Crabapple (Malus 'Prairie Fire')
While the cultivar name ‘Prairie Fire’ might suggest a Great Plains origin, the *Malus* genus (apples and crabapples) is native to **temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere**, specifically **Asia, Europe, and North America.**
‘Prairie Fire’ is a hybrid cultivar, meaning it was bred from different parent crabapple varieties. The exact parentage often isn’t widely publicized, but given the name and its popularity, it’s likely that breeders aimed to create a hardy and resilient variety suitable for the Midwest and other regions with harsh winters.
**Therefore, it is most likely bred in North America, possibly the Midwestern United States or Canada, using parent species that originated from Asia or Europe and are now naturalized to North America.**
In summary:
* **Genus Origin:** Temperate Northern Hemisphere (Asia, Europe, North America)
* **Cultivar Origin:** Likely North America, possibly Midwestern United States or Canada.
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