Malus tschonoskii

Woolen apple (Malus tschonoskii )

The wool apple (Malus tschonoskii ) is a species of the genus of apples (Malus ) in the rose family ( Rosaceae ). It is native to Japan.

Description

The wool apple can reach a height of up to 10 meters. In the young tree, the tree crown is narrow, cone- shaped, at the age they widened significantly. The thick leathery leaves are at a length of 10 to 12 cm and a width of 6-8 cm wide are oval to heart-shaped. The upper leaf surface is glossy dark green and the lower leaf surface is hairy white. The autumn color is scarlet and golden yellow.

Four to five flowers are borne. The flower buds are pink. The hermaphrodite flowers are radial symmetry and fünfzählig. The five sepals are retained after anthesis. The five free petals are white. The flachkugelige apple fruit has a diameter of 2 to 3 cm and is brilliantly colored yellow to deep red.

The chromosome number is 2n = 34

Dissemination

The home of the wool apple is located in Japan on the islands of Honshu, Kyushu and Shikoku.

System

The first description of this type in 1873 under the name Pyrus tschonoskii by Karl Johann Maximowicz in the Bulletin de l' Academie Imperiale des Sciences de Saint- Pétersbourg. She was commissioned by Camillo Karl Schneider under the name Malus tschonoskii ( Maxim. ) in the genus Malus in 1906. Malus tschonoskii belongs to the section in the genus Malus Docyniopsis.

Use

The wool is suitable as a small apple tree as a permanent ornamental shrub in gardens, parks, squares and paths. It is becoming increasingly important as an avenue tree.

The fruits can be eaten raw or cooked. The flesh has a coarse-grained structure. The fruits are very firm, slightly juicy with a strong acidic taste ( rather like lemon ).