Wild Crab (Noun)
Meaning
Wild crab apple native to Europe; a chief ancestor of cultivated apples.
Classification
Nouns denoting plants.
Examples
- The wild crab, native to Europe, has become naturalized in North America through cultivation and the subsequent escape of the cultivated trees into the wild.
- The crab apple's dense wood was also valued by furniture makers for intricate inlays, with a close, uniform grain making it perfect for decorative details.
- As one of the most significant wild ancestors of domesticated apples, the wild crab continues to influence cultivated apple production to this day.
- Despite their association with food production, the chief attraction of the wild crab to most naturalists is the small white or pink flowers produced by the trees.
- Since its cultivation started over 2000 years ago in ancient Rome, wild crab seed has often been collected from natural European woodlands and the plants grafted into existing rootstock to further their orchard plantations.