''Malus fusca'', with the common names Oregon crabapple and Pacific crabapple, is a species of crabapple native to western North America.

Description

''Malus fusca'' is a deciduous tree growing up to tall, with a trunk thick. The

leaves A leaf (plural, : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant plant stem, stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", wh ...

are long, dark green above, and both pale and fibrous beneath; they turn bright orange to red in autumn. The flowers are white or pale pink, blooming in spring. The fruits are small round apple-shaped

pome In botany, a pome is a type of fruit produced by flowering plants in the subtribe Malinae of the family Rosaceae. Well-known pomes include the apple, pear, and quince. Etymology The word ''pome'' entered English in the late 14th century, and re ...

s, about long and from red to yellow-green in colour. They may stay on the tree until winter. The trees can reach at least 100 years of age.

Taxonomy

Archibald Menzies described the species in 1792 after finding it near today's Port Angeles, Washington.

Distribution and habitat

The species can be found from Alaska, through British Columbia, to northwestern California. It grows in temperate coniferous forest, primarily in the

Cascade Range The Cascade Range or Cascades is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, ...

and the Pacific Coast Ranges. The tree can grow in a variety of maritime conditions, its rootstock tolerating wet soils (including saltwater estuaries), poorly drained areas and heavy clay soils. It can be found in high-rainfall regions.

Ecology

It can be found growing along with red alder, bigleaf maple, willows, and cascara. Animals including grouse and

bear Bears are carnivoran mammals of the family Ursidae. They are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans. Although only eight species of bears are extant, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Nor ...

s eat the fruit.

Uses

The oblong fruit can be eaten, but has a sour flavor. The fruit can also be used for extraction of

pectin Pectin ( grc, πηκτικός ': "congealed" and "curdled") is a heteropolysaccharide, a structural acid contained in the primary lamella, in the middle lamella, and in the cell walls of terrestrial plants. The principal, chemical component of ...

, useful in helping make jams and jellies from other fruits, and is also made into jams and jellies itself. The bark can be used as an herbal medicine. It is also grown in parks and gardens as an ornamental plant. Pacific crabapple fruits were prized by

indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest The Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast are composed of many nations and tribal affiliations, each with distinctive cultural and political identities. They share certain beliefs, traditions and practices, such as the centrality of sal ...

as a food source, and were gathered all along the coast. As a traditional medicinal plant, infusions of the bark and/or fruit were used, including for stomach disorders, skin and eye infections, and as an

analgesic An analgesic drug, also called simply an analgesic (American English), analgaesic (British English), pain reliever, or painkiller, is any member of the group of drugs used to achieve relief from pain (that is, analgesia or pain management). It ...

. The tree was also valued for its tough, resilient wood, used for making implements, and for its bark, used for a wide range of medicinal purposes.Crabapples - University of Alaska Fairbanks
description, photos, recipes

References

External links

CalFlora Database: ''Malus fusca'' (Oregon crab apple, Oregon crabapple)Dreamstime, Royalty Free Stock Images: Photos of the Pacific Crabapple tree ''(Malus Fusca)''UC Calphoto Photos gallery — ''Malus fusca''
{{Taxonbar , from=Q2564409 fusca fusca Flora of Alaska Flora of British Columbia Flora of California Flora of Oregon Flora of Washington (state) Medicinal plants of North America Plants used in Native American cuisine Plants used in traditional Native American medicine Plants described in 1830