Kazahk Apple Tree Facts
- The informative term of Kazahk Apple Tree represents the most frequently employed common name for this gorgeous creation of Nature. Yet, it also has several other terms by which it’s known. These include Sievers apple, Ancestor apple, and Wild Asian apple, among others.
- Inside the hallowed halls of science, however, it’s perhaps much better known by its purely technical designation. That’s one that’s at least somewhat shorter and easier for the layperson to pronounce than some such. The marvel holds the official moniker of Malus sieversii.
- The Angiosperm received that simple title due to the efforts of Carl Friedrich von Ledebour. That respected German botanist recorded the first official recognition of it as a separate and distinct species. He accomplished this scientifically noteworthy deed in the year 1830.
- This wonder of botanical evolution holds an eminent position within the records of science. Recent genetic research revealed that this specific plant actually represents the original ancestor of every variety of apple in existence across the globe! Now that’s a legacy of note.
- Sadly, however, the historic important Kazahk Apple Tree now finds itself in an unpleasant predicament. That’s because it has a population far lower than in the past. Accordingly, the IUCN presently lists this remarkable plant as Vulnerable on its Red List of Threatened Species.
- Human activities and natural disasters constitute the major contributors to the decline of this amazing flora. Much of the land it once occupied now holds human habitations. Now, of course, it also faces the dual threats posed by this habitat loss and ongoing climate change.
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Kazahk Apple Tree Physical Description
The charming Kazahk Apple Tree generally captures the attention of those individuals fortunate enought to come across one of these natural wonders. Unlike some fruiting trees, though, it does so for several reasons. That’s because it’s not only lovely to behold but also of respectable dimensions.
Examples of this particular flora vary markedly in terms of their height. That primarily occurs due to variations in local environmental conditions. Average heights range anywhere from about 16 – 39 ft (5 – 12 m). Yet, under ideal conditions, some specimens exceed this, occasionally even significantly.
The bark of of this marvel of evolution and Nature evolved to present a grayish-brown shade. As the tree ages, this becomes notably rough and furrowed in nature. Meanwhile, its sizable canopy most commonly develops as fully rounded in form, spreading, and possessed of very dense branching.
Its leaves also merit their own measure on attention and appreciation. This foliage evolved as oval to oblong with serrated edges. In length, these average roughly 2 – 5 in (5 – 13 cm). Each also develops as dark green on the top, but lighter on the underside, and slightly fuzzy there, as well.
When blooming, its flowers also draw the eye of viewers. These appear grouped in flat-topped clusters, and possessing a sweet aroma. In size, each individual blossom achieves a mean diameter of 1.2 – 1.6 in (3 – 4 cm). Colors for these beauties also varies, ranging from white to a pale pink.
Yet, it’s doubtless the fruit of the gorgeous Kazahk Apple Tree that generally garners the most interest, especially given its historical significance. This typically develops a rounded shape, though it’s sometimes irregular or conical in form. It’s small, ranging in size from 0.8 – 2.8 in (2 – 7 cm).
The colors of this part of the tree also vary widely. These frequently include shades of green, yellow, red, or a mix of these. Individual fruits also often display mottled or streaked patterns in their coloration. The texture of the flesh develops as either crisp, soft, or mealy, depending on the tree.
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Phylum: Tracheophyta
- Class: Magnoliopsida
- Order: Rosales
- Family: Rosaceae
- Genus: Malus
- Species: M. sieversii
Kazahk Apple Tree Distribution, Habitat, and Ecology
Unfortunately, the remarkable Kazahk Apple Tree evolved as indigenous to a moderately small portion of the surface of the earth. The general area in which that zone of habitation lies likely won’t surprise anyone learning of it. That’s true since this amazing flora’s native to a small portion of Asia.
More precisely, that natural territorial range falls within the general central section of the overall region. The botanical wonder’s only known to appear natively in a total of six separate countries. Four of these locations consist of the nations of Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan.
It’s also present within the borders of Kazakhstan. There, the intriguing ancestor of modern apples continues to be particularly common in the Tian Shan Mountains near Almaty. The other nation within whose boundaries the tree resides is China, where it’s found in the northwestern regions.
The stunning product of Nature displays decidedly clear and strong preferences regarding its choice of habitat. Perhaps chief among the various factors that come into play stands altitude. The amazing tree’s found almost exclusively at altitudes that range from 3,900 – 8,200 ft (1,200 – 2,500 m).
It also clearly prefers temperate forested mountain regions with cold winters and mild to warm summers. The Angiosperm generally thrives in areas possessing well-drained soils, often appearing on small slopes. It also tolerates a roughly continental climate with significant seasonal variations.
The species frequently makes its home inside of mixed deciduous forests. Here, it often coexists with numerous varieties of other trees, such as walnut, birch, maple, and wild cherry. It also favors open areas or lightly shaded forests, preferably with well-drained, loamy soils for its needs.
The remarkable Kazahk Apple Tree plays a vital role in the mountain ecosystems of Central Asia, in several ways. This marvel of the botanical world represents what botanists call a pioneer, species, playing a pivotal role in both forest regeneration and soil stabilization on mountain slopes.
It also forms what’s known as a keystone species. That’s because it supports a wide range of organisms due to its fruit and structural role in forests. It’s also considered a genetic reservoir. The tree contains valuable traits like disease resistance, drought tolerance, and cold hardiness, too.
It principally achieves its pollination via the actions of locally prevalent species of bees, especially wild, solitary one’s. Other insects like butterflies also contribute. Bears, foxes, wild boars, birds, and other mammals eat the apples and subsequently disperse the seeds through their droppings.
The highly useful flora additionally serves its local ecosystems as a leading habitat provider for a wide variety of smaller forms of life. It offers both nesting and shelter for birds and small mammals. Its expansive canopy supports insect diversity, which in turn supports insectivorous species.
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