Completely Arbortrary How Casey Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Apple (Apple 3)
Mar 5, 2026
They trace Casey's reversal from apple hater to admirer after discovering Malus hupenhensis. They dig into the tea crabapple's tiny fruit, floral scent, and distinctive bark clues. The conversation explores apple genetics, apomixis, diploid versus triploid populations, and why this species stands out to one of them.
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Alex's Fruit Fly Disaster And Mill Fix
- Alex recounts returning to find his kitchen swarming with fruit flies from a forgotten mango peel.
- He solved it by buying a Mill food recycler and now stores weeks of scraps odorlessly before emptying.
Tea Crabapple Leaf And Habit Details
- Malus hupenhensis grows as a small tree or shrub with ovate, lightly hairy leaves that become hairless.
- Casey notes the leaves are 2–4 inches long, unlobed, initially tomentose then glabrescent, giving a fuzzy spring look.
Tea Crabapple Has Striking Scented Blooms
- Malus hupenhensis flowers deep pink in bud then open white and bloom profusely with a subtle, highly pleasing fragrance.
- Casey emphasizes entire trees can be covered in large, scented blossoms that attract poets and passerby attention.
