An Eden of Apples

An Apple is a Rose?

The apple, Pyrus malus, also known as Malus pumila and Malus domestica, was probably first eaten, and later cultivated before the dawn of history in central asia, possibly Kazakhstan. It is a member of the rose family, Rosaceae, which includes blackberries, hawthorns, cinquefoils, strawberries, plums, cherries, and of course, roses. Most of the Rosaceae have showy flowers, and fruiting is benefited by cross pollination by insects, especially bees.

Pictured here is a shadblow, Amelanchier arborea, also a member of the Rosaceae. This species is native to sandy areas of eastern North America. A species more closely related to the domestic apple is the black chokeberry, Pyrus melanocarpa, which grows in boggy woodland areas of northeastern North America. An extensive list of photographs of other North American native species is on-line at Texas A&M University.

The domestic pear, Pyrus Commùnis, is even more closely related to the apple, a fact that is obvious in older varieties such as the White Winter Pearmain.