Malus sieversii modern apple cultivars. Unlike domesticated varieties its leaves go red in autumn: 62.2% of the trees in the wild do this compared to only 2.8% of the regular apple plant or the 2,170 English cultivated varieties. The species is now considered vulnerable to extinction. "Malus sieversii" has previously been identified as the main contributor to the genome of the cultivated apple ("Malus pumila"), on the basis of morphological, molecular, and historical evidence. A DNA analysis in 2010 confirmed "M. sieversii" as the progenitor of the cultivated apple. A third species that has been thought to have made contributions to the
Malus baccata by 4–6. Petals are white and egg-shaped, approximately 2–2.5 cm (0.8-1.0 inches) long. Fruits are red to yellow and spherical, only about 1 cm (0.4 inches) in diameter; they form dense clusters and resemble cherries from a distance. Flowering occurs in spring, with fruits appearing in September–October. The subordinate taxa include "Malus baccata" is used as ornament for its flowers and fruit. Fruits are edible and are eaten fresh or dried. As one of the tallest and most resistant to cold and pest species of its genus, "M. baccata" is used for experimental breeding and grafting of other crabapples and