Malus florentina

At a glance

Lifecycle: Perennial (hardy)
Exposure: Full sun
Frost limit: −34.4 °C

Cultivation

An easily grown plant, it succeeds in most fertile soils, preferring a moisture retentive well-drained loamy soil. This species is a very good pollinator for the cultivated apples. The fruit is a good wildlife food source, especially for birds. A very ornamental tree, especially when flowering in the spring, it makes a good specimen tree in a lawn. Some botanists believe this species to be a bigeneric hybrid between M. sylvestris and Sorbus torminalis. They have assigned the name Malosorbus florentina to the plant, but this is not generally accepted. Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus.

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in the autumn in a cold frame. It usually germinates in late winter. Stored seed requires stratification for 3 months at 1°c and should be sown in a cold frame as soon as it is received. It might not germinate for 12 months or more. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle. If given a rich compost they usually grow away quickly and can be large enough to plant out in late summer, though consider giving them some protection from the cold in their first winter. Otherwise, keep them in pots in a cold frame and plant them out in late spring of the following year. Cuttings of mature wood, November in a frame.

Edible uses

Fruit - raw or cooked[K]. The oval fruit is about 15mm long and 8mm wide, it ripens in mid autumn and usually bletts on the tree. When bletted, it has a mealy texture with a soft acid flesh, we found it refreshing in small quantities[K].

Habitat

Not known

Native range

Europe - Northern Italy.

Scientific synonyms Eriolobus florentinus