy exudation; leaves of vigorous shoots often 3-lobed at apex; anthers yellow (Sorbomalus).9. [M. fusca] (B, G).
1. [Malus glabrata] Rehd. Crab Apple.
Leaves triangular-ovate or ovate, acute or acuminate at apex, cordate or rarely truncate at base, lobed with 2 or 3 pairs of short-acute or short-acuminate coarsely serrate lobes, when they unfold bronze color and sparingly covered with caducous hairs, glabrous when fully expanded, and at maturity dark yellow-green and lustrous above, pale below, 2½′—3′ long and 2′—2½′ wide, with 5—7 pairs of prominent primary veins, the lowest pair from the base of the leaf; petioles slender, glabrous, ⅘′—1¼′ in length; leaves at the end of vigorous shoots more deeply lobed and often 4′ long and 3½′ wide. Flowers about 1¼′ in diameter, on slender glabrous purple pedicels ⅗′—1¼′ long, in 4—7-flowered clusters; calyx-tube purple and glabrous, the lobes glabrous on the outer surface, slightly longer than the tube; petals suborbicular or broadly ovate, abruptly contracted below, about ⅗′ wide, often erose-denticulate; stamens about one third shorter than the petals; styles 5, slightly longer than the stamens, villose below the middle. Fruit on slender pedicels about ⅘′ in length, depressed globose, slightly angled, distinctly ribbed at the deeply impressed apex, about 1¼′ high and 1½′ in diameter, with a deep basal cavity; seed obovoid-oblong, about ⅓′ long.
A tree, 18°—25° high, with a short trunk rarely 1° in diameter, spreading branches often armed with stout straight spines up to 1½′ in length, and glabrous purple branchlets, becoming purple-brown and slightly lustrous at the end of their first season, dull red-brown in their second year, and ultimately grayish brown. Winter-buds ovoid or oblong-ovoid, acute, glabrous, dark purple-brown up to ¼′ in length.
Distribution. A common Crab Apple in the valleys of western North Carolina at altitudes of 2000°—3500°; near Biltmore, Buncombe County, Dillsboro, Jackson County, and Highlands, Macon County.
2. [Malus glaucescens] Rehd. Crab Apple.
Leaves triangular-ovate or ovate, acute, short-acuminate or rounded at apex, truncate or rounded at base, those of flowering branchlets more or less lobed and coarsely serrate with abruptly acuminate teeth, their lobes triangular, broad-ovate and abruptly acuminate, those of the lowest pair usually the longest, bronze color and covered with thin floccose tomentum when they unfold, soon glabrous, dull yellowish green above, glaucescent below, 1½′—3½′ long and 1¼′—3′ wide, with 4—7 pairs of prominent primary veins; turning yellow or dark purple and falling early in the autumn; petioles slender, slightly villose at first, soon glabrous, 1½′—3′ in length; stipules filiform, purple, glabrous or slightly villose, about ⅓′ long; leaves at the end of vigorous shoots broad-ovate, acuminate, rounded or slightly cordate at base, often deeply lobed, 3′—3½′ long, 3′ wide, with petioles 1½′—2′ in length. Flowers 1⅓′—1½′ in diameter, on slender glabrous pedicels, ⅘′—1¼′ in length, in usually 5—7-flowered clusters, calyx-tube coated with floccose caducous pubescence or glabrous, slightly shorter than the long-acuminate lobes densely tomentose on the inner surface; petals oval, abruptly contracted below into a long claw, white or rose color, ½′—⅗′ wide; stamens about one third shorter than the petals; styles 5, about as long as the stamens, densely villose below and united at base for about one fourth of their length. Fruit depressed globose, pale yellow when ripe, 1′—1¼′ high, 1¼′—1¾′ in diameter, with a shallow only slightly corrugated cavity at apex and a shallow concave depression at base.
An arborescent shrub or small tree, rarely more than 15° high, often spreading into thickets, with a trunk 4′ or 5′ in diameter, spreading spinescent branches forming an open irregular head, and slender branchlets slightly pubescent at first, soon glabrous, bright red-brown in their first and second years, becoming dark gray-brown and marked by yellow lenticels. Bark dark gray, divided by shallow longitudinal fissures and finally separating into small thin scales.
