It is interesting to know where apples come from! There is a rich and varied history for apples and it may be surprising to know that they date back to more than 4000 years ago.In fact, we can trace the apple fruit back to the Iron Age.
Apple fruit, which is named as the king of fruits, is the most cultivated fruit around the world having more than 7500 cultivars. The origin of the apples is in a mountain range which segregates China, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstanwhere it’s wild and sour ancestors (Malus Sieversii) still exist. Some other historians believe that the origin place of the wild apples is in a range of mountains named Caucasus between the Caspian Sea and Black Sea.In Kazakhstan, Central Asia, the apple fruit is named “Alma” and the exact origination region of apples is named ‘Alma Ata” meaning the father of all apples. In English this fruit is named ‘apple’ which stems from the word ‘æeppel’. After the introduction of the apple fruit to the United States by immigrants in 1620, the natives started cultivating apple trees widely.
As many believe, by immigration of the ancient people to other places, the apple was taken to other lands and accepted by people in the Middle Eastand the entire Asia.The findings of the researchers have revealed thatsince 8500 BC the human have been relishing the taste of apple fruit.Archeologists have found the carbonized remnants of prehistoric apples in a lake in Switzerland revealing that the apple fruit history goes back to Iron Age. Also, some evidences from Stone Age have been found revealing that people at that time used to eat and preserve apple fruit by sun drying. The analysis of the earliest writings from Babylon, China, and Egypt revealed that twenty centuries ago man appreciated grafting fruit plants and budding.
Some writings have been found by a Greek botanist dating back to 323 B.C. In these writings; the botanist introduces six types of apple fruits and talks about grafting and budding of the apple plant.In 7th century B.C in Greece, the apple fruit was cultivated rarely and was considered as an expensive fruit. So, it was ordered that the bride and groom should share one apple on their wedding.There are some evidences dating back to the thirteenth century B.C. showing that the Ramses the second, the Egyptian pharaoh, commanded the vast cultivation of the apple trees in the Nile Delta. But, who first cultivated the apple trees? There are different views in this regard. Many historians believe that the first people who cultivated apple trees were Romans.
After the triumph of Caesar’s army over England islets and Europe, the Romans cultivated apple trees in a high quantity. Up to 1st century A.D. , the width of apple orchards was up to Rhine valley in Germany.
After the introduction of apple fruit to the Europeans, They named it apple which was as a symbol of all fruit types for them.In 17th century, theapple seedswere taken from Europe to the America by colonists and were cultivated in farms and Native American trade paths.In North America, the first apple orchard shaped in Boston in 1625 by a person named William Blaxton.
Today, about 10,000 apple types exist and grown in the world. The apples which are cultivated in the modern day are bigger than the typical apples which are small. These small wild apples are in fact crab apples which are firm and tart. Actually, the crab apples can be considered as the Primogenitor of the apple types which are cultivated today.