Description.The apple is a hardy, deciduous woody perennial tree that grows in all temperate zones. Apples grow best where there is cold in winter, moderate summer temperatures, and medium to high humidity. Apples can grow from 10 to 30 feet tall and nearly as wide. Apples are moderately fast growing, but growth slows with age. Apple trees can live for 100 years or more. Apple trees bloom in the spring, set fruit, and take from 100 to 200 days to reach harvest depending upon the variety.
Yield. An apple tree can yield from 75 to more than 130 pounds of fruit each year.
Apple varieties.There are nearly 10,000 different kinds or varieties of apples. About 7,000 varieties or cultivars grow in North America. Only about 1,000 of these of these are grown commercially or in home gardens.
Some apple varieties are "sports" or accidental mutations of another variety and others are bred--created by apple breeders through cross selection. Not every sport is productive and worthy of growing.
Apple tree sizes.An apple tree can be a standard or full-sized tree which grows to 30 feet tall and can take 6 years to bear its first fruit or a dwarf or semi-dwarf trees which can grow from 6 to 20 feet tall. Most dwarf and semi-dwarf trees are grafted on a rootstock which keeps them small. Dwarf and semi-dwarf trees produce full-sized apples in about three years.
Description.The apple is a hardy, deciduous woody perennial tree that grows in all temperate zones. Apples grow best where there is cold in winter, moderate summer temperatures, and medium to high humidity. Apples can grow from 10 to 30 feet tall and nearly as wide. Apples are moderately fast growing, but growth slows with age. Apple trees can live for 100 years or more. Apple trees bloom in the spring, set fruit, and take from 100 to 200 days to reach harvest depending upon the variety.
Yield. An apple tree can yield from 75 to more than 130 pounds of fruit each year.
Apple varieties.There are nearly 10,000 different kinds or varieties of apples. About 7,000 varieties or cultivars grow inNorth America . Only about 1,000 of these of these are grown commercially or in home gardens.
Some apple varieties are "sports" or accidental mutations of another variety and others are bred--created by apple breeders through cross selection. Not every sport is productive and worthy of growing.
Apple tree sizes.An apple tree can be a standard or full-sized tree which grows to 30 feet tall and can take 6 years to bear its first fruit or a dwarf or semi-dwarf trees which can grow from 6 to 20 feet tall. Most dwarf and semi-dwarf trees are grafted on a rootstock which keeps them small. Dwarf and semi-dwarf trees produce full-sized apples in about three years.