Plant Library

Description:

Attractive flowering tree with edible, yellow colored apples that are streaked with red; apples are good for eating fresh, cooking, storage; showy red buds open to fragrant white flowers; prune as a semi-dwarf

Edible Qualities

Prairie Sun Apple is a small tree that is commonly grown for its edible qualities. It produces yellow round apples (which are botanically known as 'pomes') with a red blush and white flesh which are usually ready for picking from early to mid fall. The apples have a sweet taste and a crisp texture.

The apples are most often used in the following ways:

• Fresh Eating
• Cooking

Features & Attributes

Prairie Sun Apple is clothed in stunning clusters of fragrant white flowers along the branches in early spring before the leaves. It has dark green deciduous foliage. The pointy leaves turn yellow in fall. The fruits are showy yellow apples with a red blush, which are carried in abundance from early to late fall. The fruit can be messy if allowed to drop on the lawn or walkways, and may require occasional clean-up.

This is a deciduous tree with a shapely form and gracefully arching branches. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition. This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. It is a good choice for attracting birds and bees to your yard. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Messy

Aside from its primary use as an edible, Prairie Sun Apple is sutiable for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• General Garden Use
• Orchard/Edible Landscaping

Planting & Growing

Prairie Sun Apple will grow to be about 20 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 6 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 2 feet from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 50 years or more.

This tree is typically grown in a designated area of the yard because of its mature size and spread. It should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid.