Crann úl
Latin name: Malus pumila
There are hundreds of different types of apple trees in the world!
However, there are two main groups: cooking apples and dessert apples. Have you ever taken a bite of a cooking apple by mistake? They really can be very bitter. They make great apple tarts and crumbles!
Some apples are sweet enough to eat straight from the tree. These are known as ‘dessert apples’.
Apple trees do not grow very tall. Their beautiful flowers grow early in the summer. One of Ireland’s native apple trees is the Crab Apple. Its pink and white flowers bloom during May.
The leaves of the Crab Apple open out in April. They are oval with pointed tips. They are green on top and a creamy colour underneath. The crab apple tree looks very magical when the leaves move in the wind.
Apple picking takes place from August to October.
Birds love to feast on the crab apples. They help to spread the seeds in the countryside. These apples are very bitter to humans. They are better used in cooking.
Why don’t you ask an adult to help you make your own apple pie?
Do you know how to tell if an apple is ripe? When you can pick it off the tree easily.