Crab apples are the tiny, sour cousins of the apples we eat and enjoy on a regular basis. While not as sweet or large as supermarket apples, they have their own unique appeal. Crab apples grow on small flowering trees known as crab apple trees. These trees are common in many backyards and parks. Their pretty blossoms and small fruits can leave people wondering what exactly do crab apples look like?
In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about identifying crab apples, including:
- Size and appearance
- Color variety
- How to tell when they’re ripe
- Differences from regular apples
Crab Apples are Extremely Small
The most identifying characteristic of crab apples is their petite size. They are considerably smaller than regular apples, with diameters of 2 inches or less In fact, crab apples can be as tiny as 1⁄2 inch across! This gives them an appearance similar to large cherries on the tree
Some people mistake them for berries at first glance. But upon closer inspection, their apple-like shape gives away their identity While regular apples can grow over 3 inches wide, you’ll never find a crab apple even approaching that size.
A Range of Colors
Crab apples display a wide variety of colors unlike regular apples which most often appear red green or yellow. Some of the most common crab apple colors include
- Bright red
- Golden yellow
- Pale green
- Orange-red
- Purple-red
Multi-colored crab apples are also common displaying red yellow, orange and green all on the same fruit. The colors can be solid, streaked, or mottled.
Popular varieties like ‘Brandywine’ and ‘Red Sentinel’ are prized for their vivid red color. ‘Golden Hornet’ and ‘Sugar Tyme’ showcase sunny yellows. To identify a crab apple, look for any of these colors in a tiny fruit.
Ripe When Soft and Squishy
Determining ripeness in a crab apple is the same as with regular apples. A ripe crab apple will feel slightly soft and squishy when squeezed gently. Under-ripe crab apples will be hard as a rock.
The seeds inside a ripe crab apple will appear brown rather than white or green. And the taste will be lightly sweet-tart instead of bitter and astringent.
Look for crab apples that have fallen to the ground below the tree. These are often perfectly ripe and ready to use. Just cut them open and inspect the seeds first.
Miniature Versions of Apples
Although tiny in size, crab apples closely resemble regular apples in shape. They have a rounded, plump base that tapers slightly at the bottom. The top often has a faint depression. Though dwarfed in size, the overall form clearly mirrors that of full size apples.
So if you come across a tree filled with cherry-sized fruits that are shaped like apples, chances are you’ve encountered crab apples. Always check the size and form together when identifying these miniature versions of regular apples.
Other Key Differences From Apples
Beyond the obvious size difference, there are a few other ways that crab apples differ from the apples we eat:
-
Flavor – Crab apples are extremely tart and sour. Only the sweetest varieties are palatable raw. Regular apples are sweet and juicy.
-
Seeds – Crab apples often have more abundant, larger seeds. The core takes up more space in these small fruits.
-
Flesh – Crab apple flesh is much firmer and denser than apples. When cooked, they keep their shape rather than breaking down.
-
Trees – Crab apple trees are much smaller, topping out around 20 feet maximum. Apple trees can grow over 30 feet tall.
Crab Apple Trees
Crab apples are native to Europe and Turkey, but have been introduced in north-east Australia and southern Argentina.
The crab apple tree grows up to 12m/40ft tall with simple, serrated leaves and red or yellow fruits (around 2–3cm/1in across) with one to two small seeds in the centre.
Crab apple trees can live up to 100 years old. Occasionally you may find a truly wild one in a woodland, but many cultivated varieties appear in gardens or on tree-lined streets, where their tiny apples roll across the pavement. These types are equally delicious – just not as sharp as the original, wild crab apple.
When and Where to Pick Crab Apples
Crab apples are ready to pick in early to late autumn and grow in mature woodlands, hedgerows, wastelands, scrublands, grass verges, gardens and urban streets.
To pick crab apples, twist the stem: if they come away easily, they are ripe.
Best Crab Apple Recipes
Crab apples are packed with antioxidants, vitamins and fibre. Discover what you can do with them in these delicious recipes:
Crab Apple Jelly
Traditional British jellies and jams are often high in refined sugar, but this crab apple jelly recipe uses 20% less sugar and only unrefined golden rather than refined white. It has a fantastic flavour, texture and colour and is really very simple to make.
Spiced Crab Apple and Rowanberry Leathers
This simple recipe for homemade spiced crab-apple and rowanberry leather makes an excellent hiking snack.
Crab Apple Identification Guide
Here are the key things to look for when identifying crab apples:
-
Size – Extremely small, around 1⁄2 – 2 inches diameter
-
Shape – Rounded, apple-like shape
-
Color – Range from yellow, red, orange, green, purple
-
Flesh – Dense, firm flesh
-
Flavor – Very tart, sour
-
Seeds – Few large seeds in core
-
Trees – Smaller than apple trees, around 10-20 feet tall
Crab Apples: Small But Mighty
But a resourceful person who finds a tree bearing crab apples that are larger and juicier will, come fall, never be bored. Hours and hours of picking and goofy kitchen experimentation await.
Crab apples are technically called such because of their size—small—and not their cultivar, since no two apple seeds are genetically alike. Think of them as their own fruit for culinary reasons, since you can’t use crab apples exactly as you would larger, more familiar apples.
When & Where to Find Crab Apples
Sometimes I see them when I’m lost in thickets of trees on properties that have reverted to wild conditions, like mystery trees. Are they truly wild, or were they once in front of a house demolished long ago? Mulling it over is part of the fun.
For an amazing week or two in the spring, crab apples dazzle us with showy white or pink blossoms, and then set about making a fruit that goes generally unloved. There are hundreds of varieties of crab apples, and many of them are useless in culinary terms—tiny, hard as pellets, and unrelentingly tannic.
What Does A Crabapple Tree Look Like? – The Plant Enthusiast
FAQ
Is it safe to eat a crab apple?
Yes, crab apples are edible, though they are generally more tart than regular apples and often preferred for cooking, especially in jams and jellies.
How can you tell if an apple is a crab apple?
Crab apple fruits are very small and normally green, ripening to yellow. They are less than 3.5cm in diameter and have a long stalk. It is by the fruit that you can best identify a crab apple – in fact, they are almost like cherries in shape and size. They are very sour to the taste.
Are there crab apple look alikes?
Look Alikes
Crab apples are most likely to be confused with other members of the rose family, notably wild plums (Prunus spp.)
What month are crab apples ripe?
Crabapples ripen in late summer through fall.