Malus sieversii Malus sieversii Malus sieversii is a wild apple native to the mountains of Central Asia in southern Kazakhstan. It has recently been shown to be the primary ancestor of most cultivars of the domesticated apple ("Malus pumila"). It was first described (as Pyrus sieversii) in 1833 by Carl Friedrich von Ledebour, a German naturalist who saw them growing in the Altai Mountains. It is a deciduous tree growing to , very similar in appearance to the domestic apple. Its fruit is the largest of any species of "Malus" except "pumila", up to 7 cm diameter, equal in size to many
Malus baccata by 4–6. Petals are white and egg-shaped, approximately 2–2.5 cm (0.8-1.0 inches) long. Fruits are red to yellow and spherical, only about 1 cm (0.4 inches) in diameter; they form dense clusters and resemble cherries from a distance. Flowering occurs in spring, with fruits appearing in September–October. The subordinate taxa include "Malus baccata" is used as ornament for its flowers and fruit. Fruits are edible and are eaten fresh or dried. As one of the tallest and most resistant to cold and pest species of its genus, "M. baccata" is used for experimental breeding and grafting of other crabapples and