Tree of Merit
Southern Crabapple (Malus angustifolia)
By Christiean Todd Smith,
Owner of Urban Green Assets LLC
and PhD Candidate at Southern
University and A&M College,
Department of Urban Forestry,
Environment, and Natural Resources
urban-forestry.com 39
Height: 20–30 feet (6–9 m)
Spread: 10–15 feet (3–4.5 m)
Malus angustifolia, popularly
known as the Southern crabapple,
is a gorgeous deciduous tree
in the rose family. This species
is esteemed for planting in
cities because of its capacity to
flourish in a wide range of soils,
even ones with poor drainage
or severe compaction. It is also
notably drought tolerant. I have
a special connection with the
Southern crabapple because I
had the opportunity to use it for
my thesis research, titled Effects
of Flooding, Elevated CO2 Level,
and Light Intensity on Southern
Crabapple (Malus angustifolia).
The Southern crabapple is native
to parts of the southeast and
Midwest U.S. but can be used
much further afield. Its reported
cold hardiness varies consider-
ably, perhaps because of species
variability and interbreeding
with other species of Malus;
NC State Extension reports
that Southern crabapple is cold
hardy to Zone 4a. It can grow
in full sun to light shade. The
overall habit tends to toward an
attractive spherical shape. >>
(left) Approximate native
range of Malus angustifolia.
U.S. Geological Survey, Public
domain, via Wikimedia Commons
(below) Southern crabapple
habit. Photo by Famartin, CC BY-
SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
