Evaluation of the Crabapple (Malus) Collection and Assessment of the Crabapple Slope

This project began in response to space on the slope for more crabapple trees and a need to evaluate the current crabapple collection. As such, this project examined the collection as a whole with special attention to the slope. The Morris Arboretum had 48 crabapple trees as of 2018. The vast majority were planted in two locations: the slope by the rose garden and on the farm between the community garden and the executive director’s residence. The initial examination of the collection showed only two native crabapple specimens (Malus coronaria) both with a provenance of Maryland. Propagation of a tree with more local provenance was done to improve and expand the Malus collection. The four parts to this project included development and implementation of evaluation criteria, soil testing of the slope, recommendations of crabapple cultivars to fill empty spaces on the slope, and propagation of a native crabapple (Malus coronaria) with local provenance