Distribution. Glades and open woods in rich soil; western New York (Ontario, Munroe, Cattaraugus and Erie Counties) to southern Ontario, western Pennsylvania (near Carnot, Allegheny County); and southeastern and northern Ohio; Tiptop, Tazewell County, Virginia; near Spruce Pine, Mitchell County, North Carolina; slopes of Lookout Mountain, above Valleyhead, DeKalb County, Alabama; apparently most generally distributed and most abundant in Ohio.
3. [Malus coronaria] L. Crab Apple. Garland Tree.
Leaves ovate to oval, rounded, acute or acuminate and often abruptly short-pointed at apex, rounded or cuneate at base, and coarsely serrate usually only above the middle, tinged with red and villose-pubescent when they unfold, soon glabrous, and at maturity yellow-green above, paler below, 2′—3′ long and 1½′ wide, with a prominent midrib and thin inconspicuous primary veins; turning yellow in the autumn before falling; petioles slender, at first puberulous, becoming glabrous, ½′—1′ in length; leaves at the end of vigorous shoots broad-ovate, usually lobed with short acute lobes, more coarsely serrate, thicker, often 3′—4′ long and 2′—3′ wide, with a prominent midrib and primary veins, and stout petioles often tinged with red and 1½′—2′ in length. Flowers 1¼′—1½′ in diameter, on glabrous pedicels ½′—1′ long, in 3—6-flowered clusters; calyx-tube glabrous, or rarely more or less densely villose-pubescent (var. dasycalyx Rehd.), the lobes long-acuminate, longer than the tube, sparingly pubescent on the outer surface, hoary-tomentose on the inner surface; petals oblong-obovate, gradually or abruptly narrowed into a long claw, about ½′ wide; stamens shorter than the petals; styles 5, clothed for half their length with long white hairs and united at the base. Fruit on slender pedicels 1½′—2′ in length, green when fully grown, yellow-green at maturity, ¾′—1′ high and 1′—1¼′ wide.
A tree, often forming dense thickets, 25°—30° high, with a trunk 12′—14′ in diameter, dividing 8°—10° above the ground into several stout spreading branches forming a wide open head, and branchlets hoary-tomentose when they first appear, glabrous or slightly pubescent, bright red-brown and marked by occasional small pale lenticels in their first winter, and developing in their second year stout, spur-like, somewhat spinescent lateral branchlets. Winter-buds obtuse, with bright red scales scarious and ciliate on the dark margins. Bark ⅓′ thick, longitudinally fissured, the outer layer separating into long narrow persistent red-brown scales. Wood heavy, close-grained, not strong, light red, with yellow sapwood of 18—20 layers of annual growth; used for levers, the handles of tools, and many small domestic articles.
Distribution. Western New York to southern Ontario and westward through Ohio, southern Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, and southern Wisconsin to Missouri (Jackson and Butler Counties), and southward through Pennsylvania to northern Delaware, and along the Appalachian Mountains to North Carolina, sometimes up to altitudes of 3300°; the var. dasycalyx common and widely distributed in Ohio (Lorain, Clark, Franklin, Hardin and Lucas Counties, R. E. Horsey), and in Wells and Porter Counties, Indiana (C. C. Deam).
Sometimes planted in the gardens of the northern and eastern states; passing into
Malus coronaria var. elongata Rehd.
Malus elongata Ashe.
Leaves oblong-ovate, gradually narrowed and acuminate at apex, rounded or broad-cuneate at base, incisely serrate or slightly lobed, floccose-tomentose when they unfold, soon glabrous, dark yellow-green above, lighter below, 2′—3½′ long, 1′—1¼′ wide; at the end of vigorous shoots ovate, rounded or broad and cuneate at base, acuminate, lobed with short acuminate lobes, 3½′—4′ long, 2′—2½′ wide, with a prominent midrib and primary veins, and slightly pubescent orange-colored petioles 1′—1½′ in length. Flowers and Fruit as in the species.
A shrub or small tree, sometimes forming dense almost impenetrable thickets.
