Thorn apples?

[Jason118]

Today I started to trim up a old orchard that probably hasn't been touched in I'm guessing 5decades. Next to the old growth trees that look like they were sucker shoots off of the original at one Time. The thing that has me confused is they look nothing like the original trees, all thorny. Neighbor came over and said they produce knickle size apples and are useless. Well obviously the sucker will go , but the ones standing alone if trimmed up , would the produce bigger fruit eventually? Stay or remove?

[growalot]

Do not take my word for it...That said Google thorn apple tress...I stress trees ....there are poisonous thorn Apple plants.

IME..Cut all near you true Apple trees...one's standing alone, will produce for game birds,turkey,and yes deer as well...but they are not consistent producers. This said valuable if used right...as a structure for grape wild or otherwise. Food and cover...hinge cut they don't last long ...but still cover and bedding. Remember...deer aren't the only game animals out there.

[stoneam2006]

I like to set areas with them for coons they seem to like them

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[Rhwrhwrhw0426]

I have a couple that grow right off yard out back on state land. Thinking about it the deer walk right through them and even though I've seen lots of marble sized apples on them they are never laying around this time of year. I bet something eats them. It's a compressed old thicket and the vegetation beneath it is suppressed like underneath a black walnut tree would be.

[Rhwrhwrhw0426]

The thorns themselves might be slightly poisonous it hurts when the poke you and they are sharp.

[Curmudgeon]

I suspect your trees are hawthorn though the term thorn apple can apply to other trees. There are hundreds of types of hawthorn. Those here do not have compound thorns. There is a possibility they are a crab apple with thorns. However, the bark doesn't look like a crab. Either way, the fruit has high value for wildlife, esp. birds, including grouse and turkeys. Hawthorns make dense thickets which provide shelter for nesting birds of many types. In a former life, hawthorns were a favorite place for me to hunt woodcock and grouse.

 

From Wikipedia: "Hawthorns provide food and shelter for many species of birds and mammals, and the flowers are important for many nectar-feeding insects. Hawthorns are also used as food plants by the larvae of a large number of Lepidoptera species; see List of Lepidoptera that feed on hawthorns. Haws are important for wildlife in winter, particularly thrushes and waxwings; these birds eat the haws and disperse the seeds in their droppings."

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crataegus

 

I would not remove any hawthorn unnecessarily.

[Jason118]

Thank you. So we will leave some where room permits. I would understand if these were true second generation from seed which obviously the way they litter the original orchard they are ~ what puzzles me is that it seems obvious that the ones that grew next to the originals are shoots off of it. If they grew off the old root/trunk system why did they end up thorny ~ almost entirely different ? Not something I really need to figure out , just a little puzzled. Thank you again

[G-Man]

My guess it they are hawthorn as well, produce red or or and or yellow,fruit. Though they are eaten by wildlife I would remove any let the orchard trees grow with out compititon.

I'd the original apples were grafted they may have used rootstock that had thorns, I'd remove and cover so it wouldn't grow back. Most heavy producing fruit it from a grafted tree using rootstock that was native to the area, making it more hardy.as the lower root stock is exposed it can sucker and start to grow the original tree, but will not produce the grafted upper portion.

Edited January 4, 2016 by G-Man

[jjb4900]

I don't know what they are, but there are areas I hunt that have trees that look identical.....they are a haven for Grouse and I flushed quite a few birds from around them.......usually multiple birds each time, I would definitely keep them if you have Grouse in the area.

[Jason118]

Thanks G-man ~ that makes sense to me. Given the originals are very old trees that still produce well, though small apples I want to give them every chance possible. I must admit that I'm a little green around fruit trees ~ but wise enough to see the long term possibilities.