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 Landscape with apple tree. Hinnomäe, Otepää uplands

 

Journal Eesti Loodus continues a happy tradition and has chosen apple trees as 2012 Trees of the Year.

 

Crab apples have probably grown on our territory for five or six thousand years. Today they are a protected species. Crab apples should not be confused with domestic apple trees gone wild – such that have grown from apple cores thrown away; they grow quite easily. The differences will be discussed more in detail when the trees already have leaves.

 

Breeding of different apple varieties probably started a couple of thousand years ago; even then people knew how to graft trees. The first domestic apple trees probably reached Estonia in the 13th-14th century by way of the monasteries. The beginning of Estonian apple growing and breeding can be dated to the beginning of last century.

In spring we will certainly write more about the trees of the year, beautifully flowering and a joy to see.