Malus Malus Malus ( or ) is a genus of about 30–55 species of small deciduous trees or shrubs in the family Rosaceae, including the domesticated orchard apple ("M. pumila" syn. "M. domestica" ) – also known as the eating apple, cooking apple, or culinary apple. It is dealt with under Apple. The other species are generally known as crabapples, crab apples, or wild apples. The genus is native to the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere. Apple trees are typically tall at maturity, with a dense, twiggy crown. The leaves are long, alternate, simple, with a serrated margin. The flowers
Malus are borne in corymbs, and have five petals, which may be white, pink or red, and are perfect, with usually red stamens that produce copious pollen, and a half-inferior ovary; flowering occurs in the spring after 50–80 growing degree days (varying greatly according to subspecies and cultivar). Apples require cross-pollination between individuals by insects (typically bees, which freely visit the flowers for both nectar and pollen); all are self-sterile, and (with the exception of a few specially developed cultivars) self-pollination is impossible, making pollinating insects essential. Several "Malus" species, including domestic apples, hybridize freely. They are used as food plants