Sievers apple
Malus sieversii

Family: Rosaceae

What it is like

A tree. It grows 12-14 m high. The trunks are 70-80 cm across. The crown is 10-12 m across. In drier places trees are smaller. Current shoots are green-brown and densely hairy. The buds are small and red. The leaves are alternate and oblong. They are 6-11 cm long by 3-5 cm wide. They are leathery and dark green. Underneath they are hairy. There are teeth around the edge. The leaf stalks are shorter than the leaf blade. The flowers are in groups or 3-7. These are 5-11 cm across. The flowers are 4-6 cm across. There are 5 pale pink petals. The size and shape of the fruit varies. The date of fruit ripening also varies. The fruit flesh is white or yellow but the skin can be green, yellow, pink or red. The fruit varies in sweetness and bitterness. The seeds are small and brown. There can be 1-15 seeds.

There are about 35 Malus species and very many cultivated varieties. It is probably one of the original parents of our domesticated apple. It is an at risk species.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It grows on alluvial soils near mountain rivers at 800-1500 m above sea level. It is drought tolerant and winter hardy.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Central Asia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan

How it is used for food

The unripe fruit are eaten raw as a snack.

It is cultivated.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Trees are long lived. They can live 150-170 years. Fruit are 20-60 g but can be 120 g.

Its other names

Local names

Baba-arabka, Sebi

Synonyms

Malus turkmenorum Juz. & Popov.