Trees of Wisconsin
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Malus pumila Mill.; Malus sieboldii (Regel) Rehder; Pyrus communis L. apple and similar species Family: Rosaceae |
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Malus pumila is widely planted and commonly escapes from cultivation, and field botanists may well expect to find it in abandoned fields, rights-of-way and even in young disturbed woods, though it is seldom abundant on any site. The other two species are cultivated less often and very rarely escape on disturbed sites, or more often, persist long after cultivation on abandoned home sites. Botanists are not likely to find either species growing outside of cultivation, there being only 2 vouchered records for M. sieboldii and 8 vouchers of P. communis (including a couple that may well be persisting from cultivation). I have seen no material from escaped individuals of Pyrus communis or M. sieboldii and can't speak directly to the best characters to separate them from Malus pumila. The following comments are based on examinations of a few old trees of P. communis from local home sites and a sparse literature for cultivated plants of all three species. It appears that P. communis twigs, leaves and buds are generally glabrous or nearly so (may be slightly pubesent when very young), compared to conspicuously pubescent twigs and at least the undersides of leaves in the other two species. P. communis leaves are usually shiny on the upper surface, and both of the other two species are dull above or even pubescent when young. M. sieboldii is reported to frequently develop some lobed leaves and M. pumila leaves are usually not lobed. M. sieboldii petioles are said to be 6-18 mm long and those of M. pumila 15-30 mm. M. sieboldii is generally considered to be a shrub with conspicuous spreading branches and M. pumila is usually of tree form, though somewhat spreading if open-grown. Of course the presence of mature fruit will provide clear identity of these three species. The pear shape of Pyrus communis fruit is usually obvious even in young fruits, and the "apples" of M. sieboldii are 6-8 mm diameter, while M. pumila fruits are considerably larger. Choose a species here for photos and text of each.
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