Wickson Crab crab apple tree

Malus domestica 'Wickson Crab'

• Best seller
• Gardening skill: Average
• Picking season: Late
• Self-fertility: Not self-fertile
• Pollination group: 2
• Uses: Juice
• Uses: Hard cider
• List of other varieties that will pollinate Wickson Crab

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.

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Wickson Crab crab apple trees for sale

• 1Small 1-year bare-root tree $33.25
  Mature height: 6ft-9ft after 10 years
  B.9 rootstock
  

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• 2Medium 1-year bare-root tree $33.25
  Mature height: 8ft-12ft after 10 years
  G.210, G.890 rootstock
  

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• 3Large 1-year bare-root tree $33.25
  Mature height: 10ft-16ft after 10 years
  MM.111 rootstock
  

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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

• Gardening skillAverage
• Self-fertilityNot self-fertile
• Pollination group2
• Pollinating othersGood
• PloidyDiploid
• Bearing regularityRegular
• Picking seasonLate
• UsesJuiceHard cider
• CroppingHeavy
• Keeping (of fruit)2-3 weeks
• ScabSome susceptibility
• Cedar apple rustSome susceptibility
• Cold hardiness (USDA)(5) -20F / -29C
• Summer maximum temperaturesCool ( 20-24C / 68-75F)Warm (25-30C / 76-85F)Hot (>30C / 86F)
• Fruit colorOrange / Red