Thunderchild Flowering Crab vs Showy Milkweed - TreeTime.ca

Thunderchild Flowering Crab vs Showy Milkweed

Malus x adstringens Thunderchild

Asclepias speciosa

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Thunderchild Flowering Crab
Showy Milkweed

Thunderchild Flowering Crab is a hybrid crab apple known for its attractive and fragrant dark pink blossoms and deep purple mature leaves.

Tree farmers will find this hybrid appealing as a pollinator for other apples, while home growers will enjoy the red pome's ability to attract flocks of Cedar Waxwings in the early spring.

This species is reportedly resistant to fireblight.

Showy Milkweed is a native perennial wildflower known for its fragrant clusters of pink to purple, star-shaped flowers. It is an essential plant for Monarch butterflies, acting as a critical host plant for caterpillars and a nectar source for adults. Blooming from early to mid-summer, these flowers also supply nectar to many other pollinators, including bees, butterflies, moths, and hummingbirds.

Ideal for butterfly conservation, pollinator gardens, and naturalization projects, Showy Milkweed thrives in a wide range of soils, including dry and rocky ground. While it spreads via underground rhizomes to form colonies, it is much less aggressive than Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca).

Note: All parts of the plant contain toxic cardiac glycosides, especially the milky sap. Do not ingest any part of the plant and prevent sap from contacting skin or eyes. Toxic to humans, pets, and livestock.

Thunderchild Flowering Crab Quick Facts

Showy Milkweed Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 3a
Height: 5 m (15 ft)
Height: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Spread: 4 m (12 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: full sun
Moisture: normal
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: fast
Life span: medium
Life span: short
Growth form: upright, clump forming
Spreading: rhizomes - high, seeds - high
Suckering: none
Maintenance: medium


Toxicity: toxic to pets, livestock, and humans if ingested, can cause skin and eye irritation.
Foliage: dark purple leaves
Fall colour: dark red
Flowers: dark pink blossoms
Flowers: purplish-pink clusters
Bloom time: early to mid summer
Fruit: small red pomes that hang through the winter
Berries: small red pomes that hang through the winter
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, MB, YT