ArborNote’s Tree of the Week is the Sargent Crabapple (Malus sargentii). It is native to Japan but is commonly used as an attractive compact ornamental shrub elsewhere. It is a small tree growing to 6–10 ft tall and 6–12 ft broad. Every other year it bears masses of pink buds opening to fragrant white blossoms. In the autumn, many small red globose fruits appear, persisting on the tree until winter. It is a popular species with birds, attracting a range of species, including: cedar waxwings, robins, grosbeaks, mockingbirds, bluebirds, and cardinals. It was imported in 1892 by Charles Sprauge Sargent, a long time and famed director of Harvard’s Arnold Arboretum and named for him. While crabapples are usually too sour to eat fresh, they have been used to make jams and jellies!