Distribution. Western New York (Ontario, Cattaraugus and Erie Counties); Virginia (on Peak Mountain, Pulaski County); West Virginia (near Elkins, Randolph County, and White Sulphur Springs, Greenbrier County), and westward to southern Ohio (Oberlin, Lorain County); North Carolina (near Highlands, Macon County); and northeastern Georgia (Rabun County).
4. [Malus platycarpa] Rehd. Crab Apple.
Leaves ovate to elliptic, abruptly contracted at the rounded apex into a short point, rounded at base, and sharply usually doubly serrate, when they unfold covered with long white hairs caducous except from the midrib and at maturity glabrous; dark yellow-green, lustrous, and slightly rugulose on the upper surface, lighter on the lower surface, 2½′—3¼′ long and 1½′—2½′ wide, with 5—7 pairs of prominent primary veins; petioles slender, villose, often becoming nearly glabrous, 1′—1½′ in length; on vigorous shoots often broad-ovate and lobed with short triangular lobes sometimes 4′ long and nearly as wide. Flowers about 1½′ in diameter, on glabrous pedicels 1½′—2½′ long, in 3—6-flowered clusters; calyx-tube glabrous or rarely pubescent (var. Hoopesii Rehd.), the lobes lanceolate, acuminate, longer than the tube, glabrous on the outer surface, densely tomentose on the inner surface; petals orbicular-obovate, usually irregularly incisely dentate and abruptly contracted at base into a short claw, slightly villose on the inner surface near the base, ½′ to nearly 1′ wide; stamens slightly shorter than the petals; styles 5, somewhat shorter than the stamens, villose below the middle and united below for one third their length. Fruit on slender pedicels, 1¼′—1½′ in length, depressed globose with a deep cavity at base and apex, 1½′—1¾′ high and 2′—2½′ wide; seeds oblong-obovoid, about ⅓′ long.
A tree, 18°—20° high, with a trunk 4′ or 5′ in diameter, spreading unarmed branches, and branchlets clothed when they first appear with thin villose tomentum, becoming by the end of their first year glabrous, brown or purple-brown and lustrous, dull brown in their second season, and ultimately grayish brown. Winter-buds ovoid, acute, glabrous except on the villose margins of the purplish brown scales, about ¼′ long.
Distribution. Near Franklin, Macon County, North Carolina; Mercer Springs, Mercer County, West Virginia; near Olympia, Bath County, Kentucky; Youngstown, Mahoning County, Ohio (R. E. Horsey).
5. [Malus lancifolia] Rehd. Crab Apple.
Leaves ovate-lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, acute or short-acuminate at apex, rounded or broad-cuneate at base, finely or coarsely doubly serrate with short or occasionally with larger teeth pointing forward, covered with thin floccose tomentum when they unfold, soon glabrous, bright yellow-green, 1½′—3′ long, ½′—1′ wide, with 8—10 pairs of veins; petioles slender, slightly villose at first, soon glabrous, ½′—1′ in length; leaves on vigorous shoots ovate or oblong-ovate, slightly lobed, more densely pubescent below, 2½′—3¾′ long, 2′—2½′ wide, with a thin midrib and 4—7 pairs of veins slightly villose through the season, and stouter petioles. Flowers 1¼′—1½′ in diameter, in 3—6-flowered clusters, on slender glabrous pedicels about 1¼′ in length; calyx glabrous, the lobes longer than the tube, oblong-lanceolate, glabrous on the outer surface, coated with villose tomentum on the inner surface; petals contracted into a long narrow claw, glabrous, white or rose color, ½′ wide; stamens shorter than the petals; styles 5, densely villose below the middle. Fruit on slender drooping pedicels about 1′ long, subglobose, 1′—1¼′ wide.
A tree, 20°—25° high, with a trunk 12′—15′ in diameter, spreading spinescent branches forming an open pyramidal head, and slender branchlets slightly pubescent or nearly glabrous when they first appear, becoming reddish brown at the end of their first season and ultimately gray-brown. Bark of the trunk brownish gray, divided by shallow longitudinal fissures and separating into thin plates.
