Illustration
Prairifire
Malus 'Prairifire'
Prairifire blooms from April through May.
Months here are Northern Hemisphere months; in the Southern Hemisphere, shift them by six months.
Growing Prairifire
Plant it in full sun. It prefers moderate water. It is hardy in USDA zones 4–8. Expect it to reach about 13 ft tall and 10 ft wide at maturity, in roughly 10 years (a house reading).
Is Prairifire toxic to dogs or cats?
- Listed as toxic to dogs and cats by NC State Extension.
- Listed as poisonous to people by NC State Extension.
Lists differ and none is complete. If a pet eats a plant and seems unwell, call a veterinarian or a pet poison helpline.
What was checked
Nine facts were checked against named botanical sources, each recorded beside the sources that carried it: mature height and spread, hardiness zones, sun, water, bloom months and color, the trait tags, and years to mature size, which rests on a recorded house rule where no publisher states one and is marked so. Soil, diseases, pests, toxicity and the plant's own names have not yet been read for this plant, and its trait tags are the ones a feature uses rather than every word a page prints. Each fact above carries its own mark. The planting, spacing and size sections are derived from these checked facts by a fixed rule, not checked separately, and the plant type is the library's own classification.
When to plant Prairifire
Plant Prairifire in early spring as soon as the soil is workable, or in early fall at least six weeks before your first frost, so roots establish in cool weather. In zone 6, the middle of its hardy zones 4 to 8, spring means March to May and fall means August or September. Once settled, it blooms from April to May.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar; if you garden near zone 6, the middle of this plant's hardy range, start with zone 6 in March. Derived from the plant's category, zones and bloom months plus typical zone frost dates, not checked separately.
How big does Prairifire get?
13 fttall5 ft 7 inan adult10 ftwideSee Prairifire in a garden plan: the planner shows it in 3D beside everything else you add, growing toward this size over the years.
How far apart to plant Prairifire
Derived from the mature spread above by a fixed rule, not checked separately: spacing is the spread, center to center.
Give Prairifire about 10 ft of clear ground in every direction, measured from its center. It is one plant with room around it, not a row, and a raised bed is too small for it.
Add Prairifire to a garden plan and the planner draws it at its full width, so you see the spacing before you buy.
Where these facts come from
Prairifire's height, spread, hardiness zones, sun, water, bloom months and color and trait tags were checked against 8 published sources on October 23, 2026. Each one is linked below with every fact it carried, which can include a fact this page still marks as not yet checked, because a source carrying a value is not the same as the value being held to the standard. Facts not in that list, and the planting, spacing and size sections, are not covered by these sources.
- Missouri Botanical Gardenhardiness zones, sun, water, bloom months and color and trait tags
- Chicago Botanic Gardenhardiness zones, sun, bloom months and color and trait tags
- frankpmatthews.comFrank P Matthewsheight, spread and bloom months and color
- provendernurseries.co.ukProvender Nurseriesheight, spread and bloom months and color
- extension.colostate.eduColorado State University Extensionsun and bloom months and color
- RHSRoyal Horticultural Societywater and bloom months and color
- The Morton Arboretumbloom months and color
- NC State ExtensionGardener Plant Toolboxsun
How the checking works, and what each standard covers, is on the verified plants page.
Good to know about Prairifire
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note.
Safety
Toxic to dogs, cats and horses: the seeds, stems and wilting leaves hold cyanogenic glycosides. The ripe flesh is not the hazard; the seeds and wilting foliage are. per ASPCA
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Design a garden with this
Drop this plant onto a 3D plan, see how it fills in, and watch your whole garden bloom across the year.