Coast: Pacific Crab Apple
Malus fusca, also known as the Oregon Crab Apple or Pacific Crab Apple, is a small deciduous tree native to North America. It grows up to 13 meters tall and is noted for its small round apple-shaped pomes in red, yellow or yellow-green color. The fruit can be eaten raw or cooked, and is known for its acidic flavor. It is often used for extraction of pectin, useful for making jams and jellies from other fruits. The bark of the tree can be used in herbal medicine, with infusions of the bark and/or fruit used for stomach disorders, skin and eye infections, and as an analgesic. The tree was also valued for its tough, resilient wood, used for making implements, and for its bark, used for a wide range of medicinal purposes. It is grown in parks and gardens as an ornamental plant and was prized by indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest, who gathered it for its fruits and medicinal benefits. Try this unique and multifunctional tree in your garden today!