Molly Ann Flowering Crabapple

Mollie Ann is a small, semi-weeping flowering crabapple selected by Father John Fiala. Deep red buds open to clusters of white flowers in spring, followed by small deep-red fruit; the leaves turn yellow in fall. The tree becomes more weeping as it matures. ## Form and seasonal display This finely textured, octoploid selection is listed at 10–12 feet tall and about 8 feet wide, making it suitable as a specimen in a small yard or mixed border. Its flowers open in late April in the Dawes Arboretum’s Ohio collection, so bloom timing will shift with local spring weather. Crabapple cultivars vary widely in their flower and fruit traits; [Utah State University Extension](https://extension.usu.edu/treebrowser/catalog/crabapple) describes that broader range. Dawes records Mollie Ann as hardy to USDA zone 4. ## Maintenance Prune only when needed to preserve its natural form. For flowering crabapples, [University of Minnesota Extension recommends late-winter pruning](https://extension.umn.edu/garden-and-home/yard-and-garden/gardening-in-minnesota/pruning-trees-and-shrubs); spring or summer pruning can increase fire-blight risk.