Lebanese Wild Apple

Malus trilobata, the Lebanese wild apple, also known as the erect crab apple, Turkish apple, three-lobed apple or deer apple, is a species of apple (Malus) in the rose family (Rosaceae). It has a discontinuous range in the eastern Mediterranean, including Thrace, coastal Anatolia and the Levant, but almost always as a rare species. First described in 1810 as Crataegus trilobata, it has a complex taxonomic history, and some authorities place it in the segregate genus Eriolobus, as Eriolobus trilobatus, either alone or together with the closely related Italian crabapple (Malus florentina) from the central Mediterranean. The species is characterised by shiny, maple-like leaves, particularly large, white flowers, large and edible fruits and a narrow growth form. Due to its attractive shape, bloom and foliage along with its drought and frost tolerance, it has found increasing interest in gardening and landscaping. Additionally, its chemical composition and associated microbiome has attracted research investigating its medical and antimicrobial properties. However, the species is thought to be threatened and declining, primarily due to human encroachment and habitat destruction, including from wildfires.