The crabapple fruit is not an important crop. The plants are grown primarily as ornamentals, although a few growers produce the fruit commercially. The fruit is preserved or pickled or it is used in making jellies. Most crabapples are grown for their ornamental value, and cultivars are chosen because of their beautiful flowers, foliage, or fruit. The general appearance is similar to a small bearing apple tree. Culture is also similar to the culture of apple trees.
The flower is similar to that of the apple. Nectar secretion and pollen production has not been studied in detail. Bees freely visit the flowers, for both nectar and pollen. Like the apple, the crabapple appears to require cross-pollination between cultivars by insects. All native crabapples are self-sterile. Self-pollination is impossible and that pollinating insects are absolutely needed. Little is known about which insect pollinators are of most value to crabapples. Considering that the only difference between the crabapple and the apple is fruit size, it seems reasonable that the most effective pollinator of apples, the honey bee, should be equally effective on the crabapple.
Crabapple fruit is extremely sour and woody and it cannot be eaten raw for this reason. However if crabapples are stewed and the pulp is carefully strained and mixed with an equal volume of sugar then boiled, their juice can be made into a delicious ruby-coloured crabapple jelly.
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