Applecrab Trees
An applecrab is a cross between an apple and a crabapple, with fruit usually about 1 to 2 inches across, and most are hardy to zone 2 or colder. Kerr applecrab is the classic example: Dolgo crab crossed with Haralson apple by W. L. Kerr at the Morden station in Manitoba, crossed in 1938 and introduced in 1952, and rated zone 2.
Applecrabs are great for eating and even better for cider. Kerr runs 15 to 18 Brix with 6 to 10 g/L acid (USask) and makes a pink to rosé juice; it's the base of our rosé crab cider blend, which opens in the hard cider calculator with the trees it takes. Chestnut applecrab, a University of Minnesota release from 1946, averaged 18.7 Brix at USDA Geneva, one of the sweetest juices of any crab. Trailman applecrab came out of Morden in 1973 (Trail x Osman) and is rated zone 1 by USask. Centennial applecrab (University of Minnesota, 1957) reached 19 Brix on farm in Vermont. Deer love all of them, so cage or fence young trees.
See which crabapples to press, our video on applecrabs, all our edible crabapples and fruit for hard cider.
More about applecrab trees
Some people get really butt hurt with the usage of the term “applecrab.” But the bottom line is this: pure crabapples tend not to have the same size and flavor profile as when they are crossed with a domesticated apple—hence applecrab (domesticated apple × crabapple). Further, it’s important to know from a hardiness standpoint that crabapple was recently part of its genetic pedigree. For instance, when the recent parentage includes, say, ‘Siberian’ Crabapple or ‘Dolgo’ Crabapple, we know those trees will be tough—both can survive down to –50°F or more. However, neither of those fruits get overly large and they tend to be quite acidic.
My theory is that the reason applecrabs taste so good is because crabapples have a ton of flavors. However, those flavors are often overshadowed by tannins, bitters, and acidity. When crossed with a fairly large-fruited and sweeter domesticated apple, not only is the fruit larger than a crabapple, but the apple parent can bring out some of the best qualities of the crabapple parent.
What you get is a beautiful, plum-sized (1.5"–2.5") fruit with exceptional flavor from an extremely tough tree. I often joke that if someone were to blindfold me and give me a Kerr applecrab, if the texture were only slightly different and I had to guess what kind of fruit it was, I would guess something from the tropics. You get pineapple, mango, and other tropical fruit flavors all wrapped in one (not to mention lavender and other floral notes).
Herein lies the power of applecrabs: bite-sized, extremely hardy, and most importantly, exceptionally flavored.
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