Common Apple
Malus pumila
Commonly cultivated throughout, especially in the Mountains and Piedmont, and long persistent. FloraQuest, phone app (app page) What its natural habitat tells you
—
Not native
Not native to Alabama. How scores work Is it native here?
Profile 82%
- Height
- 15–30 feet
- Spread
- 15–30 feet
- Light
- Full sun, Partial shade
- Soil moisture
- Somewhat dry to moist
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At a glance
- Life cycle
- Woody perennial
- Leaves
- Deciduous
- Bloom
- April to May
- Fruiting season
- July to October
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Recorded in 16 Alabama counties.
Ecological relationships
Who uses this plant?
191CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including AL
Genus host records with ranges including AL · Malus
- Abagrotis alternataGreater Red Dart, Mottled Grey Cutworm
- Abagrotis magnicupidaOne-Dotted Dart
- Acharia stimuleaSaddleback Caterpillar Moth
- Achatia distinctaDistinct Quaker
- Acleris chalybeanaLesser Maple Leafroller Moth
- Acleris maculidorsanaStained-Back Leafroller Moth
- Acrobasis indigenellaLeaf Crumpler
- Acronicta americanaAmerican Dagger
- Acronicta clarescensClear Dagger
- Acronicta funeralisFunerary Dagger, Paddle Caterpillar
Show all 191
- Acronicta impletaYellow-Haired Dagger
- Acronicta interruptaInterrupted Dagger
- Acronicta oblinitaSmeared Dagger
- Acronicta radcliffeiRadcliffe's Dagger
- Acronicta spinigeraNondescript Dagger
- Adoneta spinuloidesPurple-Crested Slug
- Agnorisma badinodisPale-Banded Dart
- Agrotis ipsilonIpsilon Dart, Black Cutworm, Greasy Cutworm
- Agrotis vetustaOld Man Dart
- Alsophila pometariaFall Cankerworm Moth
- Amorbia humerosanaWhite-Lined Leafroller Moth
- Amphipyra pyramidoidesMiranda Underwing, Copper Underwing, Copper Amphipyra
- Amyelois transitellaNavel Orangeworm
- Anatrachyntis rileyiPink Scavanger Caterpillar
- Anavitrinella pampinariaCommon Gray, Cranberry Spanworm
- Anomis flavaTropical Anomis Moth
- Antaeotricha leucillanaWell-Marked Leaf Tier, Pale Gray Bird-Dropping Moth
- Antepione thisoariaVariable Antepione
- Antheraea polyphemusPolyphemus Moth
- Archips argyrospilaFruit-Tree Leafroller Moth
- Archips griseaGray Archips
- Archips purpuranaOmnivorous Leafroller Moth
- Archips semiferanusOak Leafroller Moth
- Argyrostrotis anilisShort-Lined Chocolate
- Argyrotaenia marianaGray-Banded Leafroller Moth
- Argyrotaenia quercifolianaYellow-Winged Oak Leafroller Moth, Lined Oak Leafroller
- Argyrotaenia velutinanaRed-Banded Leafroller Moth, Jack Pine Tube Moth
- Automeris ioIo Moth
- Balsa malanaMany-Dotted Balsa, Many-Dotted Appleworm
- Balsa tristrigellaThree-Lined Balsa
- Biston betulariaSalt-and-Pepper Geometer, Cleft-Headed Looper
- Callosamia anguliferaTulip-Tree Silkmoth
- Callosamia prometheaPromethea Silkmoth, Promethea Moth
- Carposina fernaldanaCurrant Fruitworm Moth
- Catocala blandulaCharming Underwing
- Catocala clintoniiClinton's Underwing
- Catocala crataegiHawthorne Underwing, Thorn Underwing
- Catocala gryneaWoody Underwing
- Catocala miraWonderful Underwing
- Catocala palaeogamaOldwife Underwing
- Catocala pretiosaPrecious Underwing, Texarkana Underwing
- Catocala ultroniaUltronia Underwing
- Cecrita guttivittaMaple Prominent, Saddled Prominent
- Cenopis diluticostanaSpring Dead-Leaf Roller Moth, Oak Cenopis
- Cenopis directanaChokecherry Leafroller Moth
- Cenopis pettitanaMaple-Basswood Leafroller Moth
- Cenopis reticulatanaReticulated Fruitworm Moth
- Cepphis armatariaScallop Moth
- Cerma cerinthaTufted Bird-Dropping Moth, Cherry Agate
- Choristoneura fractivittanaBroken-Banded Leafroller, Lined Corn-Borer Moth
- Choristoneura rosaceanaOblique-Banded Leafroller Moth, Rosaceous Leaf Roller
- Coelodasys unicornisUnicorn Caterpillar Moth
- Crocigrapha normaniNorman's Quaker
- Dasychira basiflavaYellow-Based Tussock Moth
- Dasychira leucophaeaPeppered Tussock Moth
- Datana ministraYellow-Necked Caterpillar Moth
- Dichomeris ligulellaPalmerworm
- Ectropis crepusculariaThe Small Engrailed, Saddleback Looper
- Ennomos magnariaMaple Spanworm Moth, Notchwing Geometer
- Ennomos subsignariaElm Spanworm Moth
- Erannis tiliariaLinden Looper Moth, Western Winter Moth, Lime Looper
- Estigmene acreaSalt Marsh Moth, Acrea Moth
