Tea Crabapple is a densely flowering, deciduous large shrub or tree in the Rose family, with a mature height and spread of 25 feet, and a native of China and Japan. The tree has a broad vase-shaped, arching form, casts light shade, and is considered picturesque. It is a vigorous, branching tree that tolerates strong winds and can be used as a windbreak. The pink buds opening into white flowers blossoming in spring are fragrant and the cherry-sized fruit, while tending sour, is a good wildlife food source. Tea Crabapple does best in full sun to light shade, moist, well-drained loam, clay, or sandy soil. It will tolerate heavy clay and drought. However, it is not tolerant of air pollution and is frequently damaged by deer. It will produce more fruit if sited in full sun than in partial shade. The tree can be pruned, but that is best avoided if you want a wide, elegant branching structure. Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: This plant has good disease resistance, but can be susceptible to fire blight and honey fungus. Aphids and spider mites can also be a problem. More information on Malus .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Fills a similar nicheMalus domestica 'Gala'Malus domestica 'Ginger Gold'Pseudocydonia sinensis
Full plant profile
Growing Conditions
Plant type
Edible; Shrub; Tree
Life cycle
Perennial; Woody
USDA zones
4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day) | Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
24-60 feet
Mature size
Height: 20 ft. 0 in. - 25 ft. 0 in. | Width: 20 ft. 0 in. - 25 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Canopy layer
2 - Understory (15-40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Arching; Broad; Spreading; Vase
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Purple/Lavender
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf shape
Elliptical; Ovate
Leaf margin
Dentate
Leaf value
Showy
Leaf size
3-6 inches long
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Dark, unlobed leaves are 2-4 inches. They are purplish when young: they have a yellow and copper fall color. Small, sparse hairs when young.
Fall color
Brown/Copper; Gold/Yellow
Flower color
Pink; White
Flower value
Fragrant
Flower form
Solitary
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
This plant has deep pink buds opening to fragrant , 1 inch, white flowers throughout the spring. Flowers fall before fruit is ripe. Petals are pink in bud, opening white.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Gold/Yellow; Green; Red/Burgundy
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
This plant has abundant 0.4 inch greenish-yellow to red fruit in fall. The seed is apomictic (no sexual fusion, thus the seedlings are clones of the parent) and breed true to type.
Stem color
Green; Purple/Lavender
Stem detail
Branches initially dark green, aging purple or purplish brown, finely hairy when young.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
China, Korea, and Japan
Distribution
Introduced to Ontario, the United States (Virginia north to New York), Oregon and Washington state, Germany and the Baltic.
Attracts
Small Mammals
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Leaves; Flowers; Seeds
Harvest time
Fall
Edibility
The fruit is edible, raw or cooked, with a sour taste, but the seeds can be toxic and should be removed. The leaves are a tea substitute in China. Flowers are edible in moderation but do not eat many as their flowers contain cyanide precursors.
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Lawn
Landscape theme
Cottage Garden; Edible Garden
Design feature
Border; Flowering Tree; Specimen
Garden tags
#deciduous #pink flowers #white flowers #yellow leaves #purple leaves #copper leaves #fall color yellow #fall interest #flowering tree #wind tolerant #ornamental tree #edible fruits #windbreak #tree #large shrub #th-taste #th-wildlife