Prairifire Flowering Crabapple Tree
Malus x 'Prairifire'
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Prairifire Flowering Crabapple Tree - 3-4 Feet Bareroot is backordered and will ship as soon as it is back in stock.
Plant Sentry™
Plant Sentry™
Plant Sentry is designed to protect both consumers and the nursery trade from invasive plant pests and diseases. Sites that display the Plant Sentry protection badge are protected from consumers buying and nurseries shipping material carrying invasive pests and diseases.
This proprietary eCommerce software prevents the shipment of a restricted plant to each state. The Plant Sentry system includes a shipment certification program. The Plant Sentry Compliance Officer works closely with NatureHills.com and each nursery or fulfillment center to ensure only compliant plants are sold to customers.
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Delivery and Shipping
Delivery and Shipping
Shipping
To obtain a more accurate shipment time-frame, simply enter your zip code in the “Find Your Growing Zone” box to the right. Our plants are grown all over the country and lead time on items may be different because of this. Once your order is placed, you will also receive the specific shipment time-frame information as part of your order confirmation. Once an item ships, you will receive shipment notification and tracking numbers, so you can follow along while your plant travels to your doorstep. We use FedEx, UPS, or USPS at our discretion.
Due to winter weather we have put a hold on shipping to the areas shown below in grey. You can still order now and we will ship the plant to you during an appropriate time for your zone.
Standard Shipping Rates
At Nature Hills we handle, package and ship the products you order with the utmost care to ensure healthy delivery. Shipping and handling charges are calculated based on the tables below. Please note that some items include an additional handling surcharge, these will be noted on the item's product page.
From | To | S&H |
---|---|---|
$0 | $19.99 | $24.99 |
$20 | $49.99 | $29.99 |
$50 | $69.99 | $34.99 |
$70 | $99.99 | $39.99 |
$100 | $129.99 | $44.99 |
$130 | $149.99 | $48.99 |
$150 | $150+ | Approx 28% |
Click here to see our full rates
Understanding Plant Options
Nature Hills offers plants in two main formats:
- Container Plants: Grown in pots with soil, sized by container volume and plant age
- Bare Root Plants: Dormant plants without soil, sized by height measurements
Container Plant Sizes
Container sizes indicate plant age and growing capacity rather than liquid volume equivalents. Our containers follow industry-standard nursery "trade gallon" specifications, which differ from standard liquid gallon measurements.
Young Plants (6 months to 18 months old)
Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
---|---|---|
2" x 2" x 3" | 0.18 - 0.21 dry quarts | 0.20 - 0.23 dry liters |
4" Container | 0.31 - 0.87 dry quarts | 0.35 - 0.96 dry liters |
4.5" Container | 0.65 dry quarts | 0.72 dry liters |
6" Container | 1.4 dry quarts | 1.59 dry liters |
1 Quart | 1 dry quart | 1.1 dry liters |
5.5" Container | 1.89 dry quarts | 2.08 dry liters |
Established Plants (18 months to 2.5 years old)
Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
---|---|---|
2 Quart | 2 dry quarts | 2.2 dry liters |
#1 Container | 2.26 - 3.73 dry quarts | 2.49 - 4.11 dry liters |
5" x 5" x 12" | 3.5 - 4.3 dry quarts | 3.85 - 4.74 dry liters |
Mature Plants (2-4 years old)
Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
---|---|---|
#2 Container | 1.19 - 1.76 dry gallons | 5.24 - 7.75 dry liters |
#3 Container | 2.15 - 2.76 dry gallons | 8.14 - 12.16 dry liters |
Large Plants (3-5 years old)
Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
---|---|---|
#5 Container | 2.92 - 4.62 dry gallons | 12.86 - 20.35 dry liters |
#6 Container | 5.25 - 6.01 dry gallons | 23.12 - 26.42 dry liters |
#7 Container | 5.98 - 6.53 dry gallons | 26.34 - 28.76 dry liters |
Bare Root Plants
Bare root plants are sold by height from the root system to the top of the plant. Plants may exceed minimum height requirements.
Common Sizes:
- Trees: 1 foot, 2 feet, 3 feet, 4 feet, 5 feet, 6 feet
- Shrubs & Perennials: 1 foot, 18 inches, 2 feet
Important Notes
Container Volume Specifications
- Trade Gallon Standard: Our containers follow industry-standard "trade gallon" specifications established by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI Z60.1) for nursery stock
- Volume Variations: Actual soil volume may vary due to plant root systems and growing medium settlement
- Age Indicators: Container size primarily indicates plant age and maturity rather than liquid volume equivalents
Growing Conditions
- Plant size can vary based on variety and growing conditions
- Container size helps indicate plant maturity and establishment level
- Larger containers generally mean more established root systems and faster landscape establishment
Seasonal Availability
- Bare root plants are available seasonally when dormant
- Container plants are available throughout the growing season
- Specific varieties may have limited availability in certain sizes
Questions?
For questions about specific plant sizes or availability, please contact our plant experts who can help you choose the right size for your landscape needs.
Plant Highlights
Prairifire Flowering Crabapple Tree highlights at a glance!
