 This year's floral display for CRABAPPLES is FABULOUS! With the freeze last year killing almost all of last year's blooms, it resulted in the trees producing an exquisite flower display in every crabapple this year. A perfect Spring, combined with few frosts, has not dampened the impact of flowers for this season. This truly glorious impact is viewed daily by hundreds of people flocking to see the colors of crabapples at Secrest Arboretum. Knowing which taxa of crabapple blooms in the front yard is also very important when using them as phenological predictors. This is due to the fact that there can be as much as a 2-3 week difference when blooms are produced, depending on the taxon selected.For example, 'Dolgo' is one of the first crabapples to bloom in the research plot. This year 'Dolgo' had its first bloom opened April 21, was in full bloom on May 1, and was past bloom or of little ornamental impact by May 5. Contrast that bloom sequence with that of 'Silver Moon', which as of May 6, had just opened its first bloom! Knowing when trees bloom can help to create a possible extensive and intensive crabapple floral display for over three weeks! If trying to control the gypsy moth caterpillar, knowing that it hatches from the egg mass when 'Floribunda' or the Japanese flowering crab begins to bloom, will aid in targeting the perfect time to apply insecticidal sprays as a control. However, if any old crabapple is used to time sprays, like the 'Silver Moon' or 'Dolgo' crabapple, it is feasible that the window of opportunity to easily control that pest could be off by as much as 7-10 days. So if for no other reason than to admire their colors, get out there and enjoy the show of the diverse and beautiful flowering crabapples. For more information, see:
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 08 May 2008 19:06 )
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BYGL 
