Discovered by chance at Harvard’s Arnold Arboretum in 1950, this crabapple got its name from an Arnold Arboretum horticulturist, Donald Wyman. It is prized for its pink buds that turn to white fragrant flowers and stately appearance. The signature fruits produced by this tree are bright red.

Although we usually do not eat the often sour crabapples produced by Malus, they add interest and persist through the winter and are tasty to birds and squirrels. In England, crabapples were brewed into a spiced cider and served for celebrations. Seeds of crabapples are thought to have been brought over with European colonists in 1623 and planted in orchards in North America. Cider-drinking became an important part of life to prevent illness and death from poor quality drinking water.