Q: I have a crabapple that is not doing very well. I would guess it is about 35 years old. Do you know what the average life span is for a crabapple?

A: All trees (like humans) have a natural tendency to absorb stresses during their lifespan and to expire when the stresses exceed their capacity. Dogwoods seem to last around thirty years, oaks can live much, much longer.

It’s hard to say how long a crabapple will live but I do know that if you keep the roots moist and cool with mulch and also keep leaves on the tree as long as possible each growing season, your tree will have the best chance for a long life.