Malus sikkimensis
Family: Rosaceae
What it is like
A small deciduous tree. It has a short trunk and rounded crown. The leaves and leaf stalks have woolly hairs. There are pointed teeth on the edge of the leaves. The flowers are white and have long stalks. The flowers are 2.5 cm across. The fruit are pear shaped.
There are about 35 Malus species and very many cultivated varieties.
Where it is found
Temperate. In Sikkim it grows between 2,000-3,000 m above sea level. In Sichuan and Yunnan.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, Bhutan, China, Himalayas, India, Nepal, Northeastern India, Sikkim, Tibet
How it is used for food
The fruit are stewed and eaten. They are also eaten raw.
Edible parts
Fruit
How it is grown
In China plants flower May to July and fruit September to October.
Its other names
Local names
Aiphal, I-K-malang, Sri-pa-chi, Tipsi