Abstract: 【Objective】There are many kinds of Malus crabapple cultivars because of homonyms and synonyms. However, the classification and identification of phenotypic traits can no longer satisfy the classification of Malus crabapple cultivars. Therefore, it is particularly important to develop a rapid and accurate method of identifying Malus crabapple cultivars.【Methods】In this study, sixty-one major Malus crabapple cultivars were tested for PCR amplification using 10 pairs of SSR primers selected out from the Malus multi-species. 【Results】A total of 78 bands were identified from the 10 pairs of SSR primers. The average of bands per marker was 7.8 and the percentage of polymorphic bands was 100%. The Nei gene diversity(H)and Shannon index(I)of 61 Malus crabapple cultivars were 0.205 2 and 0.348 8, respectively. If analyzed as co-dominant markers, the Nei gene diversity of 43 Malus crabapple cultivars ranged from 0.623 9 to 0.881 8, with an average of 0.788 3, exhibiting a high level of genetic diversity.【Conclusion】In conclusion, the fingerprints of 61 ornamental crabapple cultivars were successfully constructed by using two pairs of SSR primers, which provided assistance in the identification and in-depth exploitation of cultivar resources