- Euchlaena serrataThe Saw-Wing
- Euclea delphiniiSpiny Oak-Slug Moth
- Eulithis diversilineataLesser Grapevine Looper Moth
- Eulogia ochrifrontellaBroad-Banded Eulogia
- Eumacaria madopataBrown-Bordered Geometer
- Eupithecia miserulataCommon Eupithacia, Common Pug
- Eupsilia cirripaleaFranclemont's Sallow
- Eupsilia morrisoniMorrison's Sallow
- Eutrapela clematariaCurved-Tooth Geometer, Purplish Brown Looper
- Euzophera semifuneralisAmerican Plum Borer
- Feltia herilisMaster's Dart
- Feltia jaculiferaDingy Cutworm
- Feltia subgothicaSubgothic Dart
- Grapholita packardiCherry Fruit Worm
- Halysidota tessellarisBanded Tussock Moth, Pale Tiger Moth
- Haploa colonaColona Moth
- Haploa leconteiLeconte's Haploa
- Haploa reversaReversed Haploa
- Harrisimemna trisignataHarris's Three-Spot
- Hedya chionosemaTwin-Spotted Budworm, White-Spotted Hedya
- Hedya separatanaPink-Washed Leafroller Moth
- Helicoverpa zeaCorn Earworm Moth
- Holcocera chalcofrontellaSumac Holcocera
- Hyalophora cecropiaCecropia Silkmoth, Cecropia Moth
- Hyles lineataWhite-Lined Sphinx
- Hypagyrtis unipunctataOne-Spotted Variant
- Hypena scabraGreen Cloverworm Bomolocha, Black Snout
- Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
- Iridopsis ephyrariaPale-Winged Gray
- Iridopsis larvariaBent-Line Gray
- Kocakina fidelisIntractable Quaker, Green Fruitworm, Fourlined Green Fruitworm
- Lacinipolia meditataThe Thinker
- Lacinipolia renigeraBristly Ground Cat, Bristly Cutworm Moth, Kidney Spotted "Mamestra"
- Lambdina fiscellariaHemlock Looper, Western Oak Looper
- Limenitis archippusViceroy
- Limenitis arthemisBanded Purple, Red-Spotted Admiral
- Lithacodes fasciolaYellow-Shouldered Slug
- Lithophane antennataAshen Pinion
- Lithophane bethuneiBethune's Pinion
- Lithophane querqueraShivering Pinion
- Lochmaeus manteoVariable Oakleaf Caterpillar Moth
- Lomographa vestaliataWhite Spring Moth
- Lycia ypsilonWoolly Gray
- Macaria coortariaFour-Spotted Angle, Four-Spotted Granite
- Machimia tentoriferellaGold-Striped Leaftier Moth
- Malacosoma americanaEastern Tent Caterpillar
- Malacosoma disstriaForest Tent Caterpillar
- Mathildana newmanellaNewman's Mathildana
- Megalopyge crispataBlack-Waved Flannel Moth, Crinkled Flannel Moth
- Megalopyge opercularisSouthern Flannel Moth, Puss Caterpillar
- Melanolophia canadariaCanadian Melanolphia, Variable Redmarked Looper
- Metaxaglaea australisSouthern Sallow
- Metaxaglaea semitariaFootpath Sallow
- Metaxaglaea viaticaRoadside Sallow
- Moodna ostrinellaDarker Moodna
- Morrisonia confusaConfused Woodgrain
- Mythimna unipunctaArmyworm Moth, White Speck
- Nematocampa resistariaFilament Bearer, Horned Spanworm Moth
- Nemoria bistriariaTwo-Striped Emerald, Red-Fringed Emerald
- Oedemasia concinnaRed-Humped Caterpillar, Red-Humped Appleworm
- Oedemasia leptinoidesBlack-Blotched Schizura
- Oedemasia semirufescensRed-Washed Prominent
- Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
- Orthodes cynicaCynical Quaker, Cynical Groundcat
- Orthosia alurinaGray Quaker
- Orthosia hibisciSpeckled Green Fruitworm Moth, Speckled Green Quaker
- Orthosia rubescensRuby Quaker
- Ostrinia obumbratalisSmartweed Borer
- Pachysphinx modestaModest Sphinx, The Big Poplar Sphinx
- Paleacrita vernataSpring Cankerworm Moth
- Palthis angulalisDark-Spotted Palthis
- Pandemis lamprosanaWoodgrain Leafroller
- Pandemis limitataThree-Lined Leafroller Moth
- Paonias excaecataBlinded Sphinx, Blind Eyed Sphinx
- Paonias myopsSmall-Eyed Sphinx
- Papaipema nebrisStalk Borer
- Papilio glaucusEastern Tiger Swallowtail
- Parasa chlorisSmaller Parasa, Green Slug Moth
- Parasa indeterminaStinging Rose Caterpillar Moth, Rose Slug Caterpillar
- Phigalia strigatariaSmall Phigalia, Small Oak Looper
- Phigalia titeaThe Half-Wing Geometer, Spiney Looper, Eastern Oak Looper
- Phobetron pitheciumHag Moth, Monkey Slug
- Phyllodesma americanaLappet Moth, American Lappet Moth, Southern Lappet Moth
- Plagodis phlogosariaStraight-Lined Plagodis
- Platynota flavedanaBlack-Shaded Platynota
- Platynota idaeusalisTufted Apple-Bud Moth
- Prochoerodes lineolaLarge Maple Spanworm Moth
- Proteoteras aesculanaMaple Seed Caterpillar, Maple Twig Borer
- Pseudothyatira cymatophoroidesTufted Thyatirid
