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Common Apple

Malus domestica

In the Carolinas and Georgia, commonly cultivated throughout, especially in the Mountains and Piedmont, and long persistent. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition What its natural habitat tells you

—
Not native

Not native to Arkansas. 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
See native alternatives

Plant this instead

Choose your county to list local plants first.

  • Sweet Crabapple
    Malus coronaria

    Sun: Full sun, Partial shade. Soil: Somewhat dry to moist. Flowers: Pink or white.

    Similar growth form, height, spread

  • Southern Crabapple
    Malus angustifolia

    Sun: Full sun, Partial shade. Soil: Usually moist. Flowers: Pink.

    Similar growth form, height, evergreen or deciduous

  • Choke Cherry
    Prunus virginiana

    Sun: Full sun. Soil: Somewhat dry to moist. Flowers: White.

    Similar growth form, height, spread

Refine these alternatives in the finder

Check a whole list of plants

At a glance

Life cycle
Woody perennial
Leaves
Deciduous
Bloom
April to May
Fruiting season
July to October

Recorded in 6 Arkansas counties.

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

197CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including AR

Genus host records with ranges including AR · Malus

  • Abagrotis alternataGreater Red Dart, Mottled Grey Cutworm
  • Abagrotis cupidaCupid Dart
  • Abagrotis magnicupidaOne-Dotted Dart
  • Acharia stimuleaSaddleback Caterpillar Moth
  • Achatia distinctaDistinct Quaker
  • Acleris chalybeanaLesser Maple Leafroller Moth
  • Acleris maculidorsanaStained-Back Leafroller Moth
  • Acleris minutaLesser Apple Leaf Folder, Yellowheaded Fireworm
  • Acrobasis indigenellaLeaf Crumpler
  • Acronicta americanaAmerican Dagger
Show all 197
  • Acronicta funeralisFunerary Dagger, Paddle Caterpillar
  • Acronicta impletaYellow-Haired Dagger
  • Acronicta impressaImpressive Dagger, Printed 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 quadrifascianaLesser All-Green Leaf Roller, Four-Lined 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
  • 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
  • Cerma cerinthaTufted Bird-Dropping Moth, Cherry Agate
  • Choristoneura fractivittanaBroken-Banded Leafroller, Lined Corn-Borer Moth
  • Choristoneura rosaceanaOblique-Banded Leafroller Moth, Rosaceous Leaf Roller
  • Clepsis melaleucanusBlack-Patched Clepsis, Trillium Tortrix
  • Coelodasys unicornisUnicorn Caterpillar Moth
  • Crocigrapha normaniNorman's Quaker
  • Dasychira basiflavaYellow-Based Tussock Moth
  • Dasychira dorsipennataSharp-Lined 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 sidusSidus Sallow
  • Eutrapela clematariaCurved-Tooth Geometer, Purplish Brown Looper
  • Euxoa messoriaReaper Dart, Darksided Cutworm, Dark-Sided Cutworm
  • Euzophera semifuneralisAmerican Plum Borer
  • Feltia herilisMaster's Dart
  • Feltia jaculiferaDingy Cutworm
  • Feltia subgothicaSubgothic Dart
  • Grapholita packardiCherry Fruit Worm
  • Grapholita prunivoraLesser Apple Worm
  • Halysidota tessellarisBanded Tussock Moth, Pale Tiger 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 bethuneiBethune's Pinion
  • Lithophane groteiGrote's Pinion, Green Fruit Worm
  • 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
  • Melanchra pictaPainted Arches, Zebra Caterpillar Moth
  • Melanolophia canadariaCanadian Melanolphia, Variable Redmarked Looper
  • Metarranthis hypochrariaCommon Metarranthis
  • 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 revictaSubdued 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
  • Parornix geminatellaUnspotted Leaf Miner, Unspotted Tentiform Leafminer
  • 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
  • Phyllonorycter crataegellaApple Leaf Miner, Apple Blotch Leafminer, Apple Leafblotch Miner
  • 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
  • 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 c-nigrumSpotted Cut-Worm, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Lesser Black-letter Dart
  • Xestia dolosaGreater Black-Letter Dart, Greater Spotted Cutworm
  • Xestia smithiiSmith's Dart
  • Zale calycanthataDouble-Banded Zale
  • Zale lunataLunate Zale
  • Acleris placidana
  • Eupithecia swettii
  • Pelochrista vagana
  • Xenotemna pallorana
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
—BeesSoutheastern regional records
1Specialist beesPollen specialists

Pollen specialists · Malus

  • Andrena melanochroa
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
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
Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

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
Also known as

Malus pumila; Orchard Apple

Conservation status

Arkansas rankSNA
Global rankG5
AR statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

Sources