on 2/6/03 12:05 PM, Mauch1@aol.com at Mauch1@aol.com wrote:
> I'm not sure that a crabapple needs to be triploid to be
> effectively sterile. I have a crabapple that I wasn't sure
> was initially an apple. It has quite serrated leaves, often
> tri-lobed. It flowers after my one crab is completely done.
> It has solid, I'd say almost shell pink or salmon pink flowers
> (and buds). The flowers are double or semi-double (and
> doubling is often at the expense of anthers). It does set
> some large, almost apple size fruit. They might be useful for
> cider, but are inedible otherwise (tannic/bitter?). I don't
> think that in general this tree, although attractive and a
> good bloom time for ornamental purposes (after most other
> flowering trees are done), would be a good pollinator. The
> picture of Prince Georges (although hard to see) reminds me of
> my crab.
Prince Georges is fruitless, so you do not have that variety. However you
may have some other M. ioensis clone. Or seedling for that matter. Prince
Georges is a M ioensis cross. The beautiful double flowers are typical of M
ioensis as is the large unappetizing fruit.