The Romans discovered it there, and dispersed the fruit even further around the world. Any tree that has "domestica" in its name has been domesticated for a long time. All rights reserved. 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 the last 25 years, we have grown 35,000 seedlings and selected the best for further use in our breeding program. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. Originating from Kazakhstan and Southern Asia, Apple trees dribbled into the British Isles most likely through trading routes. Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. The ancient woodlands of Kyrgyzstan—and of the four neighboring former Soviet republics of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan—are home to … The oldest documented apple is pomme d'Api. The apple tree has produced a crop every year, although most trees of its kind only live 50-70 years. No purchase necessary. Bears who eat the fruit of these trees are responsible for their dispersal through their droppings. Unfortunately not. 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. 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. How did you get to know about the Tekeli forests? Trees with multiple trunks are excluded. It was first documented in … ARS scientists brought back some trees from Kazakhstan in the 1980s and 1990s. 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/. What is so special about the history of this apple tree? Riding on horseback through wild apple groves outside Almaty. More information about the apple tree (Malus domestica). Follow us on social media to add even more wonder to your day. 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. 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. 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. 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. SA’s oldest apple tree stripped for firewood. The species’ tr… This Soviet-era athletic and recreation facility is the highest ice skating rink in the world. The Aport apple is one of Kazakhstan’s most famous cultivated varieties – actually a cross of the M. sieversiiand a Russian variety. 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 ancestor of the domestic apple is the Malus sieversii, which grows wild in the Tian Shan mountains of Kazakhstan. Winner will be selected at random on 02/01/2021. The crab apple is the most widespread wild relative of the apple tree in Europe. postcards may yellow with age or have stains from age and or collection display, please review photos. Apple tree offer Order one root-wrapped ‘Cox’s Orange Pippin’ for £19.99, including free UK mainland p&p. © 2021 Atlas Obscura. Apple --Malus domestica. Who were your guides? The tree was discovered by Buks Nel, Tru-Cape's varietal expert, … Some of the most incredible, beautiful, and strange places in the Atlas. ... Apples are one of the oldest domesticated fruit types. 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. Although it is more extended in the northern regions, in Spain this species is mainly located on mountainous areas. 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. An old French clultivar, it was recorded as early as 1535. Without a doubt the beautiful landscapes of Kazakhstan, rich in color and nuances. Up to 80 percent of the wild apple forests were destroyed. 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 thickest, tallest, and oldest apple trees (Malus domestica) Tweet. The wild apple forests in Kazakhstan are shrinking as trees are removed to make the land available for development endangering the wild apple species. Locations: Lee-Alatau National Park; Almaty to Sarkand was a 5 hour drive. 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. I was also very “taken” by the sight of some of the interiors I visited, decorated in a most unusual and interesting style. 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. This enchanting natural park is a magical example of a temperate rainforest in Europe. This Soviet statue is based on a piece of propaganda that's been elevated to national myth. The apple forests only exist in patches along the Tian Shan mountain range now. 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. 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. Apples weren’t always a precious fruit in Almaty though. Please ask any questions. Unlike other wild species they can reach sizes comparable with domesticated apples. To learn more or withdraw consent, please visit our cookie policy. Its ancestors -- M. sieversii and other species -- originated in Central Asia, including Kazakhstan. Fazio and his colleagues are developing new apple rootstocks better equipped to resist pests and diseases. We were accompanied by forest rangers who showed us the wild apple trees around Tekeli, roughly a 4-hour journey away from Almaty. This place has been added to the new edition of our bestselling book, on sale now wherever books are sold. All the apples grown today originated from the Malus sieveresil from that region. 5. Another popular apple that has many names – this one’s also known as Lorraine, Summer Rambour, and Rambour Franc. Consider supporting our work by becoming a member for as little as $5 a month. In Biblical legend, it grew in the Garden of Eden. They have a history that goes back at least 10,000 years to their origins in Kazakhstan. Please click below to consent to the use of this technology while browsing our site. Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. Home News South Africa SA’s oldest apple tree stripped for firewood. We can see from some of the photographs that you were accompanied during your journey. Dispatches on the world's most wondrous food and drink, delivered twice a week. I heard that the 27th edition of the Carlo Scarpa Prize for Gardens had been awarded by the Scientific Committee of the Benetton Foundation to the wild apple forests since for the significance they hold as a symbol of biodiversity. As they became domesticated they spread first to … This being a work commissioned by the Italian weekly magazine L’Espresso, we were totally focused on the story we had to write and the few days spent on site were not sufficient to fit in trips to other places. 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. Sign up for our newsletter and enter to win the second edition of our book. A brilliant turquoise lake in the mountains. A large apple, Summer Rambo sports light ribbing, and red-streaked pale yellow skin. It does so … 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. Crooked windswept pines give this old forest an enchanted and magical look. Every weekday we compile our most wondrous stories and deliver them straight to you. It has a much … Malus sieversii as it grows in the forests where these seeds were sourced, is a completely wild apple. Almaty’s former name, Alma-Ata,  means “father of apples,” and the town touts its heritage proudly. Kazakhstan still has forests where wild apple trees, the Malus sieversii, grow. 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. Fazio crossbred some of the Kazakhstan rootstocks with rootstocks he had previously developed. In truth, alas, there are no native named varieties of Malus domestica, the productive apple. 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. This apple is large sized with a brilliant red color and light russet. To order, call 0330 333 6856, quoting ref GU267 or go to our Readers’ Offers page . What impressed you most during your travels? Pomologists report that the wild apples have a variety of flavors, depending on how the bees pollinate the blossoms. Apples are believed to be the oldest cultivated tree in the world. Wild Apples Are Found In Kazakhstan - Gardens of blooming apples in the mountains of Almaty, Kazakhstan. This apple tree is named after Johann Sievers, the German botanist who first described it at the end of the 1700s. It originated in Kazakhstan and central Asia. 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. Beatlemania is still going strong ...at least in Kazakhstan. See. The Old Apple Tree died in 2020 at the age of 194. Did you get the chance to visit any other places in Kazakhstan? It is also considered the matriarch of Washington State's apple industry. Mugaritz Amazing Collection of … Almaty, whose old name 'Alma-Ata’ means 'father of apples’ in Kazakh, has claimed the honour of being birthplace of the apple for more than a hundred years. This historic orchard contains northern Europe's largest collection of paradise apple trees. They used to be commonplace, and during Soviet development many of the trees were cut down for their wood. Scientists believe the Tian Shan apple seeds were first transported out of Kazakhstan by birds and bears long before humans ever cultivated them. 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. 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