Distribution. Northeastern Pennsylvania (Scranton, Lackawanna County) to the western and southwestern parts of the state, and southward to Randolph and Greenbrier Counties, West Virginia, Pulaski County (on Peak Mountain), Virginia, and to the mountains of North Carolina up to altitudes of 3200°, and westward to northeastern Kentucky, through southern Ohio, eastern Indiana (Delaware County) and southern Illinois (Richland, Jackson, Gallatin and Pope Counties); Missouri (Jackson and Wayne Counties).
6. [Malus angustifolia] Michx. Crab Apple.
Leaves elliptic to oblong-obovate, rounded or acute and apiculate at apex, gradually narrowed and cuneate at base, and crenately serrate, hoary-tomentose below and sparingly villose above when they unfold, soon glabrous, or occasionally pubescent on the midrib below, and at maturity subcoriaceous dull green on the upper and light green on the lower surface, 1′—2′ long, ½′—¾′ wide; turning brown in drying; petioles slender, at first villose, soon glabrous, ½′—¾′ in length; stipules linear, rose-colored, ⅓′ long; leaves at the end of vigorous shoots ovate, oblong-ovate or elliptic, usually lobed with numerous short acute lobes, or coarsely serrate, usually rounded at apex, broad-cuneate at base, at maturity glabrous, or slightly floccose-pubescent below, especially on the midrib and veins, 2′—3′ long, 1½′—2′ wide, with stout often rose-colored glabrous or pubescent petioles. Flowers about 1′ in diameter, very fragrant, on slender glabrous or rarely puberulous pedicels, ¾′—1′ long, in mostly 3—5-flowered clusters; calyx-tube short and broad, glabrous, the lobes about as long as the tube, glabrous on the outer surface, thickly covered with hoary tomentum on the inner surface; petals oblong-obovate, gradually narrowed below into a long claw, rose-colored, about ¼′ wide; stamens shorter than the petals; styles 5, united at base, villose below the middle. Fruit depressed-globose, pale yellow-green, ¾′—1′ in diameter.
A tree, rarely 30° high, with a short trunk 8′—10′ in diameter, rigid spreading or rarely slender and pendulous (var. pendula Rehd.) branches forming a broad open head, and young branchlets clothed at first with pale caducous pubescence, soon glabrous, in their first winter brown slightly tinged with red, and in their second year light brown and marked by occasional orange-colored lenticels. Winter-buds 1/16′ long, chestnut-brown, slightly pubescent. Bark ⅜′—¼′ thick, dark reddish brown, and divided by deep longitudinal fissures into narrow ridges broken on the surface into small persistent plate-like scales. Wood heavy, hard, close-grained, light brown tinged with red, with thick yellow sapwood; occasionally employed for levers, the handles of tools and other small objects. The fruit is used for preserves.
Distribution. Southeastern Virginia in the neighborhood of the coast, southward to western Florida, and through southern Alabama and Mississippi to western Louisiana (near Winnfield, Winn County); in the Carolinas and Georgia, ranging inland to the Appalachian foothills and in Mississippi to the neighborhood of Iuka, Tishomingo County in the northeastern corner of the state; in southern Illinois (Pope and Johnson Counties, E. J. Palmer).
7. [Malus bracteata] Rehd.
Leaves elliptic-ovate to oblong-ovate, acute, on flowering branchlets sometimes obtusish at apex, cuneate or rounded at base, serrate or incisely serrate, sometimes slightly lobed near the base, covered below with floccose tomentum when they unfold, soon glabrous, and at maturity thin, bright yellow-green and lustrous above, light green below, 1½′—3′ long, 1′—1¼′ wide; petioles glabrous, reddish like the under side of the midrib, ⅔′—1′ in length; leaves at the end of vigorous shoots ovate, acute, cuneate at base, usually lobed with 4 or 5 pairs of short acute or rounded lobes, more thickly tomentose when they unfold, at maturity thicker, glabrous above, more or less pubescent below, often 3′—3½′ long and 2′—2½′ wide, with a stout midrib and petiole. Flowers 1′—1¼′ in diameter, on slender glabrous or nearly glabrous pedicels, in 3—5-flowered clusters, with subulate bractlets ⅕′—⅛′ long, often persistent until after the flowers open; calyx-tube glabrous, the lobes slightly longer than the tube, villose on the inner surface; petals oval, narrowed into a slender claw, deep pink, 5/12′—½′ wide; stamens about one third shorter than the petals; styles slightly shorter than the stamens, united at base and villose below for a third of their length. Fruit depressed-globose, with a shallow basal cavity and a shallow slightly corrugated cavity at apex, slightly viscid, ⅘′—1′ high and 1′—1¼′ wide.