Specifications
Specifications
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Brand
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Botanical Name
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Growing Zones
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Mature Height
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Mature Spread
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Sun ExposureFull Sun
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Moisture
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Soil
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Growth RateMedium
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Flower Color
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Fall Color
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Pollinator Friendly
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Pollinator Required
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Fragrant
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Pruning Time
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Bloom PeriodLate Spring

Growing Zones 4-8
Beautiful All Year, Care-Free Prairifire Crabapple
- Incredible Display of Fragrant, Rich Pink Flowers in Spring
- Vibrant Bloom Color that Holds Well
- Beautifully Fine-Textured, Purple Leaves Have Dark Green Overcast
- Brilliant Dark Purple-Red Fruit Persists for Ornamental Display in Fall and Winter
- Small Fruit Feeds Songbirds
- Excellent Disease Resistant
- Tolerates Clay Soil
- Some Tolerance to Drought
- Urban Tolerant Tree Works in City Environments
- Hardy
The show-stopping Prairifire Crabapple Tree (Malus ‘Prairifire’) is a gorgeous, pink flowering Crabapple tree with truly outstanding ornamental features! This improved variety is a breakthrough Flowering Crabapple and delivers many positive attributes for today’s smaller lots.
Modern landscapes need to look good all year long. When young, upright branches bring a sprightly energy to your Spring Garden. As the tree matures, Prairifire Crabapple tree develops into a beautiful rounded outline with an attractive, symmetrical appeal.
With lovely, glossy, dark-red bark, the evenly distributed branches look beautiful smothered in vibrant, clear, pink flowers to herald the start of the growing season. Prairifire Flowering Crabapple flowers appear on bare branches. Pretty red buds open to bright, rich, pink, five-petaled flowers, which are borne in clusters on bare branches. Bold new foliage emerges close behind.
The foliage is slightly smaller than most all other Crabapple cultivars and emerges deep purple. As they develop and expand, a deep, dark-green overcast allows the purple haze beneath to show through. You’ll love this pretty effect.
It looks great in fall when the Prairifire leaves close out the season with an exquisite orange tint. The glowing fall color is very showy!
Each reddish branch is liberally ornamented with glossy, cherry-shaped fruit that hangs like ornaments. Prairifire’s decorative fruit display is a showstopper in late summer, fall, all through the winter, and into spring - right up until the migrating birds take them off the plant.
Young branches and bark exhibit a dark red color. Fresh bark on younger branches has many prominent lenticels, which add a charming visual texture. You’ll love the look of these dramatic, red-barked branches against white snow in winter.
Prairifire is a perfect specimen plant. Place it front and center in your landscape design. You’ll adore this showy plant, with it’s amazing spring flowers, young red leaves and bark, and pretty fruit that remains showy for over half the year.
Order Prairifire from the expert growers at Nature Hills today!
How to Use Prairifire Crabapple in the Landscape
Prairifire Crabapple makes an excellent specimen plant. Use it at the corner of your house to anchor a foundation planting.
Line your driveway with a row of them as a beautiful flowering backdrop. Won’t your guests love coming over to your pretty house?
They’ll create a perfect focal point in a backyard Garden Room or near the patio. Get ready to add a big boost of multi-seasonal interest to your landscape with one tree, or many.
People are using Crabapples in odd-numbered groups to great effect, even in a smaller yard. Try three or five Crabapples in a loose triangle or zig-zag planting.
Can’t choose your favorite Crabapple color? Try a grouping of three different spring colors. You can use two Prairifire and a single white or light pink flowering Crab, as well.
Or, stay disciplined and use 3 Prairifire together. You’ll love the sleek, modern look of a mass planting of this incredible selection.
Add a row on the sunny side of an evergreen windbreak or shelterbelt. The rich, pink flowers will pop against an evergreen backdrop.
Use several of these lovely Crabapple trees to screen out ugly views or messy garages, too. they will make a pretty transition tree near a side yard or entrance gate.
Be sure to add exterior lighting near the tree, or group of trees. Point the light upward into the canopy to add a lot of nighttime excitement for you and your guests. Don’t miss a second of the spring flower power!
#ProPlantTips for Care
Prairifire Crabapples are easy to grow in well-drained soils. They’ll tolerate clay soil, as long as the puddles drain quickly after a rain. If poor drainage is a problem, create a raised berm or mound 18 - 24 inches above your native soil. Plant directly in that mound.
When planting, make sure the trunk flare is visible just above the roots when planting. Crabapples hate poorly drained soils, so be sure you don’t plant too deeply.
It’s important to provide a moderate amount of regular water to establish your plant. While Crabapples can tolerate short periods of drought, plan to give supplemental water to keep your plant stress-free, especially during long dry spells.
Prairifire is best pruned while it's dormant in winter. Give your plant plenty of room to spread out to its mature size and height. You won’t want to have to prune for size control and risk losing the sophisticated branch structure of properly sited trees.
When the plant is young, be sure to watch for crossing branches, and don’t be afraid to thin the crown lightly to keep the plant open and uniform. Remove smaller branches all the way back to another, larger branch. That way, the overall form remains natural looking.
People adore the Prairifire Crabapple trees for their amazing good looks and easy-breezy care requirements. It’s a trustworthy superstar that performs a hit in every season. Order today!