This beautiful tree, with profuse and scented blossoms is also known as Tea Crabapple, its dried leaves once used as a ‘red tea’ by poor people in its native China. Introduced 1900.

Native to western and central China, including Hubei province.

Syn. Malus theifera (the specific epithet referring to its use as a tea). Monoecious, with hermaphrodite flowers, Insect-pollinated. Distributed by birds and small mammals.

Small (8-12m), with a wide dome. Bark orange-brown, rough with scaly plates. Twigs soon glabrous; buds dark-purple, ovoid. Leaves ovate or elliptic, unlobed, 5-10cm, flushing purple-green then glossy green, glabrous except the underside main veins, on a long woolly petiole (2-4cm). Flowers emerge from pink buds, white with overlapping petals, on long stalks (3-6cm), in April. Fruit a subglobose pome (1-2cm), yellow-green reddening in sun, long-stalked (August-September).

Moist, well-drained soils in sun or partial shade.

No notable associations where introduced. Birds feed on fruits during winter months.

Generally healthy.

Ornamental. Fruits edible when cooked.