Malus x 'Prarifire'
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4-8
Malus x 'Prarifire'
Status: In stock
Product ID#: cprai
Starting at:
$74.99
Starting at:
Product Description
Sun Exposure
Sun
Bloom Time
Spring
Soil Conditions
Normal, Sandy, Clay/Heavy
Fall Color
Orange
Flower Color
Red, Pink
Fruit Color
Purple, Red
Mature Plant Size (H x W)
15-20' x 15-20'
If you like bountiful red flowers for your landscape, this flowering crabapple is for you. Known as the ‘roses of the tree world,’ these plants bring a headline attraction to your landscape design.
The Prairifire Crabapple tree was developed by Dr. Daniel Dayton from the University of Illinois, Urbana. It has red-maroon foliage that matures to dark green with a purplish overcast. Its varied color tones make it a great addition to cottage gardens, allowing you to mix ornamental and edible plants for your landscape. In fall, the foliage turns an excellent red-orange, making it stand out in your garden. By winter, 1/2" deep purple-red fruits add cool tones next to the blanket of white snow. Although it’s more of a slow-growing crabapple tree, it ranks high as a gardener’s top pick thanks to its disease resistance.
- Sun
Mature Plant Size (H x W):
15-20' x 15-20' 
Bloom Season:
Spring
Key features
- Attracts Birds
- Salt Tolerant
- Winter Interest
- Attractive Fruit
- Attracts Pollinators
Planting Care
Planting & Care for Prairifire Crabapple Trees
Preparation
- Plant in spring or fall.
- Adapts to a wide range of soils.
- Best grown in medium moisture, acidic, and well-drained soil in full sun.
- A mature Prairifire Crabapple tree has some drought tolerance.
- Plant a Prairifire crabapple tree as a specimen/accent or in small groups.
- Be sure to space plants 10 to 20 feet apart, depending on the expected mature size of the variety.
Opening Plant Material
- Bare Root: Cut open the bundle (top and roots are tied) and separate all the plants. Soak roots in buckets of water until planted. Each plant type will be labeled separately for identification. Keep the roots from full sun since they should never dry out. Keep roots covered. All bare-root plants must be trimmed when planted.
- Grow Bags: Remove the bag by using a utility knife to slit up the side and peel off the fabric exposing the soil and roots. Plant the root ball just like you would a container plant. No trimming of roots is necessary for grow bags.
- B&B: Soak root ball well. Dig a hole at least 6" wider and no deeper than the size of the ball on the plant. Rotate the plant to the proper position. Never lift or move trees by the tops.
Planting Bare Root
- Plant Bare root in spring. A good indicator of whether you can still plant is if the ground is still workable. If a hard frost is expected, hold off on planting.
- Dig a hole at least 6" wider and the same depth as the root mass. The crown or graft of the plant should be slightly higher than ground level where it was grown at the nursery.
- Trim off the broken roots and branches.
- Place fertilizer packets in the hole (if purchased). Do not place other fertilizers in the planting hole. *Use Our Recommended Fertilizer.
- Spread the roots and fill halfway with soil, then water until the soil settles completely, saturating the soil and planting pit.
- Re-adjust the plant and fill the hole with the rest of the soil.
- Backfill the balance of the soil and water well.
Planting Grow Bags
- Plant grow bags in spring or fall.
- Notice where the base of the trunk flares out from the tree. This is called the root flare. This root flare should show when the tree is planted. Add soil under the ball so the root flare is exposed if necessary.
- Place fertilizer packets into the bottom of the hole (if purchased). *Use Our Recommended Fertilizer.
- Backfill the hole with soil, ensuring the top of the root ball is visible and slightly higher than the soil around it.
- Firm the soil around the plant. Water well to settle soil around the root ball.
Planting B&B Trees
- Plant B&B trees in spring or fall. A good indicator of whether you can still plant is if the ground is still workable. If a hard frost is expected, hold off on planting.
- Notice where the base of the trunk flares out from the tree. This is called the root flare. This root flare should show when the tree is planted. Add soil under the ball so the root flare is exposed if necessary.
- Place fertilizer packets into the bottom of the hole (if purchased). *Use Our Recommended Fertilizer.
- Backfill ½ of the hole with soil and completely saturate the soil with water.
Once the tree is straight in the proper location, cut and remove twine. Then, remove or bend back the top of the metal basket. Lastly, remove the exposed burlap from the top of the ball. - Fill the hole to the top of the ball with soil, then soak well with water and let settle.
The top of the root ball should be visible and slightly higher than the soil around it.
Add mulch on top of the soil, making sure not to put mulch against the trunk or stems. - See our link below (Planting & Handling Help) for a downloadable planting guide with illustrations.
Pruning - After Planting
- Bare Root: Prune ALL bare root plants to reduce transplant shock and ensure successful planting. Pruning should occur as soon as possible, before or after planting, and with sharp pruning shears.
- B&B & Grow Bags: Although it’s not essential after planting, light pruning can help shape a Prairie fire Crabapple tree. Doing so removes any broken branches from shipping or thins out a heavily branched plant to assist in the transplanting process and the appearance of your new planting.
Pruning - Through-out the Season
- Although some flowers may be lost, it’s best to prune a Prairifire Crabapple tree as needed in late winter. Spring pruning should be avoided as it produces fresh, open cuts where fire blight bacteria can enter.
Watering - After Planting
- Plants typically take approximately 6 weeks to establish new roots in your soil. During this period, water plants as often as every 2-4 days at the start and at least a minimum of once per week.
