Apple: Malus sylvestris, Rosaceae

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Apple (Malus spp.) consists of 30+ species that occur on both sides of the Atlantic in north­ern temperate zones. Its wood can be confused with pear (Pyrus spp.) and other “fruitwoods” in the rose family (Rosaceae). Malus is the classical Latin name for apple. Apple hybridizes with North American crab apples.

Malus angustifolia American crab apple, buncombe crab apple, crab apple, crabtree, nar­rowleaf crab, narrowleaf crab apple, southern crab, southern crab apple, wild crab, wild crab apple

Malus coronaria        Alabama crab, Allegheny crab, American crab, American crab apple,

Biltmore crab apple, Buncombe crab, crab, crab apple, Dawson crab, Dunbar crab, fragrant crab, garland tree, lanceleaf crab apple, Missouri crab, sweet crab apple, sweet-scented crab, sweet wild crab, wild crab, wild sweet crab

Malus fusca crab apple, Oregon crab, Oregon crab apple, Pacific crab apple, western crab apple, wild crab apple

Malus ioensis Bechel crab, crab apple, Iowa crab, Iowa crab apple, prairie crab, prai

rie crab apple, wild crab, wild crab apple

Malus sylvestris apple, common apple, wild apple.

 

Distribution: Apple is a cultivated fruit tree, persistent, escaped and naturalized locally across southern Canada, in eastern continental United States, and from Washington south to California. Native to Europe and west Asia. Apple grows wild in the southern part of Great Britain and Scandinavia and is found throughout Europe and southwestern Asia. It is planted in most temperate climates

The Tree:. The tree rarely reaches 30 ft (9 m), with a small crooked bole to 1 ft (0.3 m) in diameter.

General Wood Characteristics: Apple wood has a reddish gray heartwood and light reddish sapwood (12 to 30 rings of sapwood). When steamed, the wood becomes reddish brown to dark red-brown. The wood of wild apple trees is said to be better than that of culti­vated varieties, which is also true of pear trees.

Weighta

 

 

 

Moisture content

Specific gravity

Weight

 

lb/ft3

kg/m3

Green

12%

Ovendry

0.61
0.67
0.74

55
47
NA

881 753 NA

aReference (59).

 

 

 

 

Mechanical propertiesa

Property

Green

 

Dry

MOE

1.05 x 106 lbf/in2

7.239 GPa

1.27 x 106 lbf/in2

8.757 GPa

MOR

7.40 x 103 lbf/in2

51 .023 MPa

12.8 x 103 lbf/in2

88.256 MPa

C| |

3.00 x 103 lbf/in2

20.685 MPa

6.03 x 103 lbf/in2

41.577 MPa

C

0.85 x 103 lbf/in2

5.861 MPa

1.30 x 103 lbf/in2

8.964 MPa

WML

15.7 in-lbf/in3

108.252 kJ/m3

23.0 in-lbf/in3

158.585 kJ/m3

Hardness

1,090 lbf

4,848.32 N

1,730 lbf

7,695.04 N

Shear| |

1.64 x 103 lbf/in2

11.307 MPa

1.74 x 103 lbf/in2

11.997 MPa

aReference (59).

 

 

 

 

 

Drying and shrinkagea

Percentage of shrinkage (green to final moisture content)

Type of shrinkage        0% MC        6% MC 20% MC

Tangential        10.1        NA        NA

Radial        5.6        NA        NA

Volumetric        17.6        NA        NA

aReference (59).

 

Kiln drying schedulea

4/4, 5/4, 6/4        8/4        10/4        12/4        16/4

Condition        stock        stock        stock        stock        stock

Standard        T6-C3        T3-C2        NA        NA        NA

 

aReferences (6, 86).

Working Properties: The wood, which is very difficult to split, is hard and difficult to work, but is easily stained and polished. The timber converts cleanly but is moderately hard to saw. A clean finish is produced normally, but a reduction of the cutting angle to 20° is an advantage to planing.

Durability: When exposed, apple wood is nonresistant to heartwood decay. Preservation: No information available at this time.

Uses: Apple is used in furniture, turnings, mallet heads, skittle balls, umbrella handles, machines and toys, cog wheels, fruit presses, shuttles, wood screws, plane blocks, book­binder screws, boat knees, canes and walking sticks, drawing instruments, pianos and tool handles.

Toxicity: No information available at this time. Additional Reading: 29, 55, 68, 74.

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