A tree, 15°—30° high, with a trunk up to 6′ or 7′ in diameter, thick branches forming a broad often symmetrical head, and stout branchlets red and glabrous when they first appear, becoming reddish brown and lustrous at the end of their first season, and dull red-brown and armed with occasional stout spines or unarmed the following year, the vigorous shoots more or less pubescent early in the season, becoming glabrous, or often densely pubescent until autumn. Winter-buds red-brown, glabrous, or slightly pubescent. Bark dark brown and broken into thin closely appressed scales.
Distribution. Missouri (Allenton, St. Louis County, and Campbell, Dunklin County); northern Kentucky (Fordsville, Ohio County); Tennessee, without locality; North Carolina (Biltmore, Buncombe County, near Highlands, Macon County, up to altitudes of 3500°, and Abbottsburg, Bladen County); Georgia (Dillard, Rabun County, near Augusta, Richmond County); Florida (River Junction, Gadsden County).
8. [Malus ioensis] Britt. Crab Apple.
Leaves elliptic to ovate or oblong-obovate, acute, acuminate or rounded at apex, cuneate or rounded at the narrow base, crenately serrate, and often slightly lobed with acute or rounded lobes, hoary-tomentose below and floccose-pubescent above when they unfold, and at maturity thick and firm, dark green, lustrous and glabrous above, pale yellow-green and tomentose or nearly glabrous below, 2½′—4′ long, 1′—1½′ wide, with a slender midrib and primary veins; turning yellow in the autumn before falling; petioles slender, hoary-tomentose in early spring, becoming pubescent or nearly glabrous, ¾′—1′ in length; leaves at the end of vigorous shoots broad-ovate to oblong-ovate, acute, rounded at the broad or narrow base, often deeply lobed, covered below through the season with floccose easily detached tomentum, often 4′ or 5′ long and 3′ or 4′ wide, with a thick midrib and primary veins, and stout hoary-tomentose petioles ¾′—1′ in length. Flowers 1½′—2′ in diameter, on villose pubescent pedicels 1′—1½′ long, in 3—6-flowered clusters; calyx covered with hoary tomentum, the lobes narrow, rather longer than the tube; petals obovate, gradually narrowed below into a long slender claw, rose color or white, about ½′ wide; stamens shorter than the petals; styles 5, united at base, covered below for a third of their length with long white hairs. Fruit on stout tomentose or villose stems 1′—1½′ long, depressed globose, with shallow basal and apical depressions, green or greenish yellow, ¾′—1′ high, and 1′—1¼′ wide.
A tree, 20°—30° high, with a trunk 12′—18′ in diameter, stout spreading branches forming a wide open head, and branchlets hoary-tomentose when they first appear, glabrous or slightly pubescent, bright red-brown and marked by occasional small pale lenticels in their first winter, the lateral branchlets usually spinescent. Winter-buds minute, obtuse, pubescent above the middle. Bark ⅓′ thick, covered with long narrow persistent red-brown scales.
