What Kingdom Is the Apple Tree In?

Kingdom

• The common apple tree belongs to the Plantae (Plants) kingdom. It is a member of the Rosaceae (Rose) family and of the genus Malus. North America claims only four species of apple -- all of them crabapple -- as native plants. The apple is related to a wide variety of fruits ranging from strawberries to cherries to plums. All of them are members of the rose family, with the origin of the apple dating back some 80 million years.

Origin

• The apple sprang into existence when an ancient plum and a plant called meadowsweet -- of the genus Spiraea -- cross-pollinated, reports the University of Maine Cooperative Extension service. The geographic origin of the modern apple is debatable; it may have sprung from Kazakhstan in south central Asia or from northern Europe. Both regions claim native apple species with lengthy histories. European settlers and missionaries carried seeds of the apple with them to the Western Hemisphere.

Growth

• The common apple tree (Malus sylvestris) blooms white or pink flowers that produce the typical table apple enjoyed throughout the world today. A wide variety of cultivars and hybrids exist, offering apples of different colors and taste. The tree is easily adaptable and able to grow in a number of conditions and nearly all U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zones. The apple is found growing both in orchards and in the wild, from Canada to Florida.

Medical Benefits

• The apple tree requires significant moisture and full sunlight to achieve full vigor. Healthy fruit will be produced when the soil contains the appropriate amounts of potassium, calcium and boron. In addition to the fruit's role as an important source of food and vitamins for humans and animals, other elements of the apple tree are utilized; apple bark and peels are used in teas to help alleviate various ailments. Astringents, laxatives and diuretics also are produced with parts of the apple tree.