Any number of crabapples are listed as having persistent fruit. This chart lists those that fit that description....as well as their disease resistance, which should also be a primary factor in your choice.

J Frank Schmidt Crabapple Chart

Thanks so much! That's a really comprehensive chart and great resource.

Is dolgo the only edible crab?

All crabapples are edible. But many produce fruit that is too small to use efficiently or are very tart and astringent in flavor. Some of the better varieties grown primarily for eating or cooking in addition to Dolgo are Whitney, Chestnut, Centennial, Hopa and Pink Spires.

Kerr, Trailman, Transcendent and Callaway are a few more crabs that are known for having good fresh eating qualities (as opposed to being suitable only for jelly).

Of course, “crabapple” vs. “Apple” is more of a subjective definition than a botanical one, and some of these will have fruits that are larger than a typical ornamental crab, but smaller than a standard supermarket apple.