Rosybloom Crabapple

Description:

This particular Rosybloom Crabapple specimen, of the Rosaceae family, has purple/brown bark and green leaves that are slowly tuning yellow and losing moisture as it is autumn. This specimen has had extensive pruning that does not follow regular pruning methods which suggests that the branches where removed because of disease or damage. The bark on the trunk is cracked, as it does, from regular growth.

Habitat:

This Rosybloom Crabapple is located in the Olds College Botanic Garden. It is growing near the crest of a hill an a slight slant, located three feet from a brick walking path. The ground around the tree has rich, dark soil topped with a wood chip mulch. There are three irrigation spouts surrounding the tree insureing it is well watered. The weather in this area includes many extremes, from -40 degree Celsius weather and heavy snowfall, to 30 degree Celsius heat waves and hail storms. Currently, the temperature is 12 degrees Celsius but there is some snow in the surrounding area due to a recent autumn snow storm.

Notes:

To expand on the pruning job of the tree, the HIStree database confirmed that the tree was in fact infected by fireblight which brought about the preventative pruning job. Despite the efforts though it looks as though some of the blight has persisted based on the blackened and shriveled fruit on one of the branches. To prevent further spreading the newly infected branches should be removed and the tree should be closely monitored. If the infection contunues to spreads one might look into complete removal of the tree to prevent the infection of surrounding trees as fireblight can spread very rapidly. Tree tag number:0000048739