Is the wild apple suitable for consumption?

fruit

After the flowering period, which extends from April to May, the wild apple develops fruits. The apples ripen from September and have a slightly shriveled outer skin that is yellow-green or sometimes red. They are much smaller than cultivated apples and reach a diameter between two and four centimeters.

The apples contain large amounts of tannic acids and therefore taste very sour and tart. The flesh is firm and has a woody consistency, which is why the species was named crab apple. The seeds contain small amounts of amygdalin. If they are chewed, hydrogen cyanide can be released.

Toxic effect of hydrogen cyanide:

• Headache and dizziness
• Nausea and vomiting
• is fatal in large quantities

story

The wild apple has a millennia-old tradition of use. Already since 5,000 BC Chr. the fruits of the small tree are harvested and processed further. Romans and Greeks used apples to make wine. In the 17th In the 19th century, the sour fruits served as the basis for the production of beer.

Wild apple today

Because of their bitter taste, wild apples should not be consumed raw. The high pectin content makes the fruits the ideal ingredient for natural applesauce. They give the puree a thicker consistency than cultivated apples and can be used to make jellies or fruit spreads.

In addition to pectin and tannic acids, the fruits contain vitamins A, B and C as well as fructose and trace elements. The taste of the apples is variable and depends on the location. Numerous varieties have developed in nature because the wild apple crosses with cultivated apples. Therefore, the size of the fruits also differs considerably in some cases.

Wild apple jelly with lavender:

• Cut one kilogram of crab apples into pieces
• Bring to the boil with two sprigs of lavender in 1.5 liters of water
• after one hour of boiling time, strain the liquid through a cloth
• Add 450 g of sugar per 600 ml of liquid
• Simmer for eight to ten minutes