Malus ×domestica Borkh.

Deciduous, small to medium-sized tree, up to 6 m (sometimes taller in cultivation), not armed; trunk usually well developed; branches spreading; young stems tomentose and greyish brown; bark of older stems grey and ± smooth, except near base of tree. Lvs otfen crowded on short shoots; petiole 10–35 mm long, tomentose; blade ovate to broadly elliptic or suborbicular, 30–110 × 15–80 mm, subacute to acute, ± obtuse at base, pilose above when young but becoming glabrate or remaining pilose along veins, densely greyish or greenish tomentose below; margins crenate-serrate; stipules linear-lanceolate, tomentose, attenuate, often somewhat reddish. Fls on short shoots in clusters of (2)–4–6–(8); pedicels 8–15–(20) mm long, whitish tomentose. Sepal lobes 5–8 mm long, triangular and often dark red-tipped, tomentose, reflexed. Petals white to pink, most commonly white inside and pink outside and in bud, orbicular to almost oblong or ovate, (12)–17–24 × 8–18 mm, somewhat concave and crinkled. Stamens and styles much < petals. Fr. subglobose to broad-ovoid, usually 30–80 mm diam. (to c. 120 mm in cultivation), prominently or shortly pedicellate, sweet to sour when ripe; skin smooth, green to yellow, reddish, or streaked green and red.

[From: Webb et al. (1988) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 4.]

Flowering: Sep.–Nov.; Fruiting: Mar.–Jun.