Apple tree

Apple Tree

The apple tree (Malus domestica) is a deciduous tree in the rose family best known for its sweet, pomaceous fruit, the apple. It is cultivated worldwide as a fruit tree, and is the most widely grown species in the genus Malus. The tree originated in Central Asia, where its wild ancestor, Malus sieversii, is still found today.

Description

Apple trees are large if grown from seed, but small if grafted onto roots (rootstock). The leaves are alternately arranged dark green-colored simple ovals with serrated margins and slightly downy undersides. Apple trees are susceptible to a number of fungal and bacterial diseases and insect pests.

Cultivation and uses

Apple trees are cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus Malus. The fruit is generally consumed fresh, but can also be canned, juiced, and used in a variety of dishes. Apples are often used in cooking because of their high pectin content.

Varieties

There are more than 7,500 known cultivars of apples, resulting in a range of desired characteristics. Different cultivars are bred for various tastes and uses, including cooking, eating raw and cider production. Apples are generally propagated by grafting, although wild apples grow readily from seed.

History

The apple tree was perhaps the earliest tree to be cultivated, and its fruits have been improved through selection over thousands of years. Alexander the Great is credited with finding dwarfed apples in Kazakhstan in 328 BCE; those he brought back to Macedonia might have been the progenitors of the dwarfing root stocks.

See also

• Apple
• Malus
• Fruit tree
• Orchard

References

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