Wickson Crab crab apple trees

Malus domestica 'Wickson Crab'

Wickson Crab
  • Picking season: Late
  • Gardening skill: Average
  • Pollination group: 2
  • Uses: Juice
  • Uses: Hard cider
  • Self-fertility: Not self-fertile

Wickson Crab is a popular crab apple with dense white blossom followed by attractive pink/red flushed apples.

Wickson Crab apples contain plenty of pectin and are therefore useful in the kitchen for jams and jellies.

Unusually for a crab apple, Wickson Crab is also surprisingly sweet. The high sugar content is balanced by a high acid content, and the juice of Wickson Crab is therefore very useful in cider blends.

Wickson Crab crab apple trees for sale

Item
Mature height*
Price
Quantity
1-year Wickson Crab crab apple trees bare-root
B.9 rootstock
Small (6ft-9ft) mature height
$29.00
1-year Wickson Crab crab apple trees bare-root
G.222, G.935 rootstock
Medium (8ft-12ft) mature height
$29.00
1-year Wickson Crab crab apple trees bare-root
B.118 rootstock
Large (10ft-16ft) mature height
$29.00

We are between seasons at the moment. You can pre-order trees now for delivery when the new season starts (fall for warmer zones, or next spring), you won't be asked to pay until nearer the time.

*Find out more about the apple rootstocks we use to control the mature height.


How to grow

Wickson Crab is a small and hardy tree.

It has a wide climate range, and is suitable for both northern areas and warm climates such as southern California.

Advice on fruit tree pollination.

Historical details

Developed by the Californian apple enthusiast Albert Etter at the start of the 20th century. Etter named the variety after Californian pomologist Edward J. Wickson who was one of the few experts at the time who took Etter's breeding program seriously.

Wickson Crab was developed from two other crab apple varieties, Spitzenburg crab and Newtown crab - it is thought there is no relation with the mainstream apple varieties Esopus Spitzenburg and Newtown Pippin.

Wickson Crab characteristics

Using

  • Picking season: Late
  • Uses: Juice Hard cider
  • Cropping: Heavy
  • Keeping (of fruit): 2-3 weeks
  • Fruit persistence: Persistent

Growing

  • Gardening skill: Average
  • Self-fertility: Not self-fertile
  • Pollination group: 2
  • Pollinating others: Good
  • Ploidy: Diploid
  • Vigour: Vigorous
  • Bearing regularity: Regular

Disease resistance

  • Cedar apple rust: Some susceptibility
  • Scab: Some susceptibility

Climate

  • Cold hardiness (USDA): (5) -20F / -29C
  • Summer average maximum temperatures: Cool ( 20C - 24C / 68F - 75F) Warm (25C - 30C / 76F - 85F) Hot (>30C / 86F)

Identification

  • Fruit color: Orange / Red