The foliage of Adams crabapple emerges bronzy red, followed by rosy-pink flowers. The foliage becomes green as the season progresses. The half-inch fruits are deep red. Fall leaf color is orange. Adams is rated good to excellent for disease resistance by the University of Illinois Extension.

Crabapples are small flowering trees that provide a showy display in the spring landscape for 1 to 2 weeks. In addition to the eye-catching buds and flowers, their foliage, habit, and fruit make them attractive plants almost year round. They are actively hybridized for flower color, leaf color, fruit size/color, shape and, most importantly, disease resistance. Crabapple fruits are usually not eaten by humans but are beloved by birds. Most crabapples benefit from modest amounts of pruning to eliminate water sprouts and improve airflow.