- Pyrausta phoenicealisPhoenicean Pyrausta, Perilla Leafroller
- Satyrium calanusBanded Hairstreak, Falacer Hairstreak
- Satyrium liparopsStriped Hairstreak
- Schizura ipomaeaeMorning-Glory Prominent, Checkered-Fringe Prominent
- Scopula limboundataLarge Lace-Border
- Smerinthus jamaicensisTwin-Spotted Sphinx
- Sparganothis sulfureanaSparganothis Fruitworm Moth, Sulfur Leafroller, False Yellow-Head
- Sphinx drupiferarumWild Cherry Sphinx
- Sphinx kalmiaeFawn Sphinx, Laurel Sphinx
- Spodoptera eridaniaSouthern Armyworm Moth
- Spodoptera frugiperdaFall Armyworm Moth
- Strymon melinusGray Hairstreak
- Sunira bicoloragoBicolored Sallow
- Synanthedon exitiosaPeachtree Borer Moth, Western Peachtree Borer
- Synanthedon pictipesLesser Peachtree Borer Moth
- Synanthedon scitulaDogwood Borer, Pecan Borer
- Synchlora aerataWavy-Lined Emerald, Camouflaged Looper
- Syndemis afflictanaFall Dead-Leaf Roller, Gray Leafroller, Black-and-Grey Banded Leafroller
- Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
- Tolype velledaLarge Tolype, Large Lappet Moth, Vellada Lappet Moth
- Tortricidia flexuosaAbbreviated Button Slug Moth
- Xestia dolosaGreater Black-Letter Dart, Greater Spotted Cutworm
- Zale calycanthataDouble-Banded Zale
- Zale lunataLunate Zale
- Acleris placidana
- Aristotelia pudibundella
- Blastobasis quaintancella
- Epinotia septemberana
- Eupithecia swettii
- Xenotemna pallorana
—BeesSoutheastern regional records
1Specialist beesPollen specialists
9BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim
Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Malus
- Aphelocoma californicaCalifornia Scrub-Jay
- Bombycilla cedrorumCedar Waxwing
- Bonasa umbellusRuffed Grouse
- Callipepla californicaCalifornia Quail
- Coccothraustes vespertinusEvening Grosbeak
- Ixoreus naeviusVaried Thrush
- Melanerpes erythrocephalusRed-headed Woodpecker
- Turdus migratoriusAmerican Robin
- Zonotrichia atricapillaGolden-crowned Sparrow
Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening
Growing and identification
Plant details
- Family
- Rosaceae
- Hardiness
- Zones 4a–9b
- Soil pH
- Neutral to alkaline
- Flower color
- Pink or white
- Fruit begins
- July
- Fruit ends
- October
Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.
Growing sources and scope
- Bloom · “April to May” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) · Carolinas and Georgia
- Flower color · “Pink or white” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Fruit begins · “July” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) · Carolinas and Georgia
- Fruit ends · “October” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) · Carolinas and Georgia
- Hardiness · “Zones 4a–9b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Height · “15–30 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Leaves · “Deciduous” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Life cycle · “Woody perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Light · “Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial shade (direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Soil · “Moist; Occasionally dry” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Soil pH · “Neutral to alkaline” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
- Spread · “15–30 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Also known as
Malus pumila; Orchard Apple
Conservation status
| Alabama rank | SNA |
|---|---|
| Global rank | G5 |
| AL status | Not verified |
| Federal status | Not verified |
Sources
- Alabama Plant Atlas
- USDA PLANTS
- FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Weakley), phone app (app page)
- FloraQuest: South Central (Weakley), phone app (app page)
- NatureServe Explorer
- Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
- Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
- Smith, Bachelder, Russell, Morales, Mosher & Seltmann 2024, Bee-Specialization-Modeling v0.6.1 (specialist host table compiled from J. Fowler's pollen specialist bee lists), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
- Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)
- Narango, Tallamy & Shropshire 2020, Few keystone plant genera support the majority of Lepidoptera species, Nature Communications