Malus niedzwetzkyana (but now Kazakhstan) during his 1897 expedition. Hansen began two breeding programs based on this unusual fruit, one aimed at developing a cold-hardy cooking and eating apple, and the other aimed at developing ornamental crabapples. His efforts resulted in the Almata apple and the Hopa crabapple, among other varieties. Some of these apples, as well as "M. niedzwetzkyana" itself, are being used for small-scale commercial production of rosé apple ciders. Malus niedzwetzkyana Malus niedzwetzkyana, or Niedzwetzky's apple, is a kind of apple native to certain parts of China, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan noted for its red-fleshed, red-skinned fruit and
Malus transitoria Malus transitoria Malus transitoria, the cut-leaf crabapple, is a species of flowering plant in the crabapple genus "Malus" of the family Rosaceae. It is native to China. The Latin "transitoria" means "short-lived". The name "cut-leaf" refers to the shape of the leaves. "Malus transitoria" is a deciduous tree growing to tall by wide. The deeply divided leaves turn yellow in autumn. It produces abundant white flowers, and small yellow fruits 8 mm in diameter. Varieties include: "Malus transitoria" is cultivated as an ornamental tree, for its elegant shape, abundant white blossoms, and yellow fruits. It has gained the Royal Horticultural