Types Of Apple Trees

Learn about Types of Apple Trees. Apples trace their origin between the Caspian and Black Seas around the 6500 BC. Known by the scientific name Malus domestica, thousands of varieties of the trees bearing the fruit have been cultivated. Due to grafting, cross-fertilization and mutation; various types of apple trees continue being brought to life. However, there are certain common ones that can be identified across the globe.

The common types of apple trees can be broadly placed into three groups according to their height: the semi-dwarf, dwarf and the standard varieties. The semi-dwarf ones are between three to five feet tall. The dwarf varieties are between ten to sixteen feet tall while the standard ones are between eighteen to thirty feet tall.

The common semi-dwarf types of apple trees include Empire and Gala. The Empire apple tree is best grown in the North Eastern side of US. The trees are reputed for their good shapes and ease of maintenance. They however need plenty sunshine and soil with good drainage to bloom. They are also prone to pests, apple scab and rust. They bear red, pleasantly hard and dry apples. The Gala apple tree needs thorough care and pruning especially during its first year. Pruning is recommended during the cold season. It bears fruits that are extremely juicy.

The common dwarf types of apple trees include Granny Smith, Red Fuji, Crabapples and Mclntosh. Granny Smith is unique in that it bears very large apples that are green in color. They also require plenty of sunshine. Cultivators of Granny Smith should be wary of fire blight. It blooms in early spring. Red Fuji apple tree is a hybrid of Red Delicious and Virginia Ralls apple trees. It originated in the late nineteen twenties in Japan. Special attention to them normally results in very sweet apples with thick flesh. They should be grown in well-drained soil and exposed to full sunlight.

Crabapples fruit tree has unique aesthetic qualities that make them popular among many cultivators. Despite bearing tiny fruits compared to the other apple trees, the assortment of colors from its flowers, fruits and foliage it showcases with the passage of seasons makes it relatively popular. They require a minimum of eight hours exposed to the sun.

The Mclntosh apple tree is reputed for producing relatively more apples than its dwarf counterparts very early in the year. It can be cooked or eaten. Its fruit is distinctively sweet and can be a delicacy despite its thick skin when taken as a salad.

The common standard types of apple trees include Golden Delicious and Grimes Golden apple trees. The Golden Delicious bears very sweet fruits with a distinctive yellow skin color. Proper pruning and exposure to sunlight are vital to ensure their growth. Grimes Golden apple trees bear fruits that are green or yellow color in the ninth and tenth months of the year. These fruits yellow in storage and have very high sugar content. They are fairly easy to maintain with potential problems arising from pests.

These are the examples of the some of the types of apple trees. There are over seven thousand types of apple trees in total. These are just the common ones.