Prairie Fire Crabapple

[Poink88]

I recently purchased a Prarie Fire crabapplle and need some input.

It is a 3 gallon nursery plant...nice nebari but it is grafted but I think I can work it. It has 2 fruits and some flowers and is the main reason why it wasn't chopped yet.

Questions,
1. Do they make good bonsai? I didn't see much at Google images.
2. Can I chop now or need to wait? It looks like it is not yet too late since I only saw one branch that grew...the rest looks still last years foliage.
3. How well do cuttings take?
4. Do they backbud well?
5. Can they take TX full sun?

Thanks for any input!

 

[catfish chapstick]

1. yes
2. yes imo
3. softwood cuttings mainly I believe
4. yes
5. I have no idea but I expect yes if it gets enough water

how about a picture?

 

[Poink88]

how about a picture?

I'll post some tonight. Thanks!

 

[coh]

I haven't taken cuttings from any of my crabapples, but have found they layer reasonably well. As for prairiefire...is that the variety that has reddish/purplish leaves all summer? We have one of these varieties in our yard...can't remember if it's prairiefire or one of the similar varieties. Whatever it is, the only problem (to my eye) is that the flowers are somewhat "ragged" looking close-up. They look great in masses from a distance. Personally, I prefer the white flowered varieties like Mary Potter (photo below)...the flowers just look cleaner to me, but that's personal preference.

Chris

 

[Poink88]

I haven't taken cuttings from any of my crabapples, but have found they layer reasonably well. As for prairiefire...is that the variety that has reddish/purplish leaves all summer? We have one of these varieties in our yard...can't remember if it's prairiefire or one of the similar varieties. Whatever it is, the only problem (to my eye) is that the flowers are somewhat "ragged" looking close-up. They look great in masses from a distance. Personally, I prefer the white flowered varieties like Mary Potter (photo below)...the flowers just look cleaner to me, but that's personal preference.

Chris

View attachment 35682

Chris,

Yes. Here are pics from Google...
https://www.google.com/search?q=cra...uk8QSazoHIBA&ved=0CAoQ_AUoAQ&biw=1280&bih=843

I agree, it's flower is not the best but it has small fruit that I really like. I don't have much choice so I grabbed it.

My other crabapple produces cuttings easily but not sure about this one. Don't want to put time layering, I would rather have the tree concentrate it's energy building the new lower canopy.

 

[davetree]

Prairie Fire is a good looking tree with red leaves and small apples that stay on a long time. Had one as a tree, not a bonsai. I assumed it was a northern variety because we see it up here a lot. I know it is used for bonsai though.

 

[coh]

The flowers on that google link look much nicer than the ones on my tree...which I think may be "Profusion", as the petals are thinner and the overall flower is more ragged looking. Unfortunately I seem to have lost the tag/label. The leaves start out quite red but are already turning to a dark/bronzy/maroonish green. The fruits are red.

Dario, if you're willing to take/wait for cuttings, you might want to check out the varieties available from Brent at evergreen gardenworks. He's got LOTS of varieties, already rooted for you! I've had good luck with his plants (the photo I posted is from one of his trees that I have in my grow bed).

Chris

 

[Poink88]

Dario, if you're willing to take/wait for cuttings, you might want to check out the varieties available from Brent at evergreen gardenworks.

Chris, I already bought the tree...just checking before I chop the heck out of it LOL.

 

[coh]

Chris, I already bought the tree...just checking before I chop the heck out of it LOL.

Oh, I know...I just figured if you were taking cuttings and therefore willing to wait/develop those cuttings (in addition to the "mother" tree), you might want to pick up a few different crabapple varieties...you know, because we can never have enough trees...

 

[Poink88]

...you know, because we can never have enough trees...

True and not (sadly) . My small yard (19' x 19') is bursting at the seams now and the trees are not yet fully grown. Compounding my problem is most of the branches that I am sticking on random pots usually take. I need to donate some of them to our club soon...maybe even sell some trees on eBay to free up space.

It was so bad that when our sprinkler system had a problem...I didn't have a place to move my plants. Some stayed in standing water for 2 weeks. I lost several cuttings due to that "incident".

 

[Stan Kengai]

Dario, a problem you might run into is that most crabs need about 1000 hours of chill time (<40 degrees) in the winter to bloom properly. If the plant you just bought is still blooming it's either from somewhere in the north (recently shipped) or it's already feeling the effects of insufficient winter chill.

As far as this variety goes, I am hoping it makes a good bonsai as I currently have a few in the ground. Characteristics seem right for bonsai, but I don't have any personal experience, yet.

It is way too late to do a trunk chop, unless you're chopping to grow the apex. Crabs will use almost all of their energy for the spring flush, and if chopped at this time will only grow marginally. Sometimes they will do little more than issue some new buds, especially if you remove most or all of the foliage. You'd be better off waiting until next spring to chop.

 

[Poink88]

Thanks Stan.

From what I was told, this crab has been with the nursery for several years. It looks like it didn't send out new leaves yet and as I mentioned...only one branch have new leaves (which is odd). The rest looks old and much smaller (like very late summer growth). I will check better before chopping and if you are right, I'll wait for next year.

 

[Poink88]

Pics as promised

View attachment 35733 View attachment 35734 View attachment 35735

 

[Poink88]

In a way, I am glad that I did not chop this tree. It is blooming like crazy now and it seems it just started leafing also (very late). I will airlayer some branches next month.