Japanese name: エゾノコリンゴ（蝦夷小林檎） Scientific name:Malus baccata var. mandshurica
[Overview]
A small deciduous tree up to 10 m tall.
The short shoots often become spine-like, and young branches are reddish brown.
The leaves are simple and alternate, elliptical, 7–12 cm long and 2.5–5 cm wide, with fine teeth on the margin.
Both sides of the leaf have soft hairs until flowering, and later become hairless.
The petiole is 1–5 cm long.
The flowers are borne at the tips of short shoots, 3–4 cm across, 5-petaled, reddish in bud and white when open.
The fruit is an obovate-spherical pome about 0.8–1 cm across, with a round scar where the calyx has fallen at the top.
[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed, by cuttings or by grafting.
It prefers a fertile, moderately moist site with sun, good drainage and good air circulation.
Avoid dry places and places exposed to strong afternoon sun.
Apply organic fertilizer in winter, and give a thank-you fertilizer after flowering.
Pests and diseases include red-star rust, powdery mildew, leaf rollers and aphids.