Distribution. Southeastern Minnesota to Iowa, eastern Nebraska, and Missouri, and through southern Wisconsin and Illinois to Huntington County, Indiana. Passing into var. Palmeri Rehd., differing from the type in its smaller oblong more thinly pubescent leaves usually rounded at apex, those of the flowering branchlets crenately serrate and not lobed; a small tree rarely more than 15° high, with a slender stem, spiny zigzag branches and stout branchlets densely tomentose when they first appear, becoming glabrous or nearly glabrous and reddish or gray-brown at the end of their first season; the common form in Missouri, Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma. On the Edwards Plateau, in western Texas (Blanco, Kendall, and Kerr Counties) M. ioensis is represented by the var. texana Rehd., differing in its smaller and broader leaves only slightly or not at all lobed and densely villose through the season; usually an intricately branched shrub forming large dense thickets. A shrub from Campbell, Dunklin County, southeastern Missouri, with small leaves and flowers, a glabrescent calyx, and long slender flexible branches armed with numerous long straight spines is distinguished as var. spinosa Rehd. A variety with elliptic-ovate to oblong-ovate leaves rounded or broadly cuneate at base, nearly entire or crenately serrate, pubescent below at least on the veins, with densely villose petioles is distinguished as var. creniserrata Rehd.; a small tree with slender spineless branchlets villose while young; near Pineville, Rapides Parish, and Crowly, Arcadia Parish, western Louisiana. A variety with less deeply lobed glabrescent oblong-lanceolate leaves is distinguished as var. Bushii Rehd.; Williamsville, Wayne County, and Monteer, Shannon County, southern Missouri.
Malus ioensis var. plena Rehd., the Bechtel Crab, a form with large rose-colored double flowers is a favorite garden plant.
× Malus Soulardii Britt. with ovate, elliptic or obovate usually obtuse leaves, rugose and tomentose on the lower surface, and depressed-globose fruit 2′—2½′ in diameter, is believed to be a hybrid of Malus ioensis and Malus pumila.
9. [Malus fusca] Schn. Crab Apple.
Malus rivularis Roem.
Leaves ovate to elliptic or lanceolate, acute or acuminate, cuneate or rounded at base, sharply serrate with appressed glandular teeth, and often slightly 3-lobed, when they unfold pubescent on the lower and puberulous on the upper surface, at maturity thick and firm, dark green and glabrous above, pale and pubescent or glabrous below, 1′—4′ long, ½′—1½′ wide, with a prominent midrib and primary veins and conspicuous reticulate veinlets; before falling in the autumn turning bright orange and scarlet; petioles stout, rigid, pubescent, 1′—1½′ in length; stipules narrowly lanceolate, acute, ½′—¾′ long; leaves at the end of vigorous shoots ovate to obovate, acuminate, often 3-lobed above the middle, rounded or cuneate at base, 2½′—3½′ long and wide, with petioles often 2′ in length. Flowers ¾′ in diameter on slender pubescent or glabrous pedicels, ½′—¾′ long, in short many-flowered clusters; calyx-tube deciduous from the mature fruit, glabrous, puberulous or tomentose, the lobes rather longer than the tube, minutely apiculate, glabrous or tomentose, hoary-tomentose on the inner surface; petals orbicular to obovate, erose or undulate on the margins, abruptly contracted into a short claw, ¼′ wide, white or rose color; styles 2—4, glabrous. Fruit obovoid-oblong, ½′—¾′ long, yellow-green, light yellow flushed with red or sometimes nearly red; flesh thin and dry.
A tree, 30°—40° high, with a trunk 12′—18′ in diameter, and slender branchlets coated at first with long pale hairs soon deciduous or persistent until the autumn, becoming bright red and lustrous, and later dark brown, and marked by minute remote pale lenticels; often a shrub with numerous slender stems. Winter-buds 1/16′ long, chestnut-brown, the inner scales at maturity lanceolate, usually bright red, and nearly ½′ in length. Bark ¼′ thick, and covered by large thin loose light red-brown plate-like scales. Wood heavy, hard, close-grained, light brown tinged with red, with lighter colored sapwood of 20—30 layers of annual growth; used for mallets, mauls, the handles of tools, and the bearings of machinery. The fruit has a pleasant subacid flavor.
Distribution. Deep rich soil in the neighborhood of streams, often forming almost impenetrable thickets of considerable extent; Aleutian Islands southward along the coast and islands of Alaska and British Columbia to Sonoma and Plumas Counties, California; of its largest size in the valleys of western Washington and Oregon.
Occasionally cultivated as an ornamental plant in the eastern states, and in western Europe.
× Malus Dawsoniana Rehd., a hybrid of Malus fusca and a form of M. pumila, has been raised at the Arnold Arboretum from seeds collected in Oregon.