Apple

The apple is the pomaceous fruit of the apple tree, variety Malus domestica in the rose family Rosaceae. It is one of the most extensively cultivated tree fruits. The tree is small and deciduous, reaching 5–12 m tall, with a broad, often thickly twiggy crown. The leaves are alternately set in simple ovals 5–12 cm long and 3–6 cm broad on a 2–5 cm petiole with an acute tip, serrated margin and a slightly downy underside. Flowers are produced in spring immediate with the budding of the leaves. The flowers are white with a pink tinge that steadily fades five petaled, 2.5-3.5 cm in diameter. The fruit matures in autumn, and is classically 5–9 cm diameter. The centre of the fruit contains five carpels given in a five-point star, each carpel containing one to three seeds.
The tree originated from Asia, where its wild forebear is still found today. There are more than 7,500 known cultivars of apples ensuing in range of desired characteristics. It should be noted however, that cultivars vary in their yield and the definitive size of the tree, even when grown on the same rootstock.