The wild apples in the Tien Shan Mountains represent the main ancestral population for our modern apple. These trees produce large fruits, which are often red when ripe and have a varying array of flavors. These were the ancestors of the trees that people first started to cultivate and spread along the Silk Road. Credit: Prof. Dr. Martin R. Stuchtey
Johnny Appleseed is older than I thought.
“Apples originally evolved in the wild to entice ancient megafauna to disperse their seeds”
Interesting how they state speculation/reasonable guess as confirmed fact.
Kinda undermines their commitment to or understanding of science.
Natural history of apples is interesting, don’t take the above as critical of this post.
From Wiki:
The rose family is arguably one of the six most economically important crop plant families, and includes apples, pears, quinces, medlars, loquats, almonds, peaches, apricots, plums, cherries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, sloes, and roses among the crop plants belonging to the family.
>>...humans began spreading the trees along the Silk Road with other familiar crops; dispersing the apple trees led to their domestication.
“umm, that’s colonialism and it’s BAD!” - A.O.C.
I planted Anna, Honeycrisp, and Fuji apple trees on my property a few years ago. Just waiting for them to get mature enough to flower and spread the love. Used to have a Granny Smith in my front yard at the old house. Every 2nd year, that thing would drop apples by the bushel. The neighbor kids would come by and shake apples loose to take home to Mama. My wife could whip up pies, cobbler, and apple pie in a jar like nobody’s business. I grew up in Appalachian apple country. Nothing like it.
*Commanches liked the bois'd arc to make their bows.
Mark
That’s exactly why I eat apples: to spread the seeds around. As an apple tree ever thanked me? No.
(Actually, the Bible doesn't specify what kind of fruit the forbidden fruit was.)
