Apples

The Apple tree belongs to the Rosaceae family, species Malus Pumila. Malus pumila is a deciduous tree growing up to 5 meters tall in cultivation and up to 9 meters tall in the wild. It has a lifetime of about 60-80 years. It is one of the most widely cultivated fruit trees in temperate regions of the world, growing in over 93 countries. Selection over thousands of years has produced an enormous diversity of apple cultivars varying in shape, color, sweetness, crispness and storability. Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Braeburn, Cox, Pink Lady, Royal Gala and Bramley represent just a few apple varieties found in supermarkets in temperate countries.

Soil: The apple tree is not demanding in terms of soil but it needs well drained soils. The best crops are found on fertile sandy and loamy soils.

pH: The optimum level is between 5.5 and 7

Climate: It is more resistant to cold than the pear tree and does not need so much heat and light for ripening. It suffers less with the cold than with the heat and prefers humid to dry climates. The flowers are sensitive to late spring frosts, the use of anti-freeze irrigation or other protection systems are common in areas with high risk. The apple tree tolerates temperatures lower than -10°C, without affecting the tree bark, although when descending below -15°C some floral buds may be lost.