Chinese crab apple
Malus hupehensis (Pamp.) Rehder
Malus hupehensis, known as the Chinese crab apple, is a species of flowering plant in the Rosaceae family. It is a small tree or shrub reaching up to 8 m in height, with oval to ovate leaves and white to red flowers. The fruit is a small, subglobose pome, typically yellow to red in color. It is distributed across several regions including China, Japan, and parts of North America. Chromosome numbers include 2n = 34, 51, and 68. Flowers appear from April to May, with mature fruits from August to September. It grows in forested areas on slopes or in valleys, at elevations between 50 and 2600 m.
Description
Malus hupehensis is native to regions such as China North-Central, China South-Central, and China Southeast, as well as parts of North America and Europe. The species was first described as Pyrus hupehensis by Pamp., later reclassified as Malus hupehensis by Rehder in 1933. The plant has terete branches that are densely pubescent when young and glabrescent with age. Leaves are petiolate, with a cuneate to oblique base and acuminate apex. The inflorescence is umbellate, with 3 to 6 white to red flowers. The pome is small, subglobose, and ranges in color from yellow to red. The species is found in seasonally green, terrestrial habitats.
Other common names
Chinese crab appleflowering tea crabappletea crab appletea crabappleHupeh Crab AppleHupeh crabHupeh's CrabHupeh Crabapple
Distribution
TW · North America · Southern Asia · GB · IT · Global · conterminous 48 United States · DK · China North-Central · China South-Central · China Southeast · Illinois · Japan · New York · Taiwan · Washington
Synonyms
Malus theiferaMalus domestica var. hupehensisPyrus theiferaMalus theifera f. roseaPyrus theifera var. roseaPyrus hupehensisMalus theifera var. roseaMalus hupehensis var. taiensisMalus hupehensis var. menshanensisSinomalus hupehensisMalus hupehensis var. pinyiensisMalus hupehensis var. shizongensisMalus hupehensis var. taishanensisMalus hupehensis f. rosea
