The apple is one of the oldest and most widely cultivated fruit trees on Earth. The Old Apple Tree died in 2020 at the age of 194. The wild apple forests in Kazakhstan are shrinking as trees are removed to make the land available for development endangering the wild apple species. The slopes of Alatau, located in southern Kazakhstan, host the blossoming of apple trees between the end of April and the beginning of May. Dispatches on the world's most wondrous food and drink, delivered twice a week. This Soviet-era athletic and recreation facility is the highest ice skating rink in the world. Apple tree 300 years old While in Kazakhstan on one of his field trips, Philip Forsline found 300-year-old apple trees 50 feet tall, looking more like oaks than apple trees. By the time humans did begin to grow and trade apples, the Malus sieversii had already taken root in Syria. Originating from Kazakhstan and Southern Asia, Apple trees dribbled into the British Isles most likely through trading routes. Who were your guides? Another popular apple that has many names – this one’s also known as Lorraine, Summer Rambour, and Rambour Franc. What is so special about the history of this apple tree? Below are a few of the apple tree names known as Cornish varieties. Plant at any time of year. Bears who eat the fruit of these trees are responsible for their dispersal through their droppings. This apple tree is named after Johann Sievers, the German botanist who first described it at the end of the 1700s. This Soviet statue is based on a piece of propaganda that's been elevated to national myth. The ancestor of the domestic apple is the Malus sieversii, which grows wild in the Tian Shan mountains of Kazakhstan. The wild apple tree from where the modern-day cultivated apples were derived, originated in Central Asia. The apple tree has produced a crop every year, although most trees of its kind only live 50-70 years. Some of the most incredible, beautiful, and strange places in the Atlas. Please click below to consent to the use of this technology while browsing our site. Crooked windswept pines give this old forest an enchanted and magical look. September 27, 2017 at 3:57 pm Tru-Cape’s varietal specialist, Buks Nel (left), and quality assurance manager, Henk Griessel, next to South Africa’s oldest apple tree, which grows on Table Mountain. Winner will be selected at random on 02/01/2021. There are honey- and berry-flavored apples, sour crabapples, apples that taste like licorice, and a few strains that would be good enough for a supermarket’s produce section. The oldest documented apple is pomme d'Api. Although it is more extended in the northern regions, in Spain this species is mainly located on mountainous areas. Can you tell us about the Malus Sieversii? An old French clultivar, it was recorded as early as 1535. The Second Edition of Our Book, 39 New Places in the Second-Edition Atlas Obscura Book, http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20160523-kazakhstans-treasure-trove-of-wildly-flavoured-apples, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/kazakhstan/6068161/Struggle-to-save-the-apples-Asian-birthplace.html, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/kazakhstan/7978486/Kazakhstan-the-home-of-the-apple.html, http://steppemagazine.com/articles/sweet-pilgrimage-two-british-apple-growers-in-the-tian-shan/. This enchanting natural park is a magical example of a temperate rainforest in Europe. Opalescent: Opalescent is an heirloom variety hailing from the 1880s. The “old apple tree” is now about 170 years old. Today, reserves throughout the Tian Shan mountain range keep the last wild apple forests growing safely—except from foraging bears, who don’t care at all about botanical history. To ensure healthy trees, Fazio and his colleagues are looking to one of the ancestors of the world’s first apple trees, found in Kazakhstan. Trees with multiple trunks are excluded. By Glenneis Kriel. To ensure healthy trees, Fazio and his colleagues are looking to one of the ancestors of the world’s first apple trees, found in Kazakhstan. The oldest remaining wild apple forests are located in the Tien Shen mountain range in Kazakhstan. Vancouver's Old Apple Tree was planted in 1826 on Fort Vancouver land and is thought to be the oldest apple tree in the Northwest. Mugaritz Amazing Collection of … © 2021 Atlas Obscura. The Romans discovered it there, and dispersed the fruit even further around the world. Pomologists report that the wild apples have a variety of flavors, depending on how the bees pollinate the blossoms. The ancient woodlands of Kyrgyzstan—and of the four neighboring former Soviet republics of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan—are home to … The crab apple is the most widespread wild relative of the apple tree in Europe. All the apples grown today originated from the Malus sieveresil from that region. Sign up for our newsletter and enter to win the second edition of our book. Locations: Lee-Alatau National Park; Almaty to Sarkand was a 5 hour drive. To ensure healthy trees, Fazio and his colleagues are looking to one of the ancestors of the world’s first apple trees, found in Kazakhstan. In the early 20th century, biologist Nikolai Vavilov first traced the apple genome back to a grove near Almaty, a small town whose wild apples are nearly indistinguishable from the Golden Deliciouses found at grocery stores today. In truth, alas, there are no native named varieties of Malus domestica, the productive apple. To order, call 0330 333 6856, quoting ref GU267 or go to our Readers’ Offers page . Up to 80 percent of the wild apple forests were destroyed. Katie and Merv planting the last apple tree in the new orchard. Please ask any questions. The species’ tr… Home News South Africa SA’s oldest apple tree stripped for firewood. Did you get the chance to visit any other places in Kazakhstan? Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. So prolific are apples in the region, that he saw apple trees coming up in the cracks of the sidewalks in towns near the forests. Wild Apples Are Found In Kazakhstan - Gardens of blooming apples in the mountains of Almaty, Kazakhstan. Below are listed all the apple varieties which we grow and include in the printed catalogue - for you and posterity. Offer available only in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico). The Wild Apple Tree of Kazakhstan † A. D. Dzhangaliev Kazakhstan Academy of Science, Interbranch Laboratory for the Protection of Germplasm, Main Botanical Garden, Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan Any tree that has "domestica" in its name has been domesticated for a long time. It was a discovery of great importance because up until then, apple trees had been considered plants that owed their existence exclusively to the work of man. In Biblical legend, it grew in the Garden of Eden. A brilliant turquoise lake in the mountains. Apples are believed to be the oldest cultivated tree in the world. Apple --Malus domestica. The secret soul of Kazakhstan is a project by Italian photographer Simone Donati and journalist Emanuele Coen who recount their journey in Kazakhstan along the Silk Road and through the forests of Tekeli where the planet’s oldest apple tree Malus Sieversii still grows. The apples produced by these seedlings may be big or small; red, yellow, green, or any colour in between; exquisite in flavour or mouth curdling. Body and Food: Angela Lo Priore's Eat Me. Follow us on social media to add even more wonder to your day. Consider supporting our work by becoming a member for as little as $5 a month. Almaty’s former name, Alma-Ata,  means “father of apples,” and the town touts its heritage proudly. They used to be commonplace, and during Soviet development many of the trees were cut down for their wood. As they became domesticated they spread first to … Northern Spy is an all-around apple, excellent in pie and sauce, and admired for eating as well. Unfortunately not. The apple forests only exist in patches along the Tian Shan mountain range now. It originated in Kazakhstan and central Asia. The Aport apple is one of Kazakhstan’s most famous cultivated varieties – actually a cross of the M. sieversiiand a Russian variety. Girth records In this table of girth records worldwide only girth measurements made at a height between 1.30 m and 1.50 m are listed. ... Apples are one of the oldest domesticated fruit types. It was first documented in … What impressed you most during your travels? The United States is home to approximately 7,500 apple producers, which grow around 48,000 tons of apples per year, generating some $2.7 billion annually. ARS scientists brought back some trees from Kazakhstan in the 1980s and 1990s. In the last 25 years, we have grown 35,000 seedlings and selected the best for further use in our breeding program. The University of Saskatchewan has been breeding apples since the 1920's. In their forests, every possible characteristic imaginable in an apple is present, sometimes varying even on the same tree, and the seeds contain all this genetic diversity. The oldest apple tree in South Africa is believed to be located at the very top of Table Mountain. A spectacle of this region considered the “historical homeland” of the apple, since its land sprouted the tree ‘Sievers’, ancestor of all the apple trees on Earth, which is between 60 and 150 million years old. No purchase necessary. It might seem strange to think that the common apple was not originally a universal fruit, but in fact it has its roots in one specific region of the world. More information about the apple tree (Malus domestica). Riding on horseback through wild apple groves outside Almaty. We depend on ad revenue to craft and curate stories about the world’s hidden wonders. There are various protected sections in the Ile-Alatau National Park, but hiring a guide to take you there is recommended as they are difficult to find. Without a doubt the beautiful landscapes of Kazakhstan, rich in color and nuances. A fountain in the center of town is apple-shaped, and vendors come out each week to sell their many varieties of domesticated apples at market. In the early 20th century, biologist Nikolai Vavilov first traced the apple genome back to a grove near Almaty, a small town whose wild apples are nearly indistinguishable from the Golden Deliciouses found at grocery stores today. Traditional and rare heritage apple trees, listed with links to photos and descriptions, all container grown and supplied direct to the public. 5. The secret soul of Kazakhstan is a project by Italian photographer Simone Donati and journalist Emanuele Coen who recount their journey in Kazakhstan along the Silk Road and through the forests of Tekeli where the planet’s oldest apple tree Malus Sieversii still grows. Kazakhstan still has forests where wild apple trees, the Malus sieversii, grow. They have a history that goes back at least 10,000 years to their origins in Kazakhstan. The ancestor of the domestic apple is the Malus sieversii, which grows wild in the Tian Shan mountains of Kazakhstan. See. Claude states that one of the main reason he was there was to see the Largest Apple in the World. A large apple, Summer Rambo sports light ribbing, and red-streaked pale yellow skin. We begin in the Tian Shan Mountains of Kazakhstan. When modern genome sequencing projects affirmatively linked domestic apples to Malus sieversii, Almaty and its surrounding land were officially recognized as the origin of all apples. An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (Malus domestica).Apple trees are cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus Malus.The tree originated in Central Asia, where its wild ancestor, Malus sieversii, is still found today.Apples have been grown for thousands of years in Asia and Europe and were brought to North America by European colonists. The thickest, tallest, and oldest apple trees (Malus domestica) Tweet. The ancestor of the domestic apple is the Malus sieversii, which grows wild in the Tian Shan mountains of Kazakhstan. To learn more or withdraw consent, please visit our cookie policy. It can also lay claim to being the oldest apple tree in the country - at up to 204 years old, beating the original Bramley apple tree which was sown in 1809 and is still growing today. Its ancestors -- M. sieversii and other species -- originated in Central Asia, including Kazakhstan. Atlas Obscura and our trusted partners use technology such as cookies on our website to personalise ads, support social media features, and analyse our traffic. Fazio crossbred some of the Kazakhstan rootstocks with rootstocks he had previously developed. Vavilov visited Almaty and was astounded to find apple trees growing wild, densely entangled and unevenly spaced, a phenomenon found nowhere else in the world. The tree was discovered by Buks Nel, Tru-Cape's varietal expert, … Unlike other wild species they can reach sizes comparable with domesticated apples. Apples weren’t always a precious fruit in Almaty though. 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