Whats the best time to transplant a wild crabapple seedling? We have some wild crabapples and i was wanting to look around them for some seedlings. What do the seedlings look like? I know we have 2 atleast due to us getting fruit but i havent ever seen the other one.
In full dormancy is the best time to move them. They can be hard to dig if they thicket up as many wild crabs do. Then you have to trim them apart trying to leave a generous amount of roots on each.
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Thanks ill try to collect some soon than its cold here this week.
How do i tell the crab apple seedlings from the other trees? The crab apple was right on the edge of the woods.
Well I always mark a tree I want while the fruit is on it. Apple tree parts and leaves can look very different. If I were you I would study pictures of the Blanc Crab you think it is. I have seen Malus ioensis. But they do not really grow here. This is Malus angustifolia territory down here.
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Ok thanks ill do that 
The tree broke off one of the trunks is it worth it to try and save the new growth if it is unhealthy enough to lose pne trunk?
Do you think the tree was two trees fused at the base? Could that be why it has fruit?
Go ahead and trim away the dead half. Looks like a sprout grew up from the original seedling or rootstock. Can you see a graft line on the old half of the trunk? Looks like it is gone by the picture.
Does not matter. You can still take scions from the good half.
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I didnt notice anything that looked like a graft ill go back tomorrow before work. Is there a way to tell if it is a native crab apple by the bark? It doesnt have any leaves that are green just some withered ones. It had new growth on the other trunk that survived also.
Other then comparing them to known wild crab pictures, no. Do a search and find pictures of crabs known to be in your area. It might match one. Your only real option is sending a sample for a DNA test. About $50 and takes a while.
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