Malus pumila

Apple Tree is a small to medium sized tree with spreading canopy, to 30 ft in wild, generally 6-15 ft in cultivation. Dark green leaves are elliptical with serrate margins, and velvety hairs on the underside. Petals are white when open, but have red-pink undersides when opening. The inflorescence is a cyme of 4-6 flowers, with the center flower opening first. The central flower is often called the "King bloom", and has the potential to produce a larger fruit than other flowers. Flowers are produced terminally from mixed buds on spurs, or to a lesser extent on long shoots. Spurs form on 2-yr-old and older wood, and generally grow only a fraction of an inch each year. A special fruit type is given to apple and related fruits - the pome. The bulk of the fleshy edible portion derives from the flower cup, and not the ovary. Seeds are relatively small and black, and mildly poisonous.