Malus 'Prairiefire'

Prairiefire Crabapple

Malus ‘Prairiefire’ is a deciduous flowering crabapple tree with purplish new foliage that matures dark green, deep pink-red spring flowers, persistent purplish-red fruit, and orange fall color. It forms a dense, rounded canopy and is widely grown for its long season of ornamental interest and good disease resistance.

Type: Deciduous flowering tree
Mature Size: 15–20' W x 15–20' H
USDA Zones: 4a–8b
Form: Dense, rounded
Light: Full sun
Soil / Water: Well-drained soil; moderate water
Bloom Time / Length: Spring
Wildlife: Pollinators, birds

Features & Landscape Uses: Excellent as a specimen tree, lawn tree, or street tree. Its standout traits are the red-tinged foliage, strong flower color, persistent fruit, and dependable landscape performance. Missouri Botanical Garden notes the fruit is attractive to birds, and J. Frank Schmidt highlights its disease-resistant foliage and strong overall landscape impact.

Care: Plant in full sun with good air circulation and well-drained soil. Avoid overfertilizing, and water regularly while establishing, then during dry spells as needed. UF/IFAS notes crabapples prefer adaptable but not high-pH conditions and that selecting disease-resistant cultivars helps reduce problems. 

Plant type

Deciduous Tree, Flowering Ornamental Tree

Height

15-20'

Width

15-20'

Hardiness zones

4–8

Sunlight

Full Sun

Growth rate

Moderate

Bloom time

Spring

Flower color

Pink

Leaf color

Green

Fall color

Yellow

Attracts

Bees, Birds

Soil

Moist well-drained

Landscape use

Specimen

Shape

Dense, Rounded

Fruit

Yes

Fragrant

Yes

Drought tolerant

No