- Beyond the six-week establishment period, water once per week unless rain occurs.
- Remember to check soil moisture by sticking your finger into the soil around 3”.
Watering - Through-out the Season
- After the first season, plants should only be watered during extended periods without rain.
- How do you know if your plants need water? The easiest way to tell is to touch the soil around the roots. If it is moist, there is no need to water. If it’s dry, give it a good soak with the hose end (no nozzle), watering the soil only, not the leaves.
- Same as after planting, stick your finger into the soil around 3” to check soil moisture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I eat crabapples from a Prairifire crabapple tree?
Most crabapple varieties are sour and not ideal for eating raw. However, they are commonly used to make flavorful preserves and ciders. Typically, the smaller the fruit, the more tart it will be.
Some gardeners prefer the smaller fruiting trees because they are less likely to drop fruit and create a mess in the landscape. You can easily make crabapple jelly by combining strained cooked apples with sugar and water, then preserving the mixture in airtight containers.
If your Prairifire Crabapple is not producing fruit, ensure it gets enough sunlight and the appropriate soil conditions. Sometimes, younger trees take a few years to begin fruiting.
Is a Prairifire Crabapple fruit poisonous to dogs?
Crabapples contain cyanogenic glycosides that are toxic to house pets such as dogs and grazing animals such as horses. These metabolites are particularly present in the fruit’s seeds and core.
While humans might spit out a seed or two, dogs are less cautious. Ingesting these compounds can lead to cyanide poisoning, which affects your dog's oxygen delivery system.
A small nibble of a fallen crabapple is unlikely to cause more than minor stomach upset. However, you should prevent your dog from eating them in large amounts or consuming the leaves, stems, or other parts of the tree.
Symptoms can range from dilated pupils and difficulty breathing to shock. Ingesting the stems and leaves also pose a risk, especially when wilting.
If your dog has a taste for crabapple fruit, leaves, or stems, immediate action is necessary.
What are the common diseases of a Prairifire crabapple tree (Malus x prairifire)?
Trees in the Malus genus, such as the Prairifire crabapple, are susceptible to several diseases including Fireblight, Crown rust, and Apple scab.
Fire Blight is caused by the Erwinia amylovora bacterium and manifests as oozing wounds in the tree's bark and blackened, burned-looking leaves. There’s no cure for this disease, so good sanitation is essential to prevent its spread.
Crown rust, also known as leaf rust, is caused by several different fungi, leading to orange-yellow spots on the leaves. Mild cases usually don't require treatment, but fungicides can be used for severely infected trees.
Apple scab is a fungal disease that causes olive-black spots on the leaves and fruits of the tree. Prolonged wet weather accelerates infection, and the tree may completely defoliate by late June.
What pests are common to a Prairifire crabapple tree (Malus x prairifire)?
Prairifire crabapple trees are susceptible to common insect pests such as mites, aphids, and apple tree borers.
Mites are identified by their reddish appearance on twigs, followed by signs of withering leaves. Smothering the insects and their eggs with horticultural oil is the best remedy.
Aphids are tiny insects that feed on leaf juices. They are often identified by the sooty black mold growing on the sticky honeydew they excrete. Spraying with horticultural soaps or oils is an effective treatment.
Appletree borers are the larval stage of the Chrysobothris femorata beetle. These worms attack young or sickly trees by boring into the trunk and main branches, which can turn into cracks in the bark. There is no control for this pest other than keeping your tree healthy to resist the damage.
Why doesn’t my flowering crabapple bloom?
A flowering crabapple tree may have difficulties blooming due to its environment or health.
A crabapple tree typically takes three to four years to mature enough to bloom and bear fruit. Its lack of flowers may also be due to disease.
Weather patterns can also prevent a crabapple tree from blooming the following spring. Ensure your tree is well-watered during late summer and fall if the weather is dry.
Similarly, a late spring frost can kill flower buds for that season. If the winter was too mild, the tree might not have received enough prolonged sub-45 degree temperatures necessary for budding.
Once weather patterns normalize, your tree should resume its normal flowering.
Planting & Handling Help
Download our Planting and Handling Guide below to plan for a successful arrival and install of your plants. Be sure to water all plants as soon as they arrive and every day until you’re ready to plant. Keep any bare root bundles in a shady, cool spot with the roots covered at all times.
Learn More
Watch our videos on handling bare root plants, how your order is prepared for shipment and more.
Plant Sizing
What is the difference between Containers, Grow Bags, Bare Root, and Balled & Burlap (B&B)?
Shipping Times
Our FedEx and local shipping times depend on two factors, one is by the region and the second is the type of product being shipped. For example, small fruits are only shipped in spring, but majority of our perennials are shipped from spring until fall. Keep in mind the dates below act as a general guide. Due to unpredictable weather, staffing, inventory and industry demands these timelines can change. Therefore, we cannot guarantee any of these times.
Shipping Dates by Region*
Northern Cold Region: April 22nd - November 7th
Northern Region: April 15th - November 7th
Middle Region: April 1st - November 7th
Southern Region: March 15th - November 7th
Local Delivery (small radius from Waterloo, WI): April 22nd - November 7th
Shipping Dates by Season*
Spring Shipping: Region Start Date (above) - May
Fall Shipping: September - November
Due to unpredictable weather, these times may vary. Some varieties are exceptions due to heat and plant health reasons. Enter your shipping zip code at the top of this page and be sure to check the shipping information on each product before you add it to your cart. If the product is too large or restricted in your state, you will not be able to checkout with that item in your cart.