by steve stamos

The apple tree is a member of the rose family Rosaceae, species Malus domestica. It is one of the most widely cultivated fruit trees. The apple is a small deciduous tree reaching 5-12 m tall with leaves 5-10 cm long and 3-5 cm broad, oval shaped and alternately arranged. The flowers are white with a pink tinge produced in spring. The fruits mature in autumn, and can reach from 5-15 cm in diameter.

The apple tree is believed to be the earliest tree to be cultivated and its wild ancestor is Malus sieversii. Fruit generally stores well for months while still retaining most of their nutritive value. Old cultivars are often oddly shaped and have a variety of textures and colors but many are with superior flavor. The modern commercial apple breeds are disease resistance; produce high yields of fruit that is crispy, apple shaped, colorful and with good storage ability. Most cultivars are bred for eating fresh but some have been cultivated for cooking or producing cider.

Apples are propagated generally by grafting since seedlings produce fruit that is different from the parent plant. Apples need to be cross-pollinated to develop fruit and well pollinated apples are the best quality. To determine the varieties of apple trees you’ll be growing the first thing is to ensure that you select the varieties that grow best in your region. Beyond this you may like to consider dwarf, semi-dwarf or standard varieties.

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