Herb: Southern Crab


Latin name: Malus angustifolia


Family: Rosaceae (Rose Family)



Edible parts of Southern Crab:

Fruit - raw or cooked. A fragrant aroma, but the fruit is harsh and acid. The hard sour fruits are often used for making preserves, cider, jellies etc. The fruit is about 25mm in diameter and is slightly pear-shaped.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Deciduous
Tree

Height:
7 m
(23 feet)

Flowering:
April
to May

Scent:
Scented
Tree

Habitat of the herb:

Woods and thickets, especially along river banks.

Other uses of Southern Crab:

Wood - hard, heavy, close grained. It weighs 43lb per cubic foot. Of no commercial value, but it is used locally for making levers, tool handles and other small objects.

Propagation of the herb:

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in the autumn in a cold frame. It usually germinates in late winter. Stored seed requires stratification for 3 months at 1°C and should be sown in a cold frame as soon as it is received. It might not germinate for 12 months or more. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle. If given a rich compost they usually grow away quickly and can be large enough to plant out in late summer, though consider giving them some protection from the cold in their first winter. Otherwise, keep them in pots in a cold frame and plant them out in late spring of the following year. Cuttings of mature wood, November in a frame.

Cultivation of Southern Crab:

Woods and thickets, especially along river banks.

Medicinal use of the herb:

None known

Known hazards of Malus angustifolia:

All members of this genus contain the toxin hydrogen cyanide in their seeds and possibly also in their leaves, but not in their fruits. Hydrogen cyanide is the substance that gives almonds their characteristic taste but it should only be consumed in very small quantities. Apple seeds do not normally contain very high quantities of hydrogen cyanide but, even so, should not be consumed in very large quantities. In small quantities, hydrogen cyanide has been shown to stimulate respiration and improve digestion, it is also claimed to be of benefit in the treatment of cancer. In excess, however, it can cause respiratory failure and even death.

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.