Sweet Crabapple is easily misidentified because of the numerous feral apples that overlap with its growing regions in Michigan.

Also, there are many types of hawthorns and other plants that have similar leaf shapes.

A way to distinguish Hawthorns (Crataegus) from Apples (Malus) is in the thorns on the branches. Hawthorns have true thorns, meaning they have no bark and no leaves and tend to be pointier. On the flip side Sweet Crabapple may have thorn like branches, but they will have bark and may have leaves on them. In addition, Sweet Crabapple’s “thorns” are not as sharp as a hawthorn is.

Feral Apple

Feral apples, or escaped apples, are apples which have escaped farms long ago and now are no longer domesticated. They can be easily mistaken for Sweet Crabapple

General Lookalikes

There are plenty of plants out there that could be mistaken for Sweet Crabapple. Here are five examples of such. For more specific references see the list below.

Help With Terms

Botanical terms can be confusing, but this figure by Patrick Mäder breaks down the different parts of leaves and flowers of the plant

  • Prairie Crabapple: *Malus ionensis*

    One of the four native apples to Michigan. this plant is distinguishable by curly white hairs underneath the outer portion of sepals. As well, the outer edge of the leaves are more lobed then serrated. The anthers , when viable, are also more yellow then Sweet Crabapple is.

  • Washington Thorn: *Crataegus phaenopyrum*

    A species of Hawthorn, this plant when flowering has a much denser cluster of anthers and smaller whiter flowers than malus. In addition the leaves are more sharp looking and have deeper lobing.

  • Bigfruit Hawthorn: *Crataegus macrosperma*

    Has the true thorns found common on hawthorns and have a broader leaf with shallower lobing and more serration. Flowers are also more clustered with more anthers than apple.

  • Waxy-fruited Hawthorn: *Crataegus pruinosa*

    Fruit is tinier, with thorns and flowers characteristic of the family. The leaves are pointier and less triangle shaped then Sweet Crabapple is.

  • Fireberry Hawthorn: *Crataegus chrysocarpa*

    Deep veining on the leaves is distinct from Sweet Crabapple. Flowers and thorns consistent with other hawthorn described here.

  • Downy Hawthorn: * Crataegus mollis*

    Veining on leaves more prominent than Sweet Crabapple. Smaller fruit, horning, and flower clusters all consistent with other Hawthorns

  • Holmes Hawthorn: *Crataegus holmesiana*

    Leaves are redder than an older Sweet Crabapple leaf is. Floral clusters more dense and serration is greater than Sweet Crabapple.