Plant Details

Malus sylvestris

Crab Apple, European crab apple

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Common names

37 names · 27 languages
EnglishYour language
  • Crab Apple[1]
  • European crab apple[1]
  • European Wild Apple[1]
Other languages (26)
Dutch
French
  • Boquettier[1]
  • Pommier des bois[1]
  • Pommier sauvage[1]
Afrikaans
Bulgarian
  • Киселица[1]
Catalan
  • Pomera silvestre[1]
Chinese (Simplified)
  • 欧洲野苹果[1]
Chinese (Traditional)
  • 歐洲野蘋果[1]
Croatian
  • Divlja jabuka[1]
  • Šumska jabuka[1]
Czech
  • jabloň lesní[1]
Danish
  • Skov-æble[1]
Estonian
  • mets-õunapuu[1]
Finnish
  • metsäomenapuu[1]
German
  • Europäischer Wildapfel[1]
  • Holzapfel[1]
  • Krabapfel[1]
Hungarian
  • közönséges vadalma[1]
  • Vadalma[1]
Italian
  • Melo selvatico[1]
Lithuanian
  • Miškinė obelis[1]
Norwegian
Polish
  • Jabłoń dzika[1]
Portuguese
  • Macieira-brava[1]
Russian
  • Яблоня лесная[1]
Slovak
  • jabloň planá[1]
Slovenian
Spanish
Swedish
Turkish
  • Yabani Avrupa Elması[1]
  • Yabani Elma[1]
Ukrainian
  • Яблуня лісова[1]
Sources & name notes (1)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Malus sylvestris — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • European Wild Apple — results[1].names[1]; taxon id 61223; Malus sylvestris.
  • Crab Apple — results[1].names[2]; taxon id 61223; Malus sylvestris.
  • Macieira-brava — results[1].names[3]; taxon id 61223; Malus sylvestris.
  • Manzana — results[1].names[4]; taxon id 61223; Malus sylvestris.
  • Melo selvatico — results[1].names[5]; taxon id 61223; Malus sylvestris.
  • Pommier des bois — results[1].names[6]; taxon id 61223; Malus sylvestris.
  • Boquettier — results[1].names[7]; taxon id 61223; Malus sylvestris.
  • Pommier sauvage — results[1].names[8]; taxon id 61223; Malus sylvestris.
  • Pomera silvestre — results[1].names[9]; taxon id 61223; Malus sylvestris.
  • jabloň lesní — results[1].names[10]; taxon id 61223; Malus sylvestris.
  • Vildapel — results[1].names[11]; taxon id 61223; Malus sylvestris.
  • Skov-æble — results[1].names[12]; taxon id 61223; Malus sylvestris.
  • Appel — results[1].names[13]; taxon id 61223; Malus sylvestris.
  • mets-õunapuu — results[1].names[14]; taxon id 61223; Malus sylvestris.
  • Яблоня лесная — results[1].names[15]; taxon id 61223; Malus sylvestris.
  • villeple — results[1].names[16]; taxon id 61223; Malus sylvestris.
  • metsäomenapuu — results[1].names[17]; taxon id 61223; Malus sylvestris.
  • Jabłoń dzika — results[1].names[18]; taxon id 61223; Malus sylvestris.
  • Miškinė obelis — results[1].names[19]; taxon id 61223; Malus sylvestris.
  • jabloň planá — results[1].names[20]; taxon id 61223; Malus sylvestris.
  • 欧洲野苹果 — results[1].names[21]; taxon id 61223; Malus sylvestris.
  • 歐洲野蘋果 — results[1].names[22]; taxon id 61223; Malus sylvestris.
  • European crab apple — results[1].names[23]; taxon id 61223; Malus sylvestris.
  • Wilde Appel — results[1].names[24]; taxon id 61223; Malus sylvestris.
  • Киселица — results[1].names[25]; taxon id 61223; Malus sylvestris.
  • Appel — results[1].names[26]; taxon id 61223; Malus sylvestris.
  • lesnika — results[1].names[27]; taxon id 61223; Malus sylvestris.
  • Яблуня лісова — results[1].names[28]; taxon id 61223; Malus sylvestris.
  • Vadalma — results[1].names[29]; taxon id 61223; Malus sylvestris.
  • közönséges vadalma — results[1].names[30]; taxon id 61223; Malus sylvestris.
  • Šumska jabuka — results[1].names[31]; taxon id 61223; Malus sylvestris.
  • Divlja jabuka — results[1].names[32]; taxon id 61223; Malus sylvestris.
  • Yabani Avrupa Elması — results[1].names[33]; taxon id 61223; Malus sylvestris.
  • Holzapfel — results[1].names[34]; taxon id 61223; Malus sylvestris.
  • Europäischer Wildapfel — results[1].names[35]; taxon id 61223; Malus sylvestris.
  • Krabapfel — results[1].names[36]; taxon id 61223; Malus sylvestris.
  • Yabani Elma — results[1].names[37]; taxon id 61223; Malus sylvestris.

General information

Scientific name: Malus sylvestris
Accepted name (Kew): Malus sylvestris (L.) Mill. View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited Kew taxonomic treatment.

Sources [4]
Botanical family: Rosaceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Malus (WCVP v16).

Sources [4]
Also known as: Crab Apple, European crab apple
Images: Google Images

Plant characteristics

Layer: Fruit tree
Catalogue size class: Small, Medium
Height: 8–12 m

RHS ultimate size range in UK growing conditions; cultivar, rootstock and pruning affect size.

Sources [1]
Spread: 4–8 m

RHS ultimate size range in UK growing conditions; cultivar, rootstock and pruning affect size.

Sources [1]
Growth rate: Moderate
Foliage: Deciduous
Sources [1]

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 4-8
Soil moisture:
Moist, Well-drained

Preferred growing conditions. Moisture and drainage are different properties; well-drained soil is not necessarily dry.

Sources [1]
Soil:
Sand (light) Loam (medium) Clay (heavy)
pH:
Acidic Neutral Alkaline
Light:
Partial shade, Full sun

Uses

Edible parts:
Fruit, Oil, Pectin, Tea
Edibility rating:
(3)
Medicinal rating:
(2)
Functions:
Dye, Oil, Pectin, Bee forage

Description

Malus sylvestris is a deciduous tree with a rounded crown. Its small fruits are commonly cooked into jelly, and their pectin helps preserves set. Remove the seeds before eating the fruit.

Sources [1] [2] [3]

Harvest

Harvest starts: 15/09
Harvest ends: 31/10

Crown

Crown shape: Rounded

Typical tree form described by the RHS.

Sources [1]
Crown density: Dense crown

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Royal Horticultural Society Malus sylvestris | crab apple
    Supports: DescriptionSoil moistureHeightSpreadFoliageCrown shape
    Relevant sections
    • Description: Description; Foliage; Cultivation; Potentially harmful, where applicable
    • Soil moisture: Growing conditions: Moisture; Cultivation
    • Height: Size > Max Height
    • Spread: Size > Max Spread
    • Foliage: Botanical details > Foliage
    • Crown shape: Description: tree crown

    Source checked on .

  2. Woodland Trust Crab apple (Malus sylvestris)
    Supports: Description
    Relevant sections
    • Description: Species description and Uses section

    Source checked on .

  3. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Crab apple — Grow Wild
    Supports: Description
    Relevant sections
    • Description: Crab apple description; culinary uses and pectin

    Source checked on .

  4. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: Botanical familyTaxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 282839; name ID 2950387; Malus Mill.. Family column.
    • Taxonomy: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 1437039; name ID 2951044; Malus sylvestris (L.) Mill..

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.