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  • From: derry&bill <wchase@interchange.ubc.ca>
  • To: North American Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [NAFEX] Indian Magic crabapple and others
  • Date: Sat, 05 Jan 2008 11:11:31 -0800

akmanty wrote:
> The crabs you mention, how are they for disease resistance, esp. scab
> and fire blight? Indian Magic in particular.

*********************
I want to buy a couple more crabapples so I've just finished doing some
'research' on Indian Magic, Indian Summer, Molten Lava, Summer Tyme and
Scarlet Brandywine.

I have a folder labelled crabapples and from this folder plus some
googling, I found ...

Indian Magic - recommended by Washington State U Cooperative Extn Bulletin #123(Mt Vernon Research Stn) has 'performed best at Mt Vernon and is most suited to planting in the cool maritime areas of the Pacific Northwest'. Pink flowers, bronze red foliage, upright spreading form. Red fruit turns orange after frost.
Lawyer Nursery in Montana has them (wholesale) on Antonovka and say Indian Magic will grow to 20'. One source says mid-bloom, the other says late bloom. J Frank Schmidt & Sons in Oregon says it is 'fair' for scab, 'good' for cedar apple rust (CAR) and fire blight and 'excellent' for mildew. Schmidt & Lawyer say the foliage is dark green turning orange in the Fall.
Fr Fiala ‘Flowering Crabapples’ adds that the fruits are ellipsoid and persistent until Spring. Moderate disease susceptibility that does not affect foliage or fruit. There appear to be several clones, some superior to others. There is a pic showing that it grows as wide as it grows high and has orange leaves in the fall and is covered in orange fruits.

Indian Summer is similar and Lawyer Nursery says it is used as a pollenizer for Honeycrisp. I have my doubts on that because from what I've been told honeybees are not keen on pink flowers. They prefer white blossoms or pink buds opening to white flowers. Another source says it blooms with Red Delicious. In my orchard the honeybees and Blue Orchard bees swarm over the white-blossomed crabapples (e.g. Snowdrift) and are hardly noticeable on the 'rosy blooms' (Red Glow, Makamik, Royalty, Hansen's red-fleshed crab). Indian Summer has 'shiny red 3/4" persistent fruit which persists (as 'mummies' according to another source) and flaky bark'. It has large flowers, prolific fruiting and is a rounded tree. Schmidt says the disease-resistance is 'good' for scab' and 'excellent' for CAR, fire blight, and mildew. WSU recommends it too and says it is 'upright and spreading'.
Fr Fiala says the fruit are ½” and persistent. Good disease resistance. A very fine crabapple

Molten Lava - according to Lawyer Nursery: long bloom, white blossoms, good disease resistance. Unique growing shape?! I think it grows branches horizontally which become pendulous with brilliant red fruit. One source says 'very good for scab'. WSU recommends it too and labels it as 'low' spreading'. It is a Lake County Nursery 'ZAM' Introduction whatever that means.
Fr Fiala says An excellent broad weeper 12’ high x 15’ wide with attractive yellow bark in winter; buds carmine-red opening to white blossoms; fruit brilliant orange-red flowing in cascades like lava and making a mature tree a showpiece in autumn, fruits persistent. Disease resistant. One of the showiest weepers on the market today (c1992) and among the best in heavy fruiting.

Sugar Tyme - according to Lawyer - consistently ranked in the top ten flowering crabs. Loaded with sugary white spring blooms, crisp green disease-free foliage, masses of small red fruits persist throughout the winter. One source says early bloom, the other says mid-bloom. WSU recommends it too and says it is 'upright and spreading'. This is another Lake County Nursery 'ZAM' Introduction.
Schmidt says it is 'good' for scab, 'fair' for fire blight, 'excellent' for CAR and mildew
Fr Fiala says it is an upright oval tree (18’high x 15’ wide). ½” fruits persistent to January. Mostly disease-resistant. A good showy tree.

Scarlet Brandywine is another Lake County 'ZAM' Introduction propagated by Lawyer Nursery. Lawyer describes it as having 'masses of scarlet red double blooms over deep green-tinged burgundy foliage. Unique striped pumpkin orange 1/2" fruit. Excellent disease-resistance and rounded habit make this an outstanding ornamental specimen'. This variety is not mentioned in Fr Fiala’s book and I couldn't find any other reference to 'Scarlet Brandywine' on the web.

For what it's worth ...

Derry Walsh
south coastal B.C.








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