Japanese Flowering Crabapple
Full bloomMalus floribunda
Rosaceae · broadleaf deciduous tree · introduced
Last updated
Quick Facts
Spring Canker Activation
Infection Through Stressed or Wounded Tissue
Bloom Infection Window
Aecial Stage (Alternate Host)
+ 9 more — see full disease and pest lists below
Phenological Calendar
As of May 14, 2026, Puget Sound stations range from 1926.1 to 2121.1 GDD₃₂. Japanese Flowering Crabapple has passed full bloom (1143 GDD₃₂).
Regional Season Tracker
GDD₃₂ accumulation across 7 Puget Sound stations · as of May 14, 2026| Station | GDD₃₂ | Current Stage | Next | To Go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Issaquah / East King | 2,121 | Full bloom | — | — |
| Kent / Auburn | 2,113 | Full bloom | — | — |
| Seattle / UW | 2,085 | Full bloom | — | — |
| Olympia / Tumwater | 2,047 | Full bloom | — | — |
| Tacoma / Puyallup | 2,016 | Full bloom | — | — |
| Bellingham / Whatcom | 1,994 | Full bloom | — | — |
| Sequim / Rain Shadow | 1,926 | Full bloom | — | — |
| Stage | GDD32 | Typical Window |
|---|---|---|
| Bloom start BBCH 61 | 1096 | Mar 15-May 15 |
| ● Full bloom BBCH 65 NOW | 1143 | — |
| Bud break BBCH 07 | — | Feb 15-Mar 15 |
| Leaf emergence BBCH 11 | — | Mar 1-Apr 1 |
| Bloom end / petal fall BBCH 69 | — | Apr 15-May 31 |
| Fruit/seed development BBCH 71 | — | Jun 1-Aug 31 |
| Fruit/seed maturity BBCH 85 | — | Sep 1-Nov 30 |
| Fall color / leaf senescence BBCH 93 | — | Oct 1-Nov 15 |
| Dormancy BBCH 97 | — | Nov 15-Feb 28 |
Sources: USDA Plants Database (seasonal estimate) ; OSU phenology catalog (OSU: weather.cfaes.osu.edu) About GDD₃₂ →
Season tracker for Kent / Auburn as of May 14, 2026. Predicted dates use 16-day weather forecast through May 30, 2026, then climate normals.
Diseases: Regionally Documented (34)
Pests: Regionally Documented (20)
Japanese Flowering Crabapple is the historical parent species behind much of modern ornamental crabapple breeding — 'Adirondack', 'Profusion', 'Liset', and others trace ancestry back through M. floribunda. Dirr (1998) calls it "one of the best crabapples" in the genus. The species' defining traits are the extremely heavy spring bloom and the dramatic bud-to-flower color transition (red-pink buds opening to white/pale pink flowers) that gives the crown a pink-and-white shimmer at peak bloom. In Puget Sound landscapes M. floribunda performs well as a low broad specimen tree where the 20-25 ft height combined with up to 32 ft spread can be accommodated. Disease resistance is generally rated good across multiple evaluations (OSU notes "not very disease susceptible"), making it a defensible choice for maritime PNW where scab pressure is high. Bloom timing is early-to-mid season (~189-254 GDD50), making it a good complement to later-blooming cultivars like 'Adirondack' for extending the ornamental crabapple bloom window. Mature trees develop a characteristically picturesque, slightly drooping branching habit that distinguishes the species from more upright modern cultivars.
— Chris Welch, ISA Certified Arborist