A is for Apples

The average American consumes approximately 65 apples a year. There are over 7,500 varieties of apples in the world and about 2,500 varieties are grown in the United States. Apples are the fruit of apple trees. They have green, red, pink, or yellow skin and are used to make apple juice, cider, vinegar, applesauce, and many kinds of salads and desserts.

Apple trees grow in all 50 states, but for efficient fruit production they require a cold period called vernalization. Vernalization takes place during the cold winter months while an apple tree is dormant. Without this cold period, apple trees will not develop sufficient flower buds to produce a good crop of apples. The top three apple producing states in the US are Washington, New York, and Michigan.1 All three of these states have a significant winter season.

Apple trees are not typically grown from seed because it takes about 15 years for an apple tree grown from seed to produce an apple. Instead, most apple trees are grown by budding or grafting onto rootstocks—sections of tree roots still attached to a part of the tree trunk. Budding involves taking one bud from an existing tree branch and attaching it under the bark of a rootstock with special grafting tape or glue. Grafting is similar, but rather than a single bud, a section of a stem with multiple leaf buds is attached to the rootstock with grafting glue and tape. Grafted or budded trees usually grow in a nursery for about one year before being planted in an orchard.

An apple can be divided into several parts. The skin covers and protects the apple’s flesh and seeds. The flesh is the sweet part of the apple. The stem is what attaches the apple to the apple tree, bringing water and nutrients to the apple. The seeds can be used to grow new apple trees. The calyx is what is left of the apple blossom.

Honeybees are commonly used to pollinate apple trees. Almost all varieties of apples require cross-pollination, meaning that pollen from a different variety is needed to produce fruit. Apple trees require full sunlight and well-drained soil. Most apples are ready to harvest in the late summer or early fall.

We’ve all heard the saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” While eating apples does not guarantee good health, apples do have healthy benefits. Apples are naturally fat-, sodium-, and cholesterol-free and are an excellent source of dietary fiber and antioxidants. A medium apple contains about 80 calories and is loaded with vitamin C and beta-carotene. Be sure to eat the skin. Most of the fruit’s antioxidants, vitamin C, and fiber are located in, or just under, the skin.