The crabapple has been called an excellent "volunteer tree" for its ability to help other plants. While it cannot produce tasty fruit on its own, it can play host and pollinator to a variety of edible fruits. Grafting allows a fruit tree to be melded to a crabapple by meshing a branch of new tree growth, called a scion, with the trunk of a crabapple tree. The result, after healing, is a healthy tree that can grow both crabapples and edible fruit.
While it would be ideal to be able to graft any fruit onto a crabapple, the only fruits that are known to work effectively and with regular and proven success are other species of apples. Horticulturalists recommend sticking to the same genus and species for grafting. While many fruits belong to the same family called rosaceae, or the rose family, only apples and crabapples belong to the species Malus domestica. With over 7,500 varieties of apples within the species, it is still possible to find a full variety of flavors for grafting onto a crabapple tree.
The vast majority of apple trees need to be cross pollinated to create fruit, a job that can be done well by crabapples. When an apple and crabapple are grafted together, they create an apple tree that can self pollinate. For those with yards that are small or without an appropriate place to plant a second tree, this is a convenient way to get a healthy apple crop.
Some types of apples are stronger than others with more vigorous growth and will therefore respond better to grafting than others. "McIntosh," "Delicious," "Jonathan," "Winesap," "Wealthy" and "Rome" are all good choices for scion wood. When selecting which apples to graft onto your crabapple, don't neglect the importance of them matching in hardiness and preferences. Chose scions from trees that can be grown in the same U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zone as the host crabapple. The more similar the trees are, the better the chance that the graft will be successful.
The Medlar Option
A little known species that also has potential be grafted with a crabapple is the mespilus, or "Medlar." This deciduous small fruit is from the same family and tribe, rosaceae maleae, as the apple but not the same genus. While it is more closely related to the quince and most often grafted to that rootstock, the medlar has been known to work with crabapples. Medlars are a relatively trouble free tree with an unusual and tart tasting fruit that makes an excellent base for jelly. For an unusual twist on your home garden, consider the medlar for your next crabapple grafting project.
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