The queen of fruit - apple, well known as "forbidden fruit", "fruit of knowledge" and in Norwegian mythology as "fruit which brings eternal youth". Domestic or cultivated apple, Malus domestica Borkh., belongs to rose family. According to the Book of Genesis the snake persuaded Eve to offer Adam an apple in order to seduce him. Adam accepted it and became aware of their nudity and they were both punished by being expelled from the Garden of Eden. That is why the apple (lat Malum = evil) became a symbol of knowledge and immortality as well as sin and sexuality. Apple tree is the most cultivated tree in the world and it was present as a wild species in Europe since the prehistoric times. Domestic apple originates from Southern Siberia and Asia and Greeks and Romans were growing different varieties. From the time of Ancient Rome there is a saying "ab ovo usque ad mala" - from egg to apples, because it was common to start a meal with an egg and to finish it with an apple.

Eastern Turkey and the Caucasus are the centres of diversity of the Malus variety. Apple was originally grown there, from where it spread to Europe. Alexander the Great found an apple variety in Asia Minor around 300 BC and brought it to Greece. Charlemagne ordered to plant apples in German lands around 800 and around 1600 there were already almost 200 well known apple varieties. In 1600 English colonists brought it to the North and after that to South America.

Through thousands of years of cultivation, the apple obtained properties which we know today so it is the most widespread fruit in the world. There are 8000 different apple varieties that differ in colour, taste, sweetness and acidity, consistency and juiciness.

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