apple or pear tree?

[Murdog]

Thought this tree was an apple then I realized it looked a lot more like some of my wild pears on the property. Tasted one of these fruits yesterday and it didnt have much flavor at all but I wasnt thinking "pear." Anything definitive in these pics that says apple or pear?

 

[dogdoc]

By the leaf edges it looks apple to me. Not unusual for wild apples to have no flavor.

 

[Native Hunter]

100% apple.

 

[Doctorbrady]

Crabapple of some sort.

 

[Native Hunter]

Yes apple or crabapple (Malus Species) - the distinction between "apple" and "crabapple" is somewhat blurred, but many horticulturists go with a simple formula - if the fruit is larger than 2 inches in diameter, they call it an apple, and if 2 inches or smaller they call it a crabapple.

So, measure your fruit and you can decide. Definitely not a pear.

But on the measuring, keep in mind that this is subjective too. Some smaller apples will not meet the 2 inch + rule in all conditions. Drought, fertility, tree health, cropping, etc. can affect the fruit size in any given year.

 

[Doctorbrady]

Yep, I certainly wasn't disagreeing with you NH. You know more about tree ID than I ever will. Just figured by the fruit size it was a crab, possibly a decorative or "flowering" crab. I don't think he told us if it was in the woods or growing in a yard or public area. Though the backdrop suggests country.

 

[Native Hunter]

Yep, I certainly wasn't disagreeing with you NH. You know more about tree ID than I ever will. Just figured by the fruit size it was a crab, possibly a decorative or "flowering" crab. I don't think he told us if it was in the woods or growing in a yard or public area. Though the backdrop suggests country.

Doc, yea I knew you wasn't disagreeing. I just wanted to clarify the distinction between an apple and crabapple in case Murdog might be confused about that.

Actually, those fruits look like they would be under 2 inches, so I would say that tree would be classified as a crabapple. I also noticed how clean the fruit, and especially the leaves looked on that tree. If that is a wild tree that hasn't been sprayed, I would love to have some scion wood from it. It should be a real winner in a wildlife planting.

 

[Murdog]

Thanks guys. I have some pears on the property that have small round fruit like this and leaf edges that arent exactly smooth so I wasnt positive if it was an apple. Yes this is on the edge of a foodplot and youre welcome to some scions this spring

 

[Doctorbrady]

Murdog, let us know if the fruit drops from this tree and when. If the fruit falls it should be a great wildlife tree. If it just hangs on and shrivels, then I would top graft something else onto it.

 

[Murdog]

Murdog, let us know if the fruit drops from this tree and when. If the fruit falls it should be a great wildlife tree. If it just hangs on and shrivels, then I would top graft something else onto it.

Sounds good - Ill keep you posted!