Bloomipedia
Japanese flowering crabapple (Malus × floribunda)
Photo: RD via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flowering tree

Japanese flowering crabapple

Malus × floribunda

🌷 Flowering tree

Japanese flowering crabapple is a popular flowering tree. It's on our flower lists for 17 states.

–states
17of our state lists
13U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 23, 2026. Planted garden trees are mostly excluded from research grade.

On our lists for: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin

Quick look

Malus floribunda, common name Japanese flowering crabapple, Japanese crab, purple chokeberry, or showy crabapple, originates from Japan and East Asia. It may be a hybrid of M. toringo with M. baccata, in which case it would be written as Malus × floribunda.

  • It belongs to the Rosaceae family. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 4 research-grade sightings of it in Massachusetts, ranking #142 among the 188 flowers on our Massachusetts list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 3 research-grade sightings of it in California, ranking #125 among the 178 flowers on our California list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 2 research-grade sightings of it in New York, ranking #156 among the 193 flowers on our New York list. iNaturalist

Japanese flowering crabapple gift ideas

Handmade japanese flowering crabapple gifts from independent makers.

When does it bloom?

Not enough flowering records on iNaturalist to chart yet.

Bloom time in each of our 17 states
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
Massachusetts🌷 Gardenfew records4
California🌷 Gardenfew records3
New York🌷 Gardenfew records2
Colorado🌷 Gardenfew records1
Washington🌷 Gardenfew records1
Connecticut🌷 Gardenfew records0
Illinois🌷 Gardenfew records0
Indiana🌷 Gardenfew records0
Kentucky🌷 Gardenfew records0
Maryland🌷 Gardenfew records0
Missouri🌷 Gardenfew records0
North Carolina🌷 Gardenfew records0
New Jersey🌷 Gardenfew records0
New Mexico🌷 Gardenfew records0
Ohio🌷 Gardenfew records0
Oregon🌷 Gardenfew records0
Wisconsin🌷 Gardenfew records0

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe
Unknown We couldn't find this name in NatureServe Explorer. NatureServe
Massachusetts
n/a Massachusetts's list is by species, so a whole genus isn't assessed. MESA list
California
n/a California's list is by species, so a whole genus isn't assessed. CNDDB listed plants (July 2026)
New York
n/a New York's list is by species, so a whole genus isn't assessed. 6 NYCRR § 193.3
Colorado
No list Colorado has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Colorado ranks instead.
Washington
No list Washington has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants (the Washington Natural Heritage Program's rare plant list isn't regulatory), so we show NatureServe's Washington ranks instead.
Connecticut
n/a Connecticut's list is by species, so a whole genus isn't assessed. CT E/T/SC list
Illinois
n/a Illinois's list is by species, so a whole genus isn't assessed. IL E&T checklist 2025
Indiana
No list Indiana has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants (the DNR keeps a rare plant list, but it isn't regulatory), so we show NatureServe's Indiana ranks instead.
Kentucky
n/a Kentucky's list is by species, so a whole genus isn't assessed. 400 KAR 3:040
Maryland
n/a Maryland's list is by species, so a whole genus isn't assessed. COMAR 08.03.08
Missouri
n/a Missouri's list is by species, so a whole genus isn't assessed. 3 CSR 10-4.111
North Carolina
n/a North Carolina's list is by species, so a whole genus isn't assessed. 02 NCAC 48F .0301
New Jersey
n/a New Jersey's list is by species, so a whole genus isn't assessed. N.J.A.C. 7:5C-5.1
New Mexico
n/a New Mexico's list is by species, so a whole genus isn't assessed. 19.21.2.9 NMAC
Ohio
n/a Ohio's list is by species, so a whole genus isn't assessed. OAC 1501:18-1-03
Oregon
n/a Oregon's list is by species, so a whole genus isn't assessed. OAR 603-073-0070
Wisconsin
n/a Wisconsin's list is by species, so a whole genus isn't assessed. NR 27.03

Checked October 23, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant)) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list. For context only: ASPCA lists a related species, Malus sylvestrus (“Apple”), as toxic to dogs and cats. That doesn't tell us about this species, so keep pets away to be safe. ASPCA

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS has no state-by-state distribution for this name, so we can't map it yet.

More Massachusetts flowers

Sources