Wildlife planting - Red Splendor Crabapple?

[Bowfin]

I am thinking of planting red splendor crabapples and american plum for a wildlife planting. The red splendor crab is listed high for wildlife value but information also says its fruit and seeds are poisonous. Can anyone tell me what this means? Can wildlife eat the apples? Any other ideas for a fruit tree wildlife planting mixture?

[Charley]

I know ragular apple trees will get deer in the fall and later. They love them.

[Jameson]

I tried planting some Red Splendors last year. I was lazy and chose not to protect the trees from wildlife. The trees were about 24" tall when planted. It didn't take long for the two trees that I planted in my yard to be chewed down to a stub by the rabbits. The trees that I planted for wildlife on the "farm" looked like they got wiped out, too. The critters just love nibbling on these Red Splendors. Sorry, I can't give any first hand experience about the critters preference for the crabapples from these trees.

[CMKURT]

The Red Splendor crabapple is more of a bird attractor. It is good for birds & wildlife in the spring because it holds it's fruit all winter. The robins tend to hit them hard when we get late snow falls. I don't believe the poison is that dangerous to people because one bite would make you pucker so bad you would not eat the whole thing. For deer go with regular apples or for edible crabs chesnut, whitney or dolgo are good varieties, they will be golf ball size or slightly larger. If you are after birds a good mixture of summer berries mixed in gives food & cover all year.

[WaveWacker]

They both are good choices for wildlife. Another excellent choice would be to mix in some Highbush Cranberry. Berry's are bitter early on so they don't get hit, but after other food sources are expelled the birds/wildlife love them. Great late season food source!

[fish with teeth]

i have 2 crabapple trees (not sure what kind) in my yard and we get alot of birds even turkeys up in the trees. the deer also reach all that they can and will rut through the snow to find the ones the birds knocked off. oh and even a rabbit or 2.

as was said before they are so bitter you could not eat 1.