Chinese apple
| Chinese apple | ||||||||||||
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Malus spectabilis |
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| Malus spectabilis | ||||||||||||
| ( Ait. ) Borkh. |
The Chinese apple ( Malus spectabilis ) is a deciduous tree -Art from the genus of the apples in the family of the rose family (Rosaceae). This popular ornamental tree comes from China .
distribution
The Chinese apple is native to the People's Republic of China ; its deposits extend over the provinces of Hebei , Jiangsu , Liaoning , Qinghai , Shanxi , Shandong , Sichuan , Yunnan and Zhejiang . It grows there in plains and in mountain regions from 500 to 2000 m height; real wild occurrences are apparently not known.
In any case, the tree has been known in Europe since 1750, probably even earlier .
description
The Chinese apple usually grows as a large shrub in Central Europe , often as a small tree up to 8 m high . In England it reaches a height of about 12 meters with a trunk diameter of over 0.6 m. The bark has fine spiral furrows and is purple-brown with thick gray scales. The crown is usually conical and widens significantly with age, then the branches hang down a bit.
The leaves are 5 to 8 cm long and about 3 cm wide. They are elliptical in shape with an uneven base. The leaves are glossy on top and have a 1.5 cm long hairy stem.
The flowering period is from April to May. The flower buds are spherical and pink-red; the blooming flower is a little lighter and up to 5 cm wide. It is half filled with six to eight petals ; the stamens are 1.5 cm long and protruding far. The fruit is around 2 to 3 cm tall and spherical. It is yellowish and has a sour taste, but can be enjoyed raw or cooked after appropriate storage.
The number of chromosomes is 2n = 34.
use
The Chinese apple is a popular ornamental tree, primarily because of its bloom. It is particularly common in northern and eastern China.
Systematics
The first description by Moritz Balthasar Borkhausen was published in 1803. Synonyms are Pyrus spectabilis Aiton , Malus domestica Borkhausen var. Spectabilis (Aiton) Likhonos and M. microcarpa A. Savatier var. Spectabilis (Aiton) Carrière .
The following cultivated varieties are also described:
- Malus spectabilis var. Riversis (G. Kirchner) Rehder : This variety has pink flowers.
- Malus spectabilis var. Albipena Schelle : With white flowers.
Individual evidence
- ^ Erich Oberdorfer : Plant-sociological excursion flora for Germany and neighboring areas . 8th edition. Verlag Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart 2001, ISBN 3-8001-3131-5 . Page 503.
- ↑ Moriz Balthasar Borkhausen: Theoretical-practical manual of forest botany and forest technology. Part 2. Heyer, Gießen / Darmstadt 1803, p. 1279.
- ↑ Hort. Kew Vol 2.1789, p. 175.
literature
- Alan Mitchell: The forest and park trees of Europe. An identification book for dendrologists and nature lovers . Paul Parey, Hamburg / Berlin 1975 (translated and edited by Gerd Krüssmann). ISBN 3-490-05918-2
Web links
- Chinese apple. In: GRIN Taxonomy for Plants. (engl.)
- Chinese apple. In: Plants for a Future. (engl.)