You know what they say: an apple a day keeps the doctor away. What no one ever really says, though, is where those apples come from.
We think it’s important to understand how our food is grown. For that reason, we’ll be informing you about where apples are grown in this fast article.
By the end of the post, you should know not only where apples are grown, but where they were originally from and what their ideal growing conditions are.
Where are Apples Grown?
Just like the previous saying about apples and doctors, there’s another saying you hear frequently. In fact, you’ve probably heard someone say, “as American as apple pie” at least once in your life.
This saying probably makes you think that all apples must come from the United States. However, that’s definitely untrue.
Apples grow internationally. You can find them growing in China, the US, Poland, and Turkey.
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Which Country Grows the Most Apples?
China blows other countries out of the water when it comes to apple production. Every year, the entire world grows about 86 million tons of apples
Almost half of that amount is produced by China, which generates around 40 million tons of apples. To give you a little perspective, the next closest competitor is the United States.
The United States produces approximately 5 million tons of apples a year. That’s just a fraction of what China produces.
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Where do Apples Grow Best?
To answer the question of where apples grow best, let’s examine what they need in order to grow healthily.
Apple trees aren’t very fussy. In fact, they can grow in all temperate zones. However, the conditions they love most are places with cold winters and somewhat warm (not hot) summers.
They also like their humidity. Ideal settings for apples will, on average, have moderate to high levels of humidity.
The best growing zones for apples are 3 to 9. “Zones” in this case refers to hardiness zones. You can view the hardiness zones for various countries here.
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Where Did Apples Originally Come From?
Let’s dive into the history of apples, because it’s kind of mind-blowing. Apples are thought to have originated in Central Asia.
It’s believed that people started domestically growing them anywhere from 4,000-10,000 years ago. From there on, apples slowly made their way to North America.
Colonists brought the crispy fruit with them to the United States in the 1600’s. Then, Reverend William Blaxton planted the very first apple orchard in 1625 in Boston.
Apples’ widespread influence has led to many depictions in cultures all over the world. Greek mythology uses apples in numerous religious ceremonies. The forbidden fruit eaten by Eve in the Bible is often depicted as an apple.
Apples even appear in ancient Norse mythology. There are some legends stating that the gods ate apples in order to gain eternal youth.
Wrap Up
The legendary apple is one well-traveled fruit. If it had a passport, said passport would undoubtedly be filled from cover to cover with stamps.
One thing is for sure, though: we’re glad apples have traveled so far and wide. That means we get to enjoy them, after all.
Want to take your apple-eating experience to the next level? Try reading our guide to the sweetest and juiciest apples.
Hey, I’m Joey. I’ve been cooking since I was a little kid and love everything about it. You can find my writing about food, kitchen appliances (such as blenders) and much more. Thanks for stopping by!
