Squaw Apple (Peraphyllum ramosissimum)

Family: Rosaceae | Edibility: Edible (2/5)

Peraphyllum ramosissimum is a deciduous Shrub growing to 1.8 m (6ft). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 5. It is in flower from April to May. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid and neutral soils. It cannot grow in the shade.

Edible Parts & Harvest Seasons

Edible Parts: Fruit

Harvest Seasons: Early Summer, Fall, Late Summer

Flavor & Culinary Uses

sweetish but with a bitter after-taste. — Fruit - raw or cooked.; Sour when unripe, the fruits are slightly bitter as they ripen and when fully ripe are sweetish but with a bitter after-taste.; Those fruits that have fully ripened and dried on the plant are the sweetest and most desirable.; Ripe fruits can also be used in making jellies or prepared like spiced crab apples.

Habitat & North American Range

Dry hillsides. (Zone 4, Zone 5, Zone 6, Zone 7, Zone 8)