Fauna
Plant

European Crab Apple

Malus sylvestris

Also known as European Wild Apple, Crab Apple, Wild Apple

European crab apples form gnarled, thorny small trees or shrubs along forest margins and hedgerows throughout Europe. Fragrant white blossoms flushed with pink attract early pollinators in spring, giving way to small, extremely sour yellowish-green fruit in autumn. Wild populations face significant pressure from genetic pollution through cross-pollination with cultivated orchard trees.

DeciduousFloweringForest Tree
European Crab Apple reference1 / 7
H. Zell / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
—observations
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Data DeficientConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXData Deficient — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preySunlight, Water, Soil Minerals
Predators
  • European Roe Deer
  • Winter Moth Larvae
  • Apple Bark Beetle
ThreatsHybridization with cultivated apples, habitat loss, and land clearing
HabitatsDeciduous woodlands, forest edges, scrublands, and hedgerows
Life span80–150 years
Classification
  1. FamilyRosaceae
  2. SpeciesMalus sylvestris
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Wild fruit has toxic look-alikes; never eat wild apples or berries based on app identification alone.
What to notice
Pure individuals feature hairless lower leaf surfaces, thorny branch spurs, and small green fruit.
Support conservation
Avoid planting domestic apple trees near wild forest stands to prevent unwanted cross-pollination.
Responsible observation
  • Spotting Spurs: Look for short, thorny spur branches along smaller stems.
  • Spring Blossoms: Observe fragrant pinkish-white blossoms in mid-to-late spring.
  • Distinguishing Wild Hybrids: Examine the undersides of adult leaves, which are smooth rather than fuzzy.
Related species
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