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Southern Crabapple

Malus angustifolia

Found in forests, woodlands, fence-rows, dry hammocks, occasionally in bottomlands. FloraQuest, phone app (app page) What its natural habitat tells you

99
Keystone

Native to Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

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Height
Up to about 30 feet
Light
Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture
Usually moist
Will it fit your yard?

At a glance

Life cycle
Woody perennial
Leaves
Deciduous
Bloom
Spring
Fruiting season
August to September

Not yet recorded · Spread

Recorded in 45 Virginia counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 2

Forests and woodlands

Forest or woodland where the source does not say how moist or dry.

Floodplain and bottomland forests

Forests on low ground beside rivers and streams that flood from time to time.

All habitats

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

247CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including VA

Genus host records with ranges including VA · 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 flavivittanaMasked Leaf Roller, Multiform Leafroller Moth
  • Acleris maculidorsanaStained-Back Leafroller Moth
  • Acleris minutaLesser Apple Leaf Folder, Yellowheaded Fireworm
  • Acleris nivisellanaApple Leaf Twister, Snowy-Shouldered Acleris
Show all 247
  • Acrobasis indigenellaLeaf Crumpler
  • Acronicta americanaAmerican Dagger
  • Acronicta clarescensClear Dagger
  • Acronicta fragilisFragile Dagger
  • 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
  • Acronicta superansSplendid Dagger, Chieftain 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
  • Anatrachyntis rileyiPink Scavanger Caterpillar
  • Anavitrinella pampinariaCommon Gray, Cranberry Spanworm
  • Ancylis fuscocilianaSpider-Web Leaffolder
  • Ancylis nubeculanaApple Leaf Folder, Little Cloud Ancylis
  • 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 cerasivoranaCherry Tent Caterpillar, Cherry Worm, Ugly Nest Caterpillar
  • 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 conflictanaLarge Aspen Tortrix
  • Choristoneura fractivittanaBroken-Banded Leafroller, Lined Corn-Borer Moth
  • Choristoneura rosaceanaOblique-Banded Leafroller Moth, Rosaceous Leaf Roller
  • Clepsis clemensianaClemens' Clepsis
  • Clepsis melaleucanusBlack-Patched Clepsis, Trillium Tortrix
  • Clepsis persicanaWhite Triangle Tortrix
  • Coelodasys unicornisUnicorn Caterpillar Moth
  • Coleophora multipulvellaApple Pistol Casebearer, Pistol Casebearer Moth
  • Coptotriche malifoliellaApple Leaf Trumpet Miner Moth
  • Crocigrapha normaniNorman's Quaker
  • Dasychira basiflavaYellow-Based Tussock Moth
  • Dasychira dorsipennataSharp-Lined Tussock Moth
  • Dasychira vagansVariable Tussock Moth
  • Datana ministraYellow-Necked Caterpillar Moth
  • Dichomeris ligulellaPalmerworm
  • Dysstroma citrataDark Marbled Carpet
  • Ectropis crepusculariaThe Small Engrailed, Saddleback Looper
  • Ennomos magnariaMaple Spanworm Moth, Notchwing Geometer
  • Ennomos subsignariaElm Spanworm Moth
  • Epiglaea declivaSloping Sallow
  • 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
  • Eupithecia misturataInsignificant Pug
  • Eupsilia cirripaleaFranclemont's Sallow
  • Eupsilia morrisoniMorrison's Sallow
  • Eupsilia sidusSidus Sallow
  • Eupsilia tristigmataThree-Spotted Sallow, Brown Fruitworm
  • Eutrapela clematariaCurved-Tooth Geometer, Purplish Brown Looper
  • Euxoa messoriaReaper Dart, Darksided Cutworm, Dark-Sided Cutworm
  • Euxoa tessellataTessellate Dart, Striped 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 colonaColona Moth
  • Haploa leconteiLeconte's Haploa
  • Haploa reversaReversed Haploa
  • Harrisimemna trisignataHarris's Three-Spot
  • Hedya chionosemaTwin-Spotted Budworm, White-Spotted Hedya
  • Hedya nr.Large Bud Moth, Green Bud Moth, Off-White 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
  • Lacanobia subjunctaSpeckled Arches, Subdues Arches, Harnessed Mamestra, Speckled Cutworm Moth, Grand Arches?(incorrectly)
  • 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 baileyiBailey's Pinion
  • Lithophane bethuneiBethune's Pinion
  • Lithophane groteiGrote's Pinion, Green Fruit Worm
  • Lithophane heminaHemina Pinion
  • Lithophane innominataNameless Pinion
  • Lithophane querqueraShivering Pinion
  • Lithophane unimodaDowdy Pinion
  • Lobophora nivigerataPowdered Bigwing, Two-Lined Aspen Looper
  • Lochmaeus manteoVariable Oakleaf Caterpillar Moth
  • Lomographa vestaliataWhite Spring Moth
  • Lophocampa caryaeHickory Tussock Moth, Hickory Tiger Moth
  • Lophocampa maculataSpotted Tussock Moth, Yellow-Spotted Tiger Moth
  • Lycia ypsilonWoolly Gray
  • Lyonetia prunifoliellaStriped Bent-wing
  • 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 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
  • Oreana unicolorellaLadder-Marked Caterpillar
  • 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
  • Orthotaenia undulanaDusky Leafroller
  • 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
  • Pseudexentera maliPale Apple Budworm, Pale Apple Leafroller
  • Pseudothyatira cymatophoroidesTufted Thyatirid
  • Psorosina hammondiApple Leaf Skeletonizar
  • Rhopobota naevanaBlackheaded Fireworm, Holly Bud Moth, Holly Tortrix
  • Satyrium calanusBanded Hairstreak, Falacer Hairstreak
  • Satyrium liparopsStriped Hairstreak
  • Schizura ipomaeaeMorning-Glory Prominent, Checkered-Fringe Prominent
  • Scopula limboundataLarge Lace-Border
  • Smerinthus jamaicensisTwin-Spotted Sphinx
  • Spaelotis clandestinaClandestine Dart, W-Marked Cutworm
  • Sparganothis sulfureanaSparganothis Fruitworm Moth, Sulfur Leafroller, False Yellow-Head
  • Sparganothis unifascianaOne-Lined Sparganothis
  • Sphinx drupiferarumWild Cherry Sphinx
  • Sphinx gordiusApple 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
  • Venusia cambricaThe Welsh Wave
  • Xestia c-nigrumSpotted Cut-Worm, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Lesser Black-letter Dart
  • Xestia dolosaGreater Black-Letter Dart, Greater Spotted Cutworm
  • Xestia smithiiSmith's Dart
  • Xylena nuperaRed Swordgrass Moth, American Swordgrass Moth, False Armyworm
  • Xylotype capaxBroad Sallow, Barrens Xylotype
  • Zale calycanthataDouble-Banded Zale
  • Zale lunataLunate Zale
  • Acleris maccana
  • Acleris placidana
  • Bucculatrix pomifoliella
  • Coleophora sacramenta
  • Epinotia septemberana
  • Eupithecia swettii
  • Notocelia culminana
  • Pelochrista vagana
  • Xenotemna pallorana
  • Zamopsyche commentella
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
176BeesSoutheastern regional records

Southeastern regional records · Malus

Individual names are not available yet.

Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
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

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Rosaceae
Hardiness
Zones 4a–9b
Soil pH
Acidic to neutral
Flower color
Pink
Fruit begins
August
Fruit ends
September

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Conservation status

Virginia rankS4
Global rankG5?
VA statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

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