Dolgo Crabapple Tree

A Russian discovered crabapple; the word ‘Dolgo’ means long in Russian which describes both its extended bloom time and the conical shape of the crabapples. Propagated in South Dakota as early as the late 19th century, this tree is prized for its cold hardiness and disease resistance.  The Dolgo Crab is an early but extended bloomer. Blooming from March through mid-May, this crabapple pollinates apples through the first four bloom groups. The buds are pink that open to white and linger on the tree for many weeks. The fruit ripens in August and are deeply scarlet in color. The flesh has an ivory tint to it with some red bleeding from the skin. It is generally not eaten off the tree; instead cideries use its highly astringent taste and tannic properties to add a bitter sweet flavor to their ciders. The cider the Dolgo Crab produces is red, light, and very tart with an astringent aftertaste. It certainly can be drank unmixed but a sweeter cider should be mixed with it. They also make exce