Dolgo Crabapple
- Taste: Bright, sweet-tart flavor reminiscent of sugar-coated cranberries, with a refreshing acidity that awakens the palate.
- Skin & Flesh Color: Vivid red, slightly olive-shaped fruit whose skin bleeds into crisp, creamy-white flesh when bitten.
- Harvest Season: Ripens in August and September, yet holds beautifully on the tree into December in mild winters.
- Disease Resistance: Exceptional resistance to apple scab, powdery mildew, rust, and fire blight—thrives with minimal spray programs.
- Best Uses: Sauces, sorbets, chutneys, and bright-red jellies; also prized as a savory condiment for meats and a late-season treat for wildlife.
- Storage Life: Keeps on the tree into winter; processed preserves retain their rich color and tart-sweet balance.
- Pollination: Self-sterile but blooms over an extended period, making it one of the best crabapples for pollinating nearby apple and pear varieties.
- Chill Hours & Hardiness: Cold-hardy to USDA zone 2; performs reliably in short-season climates.
- Tree Habit & Size: Vigorous, upright-spreading habit reaching 20–25 ft tall and wide; spring brings clouds of fragrant white blossoms before leaf-out.
- Origin & Heritage: Introduced from Siberia by plant explorer Niels Ebbesen Hansen in 1897; its name (“Dolgo”) means “long” in Russian, nodding to its elongated fruit and extended bloom.
