The Best Time to Prune Crab Apple Trees

Crab apple trees need little pruning, but some can help keep the tree healthy.

Crab apple trees provide visual interest and appeal to any landscape. They have gorgeous flowers and fruit, followed by fall foliage. Their natural shape varies. Some are weeping, while others are rounded, pyramidal, upright or spreading.

Timing

Crab apple trees should be pruned in the early spring, before new growth starts. If you wait until the tree is in leaf and flowers are budding, which happens in mid-June to early July, you'll open it up to disease and pest infestations. Trimming after July will cut back on the fruits and flowers for the following year.

Types

Remove suckers and small shoots, since they steal nutrients from the rest of the tree. Cut them off where they meet the main trunk. Dead, diseased and weak branches can be removed any time of year. Trim branches that cross or rub each other, too.

Considerations

Aim to remove no more than 25 to 30 percent of crab apple trees in any given time. Pruning more will cause suckers to grow, as well as irregular shaping of the tree.

References

• NDSU Extension Service: Questions on Crabapple
• Tree Help: Crabapple Trees