Apple (Malus spp.) consists of 30+ species that occur on both sides of the Atlantic in northern temperate zones. Its wood can be confused with pear (Pyrus spp.) and other “fruitwoods” in the rose family (Rosaceae). Malus is the classical Latin name for apple. Apple hybridizes with North American crab apples.
Malus angustifolia American crab apple, buncombe crab apple, crab apple, crabtree, narrowleaf crab, narrowleaf crab apple, southern crab, southern crab apple, wild crab, wild crab apple
Malus coronaria Alabama crab, Allegheny crab, American crab, American crab apple, Biltmore crab apple, Buncombe crab, crab, crab apple, Dawson crab, Dunbar crab, fragrant crab, garland tree, lanceleaf crab apple, Missouri crab, sweet crab apple, sweet-scented crab, sweet wild crab, wild crab, wild sweet crab
Malus fusca crab apple, Oregon crab, Oregon crab apple, Pacific crab apple, western crab apple, wild crab apple
Malus ioensis Bechel crab, crab apple, Iowa crab, Iowa crab apple, prairie crab, prairie crab apple, wild crab, wild crab apple
Malus sylvestris apple, common apple, wild apple.
Distribution: Apple is a cultivated fruit tree, persistent, escaped and naturalized locally across southern Canada, in eastern continental United States, and from Washington south to California. Native to Europe and west Asia. Apple grows wild in the southern part of Great Britain and Scandinavia and is found throughout Europe and southwestern Asia. It is planted in most temperate climates
The Tree:. The tree rarely reaches 30 ft (9 m), with a small crooked bole to 1 ft (0.3 m) in diameter.
General Wood Characteristics: Apple wood has a reddish gray heartwood and light reddish sapwood (12 to 30 rings of sapwood). When steamed, the wood becomes reddish brown to dark red-brown. The wood of wild apple trees is said to be better than that of cultivated varieties, which is also true of pear trees.
Weighta
Weight
Moisture Specific lb/ft3 kg/m3
content gravity
Green 0.61 55 881
12% 0.67 47 753
Ovendry 0.74 NA NA
aReference (59).
Mechanical propertiesa
Property Green Dry
MOE 1.05 106 7.239 GPa 1.27 106 8.757 GPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
MOR 7.40 103 51.023 MPa 12.8 103 88.256 MPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
C| | 3.00 103 20.685 MPa 6.03 103 41.577 MPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
C 0.85 103 5.861 MPa 1.30 103 8.964 MPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
WML 15.7 108.252 23.0 158.585
in-lbf/in3 kJ/m3 in-lbf/in3 kJ/m3
Hardness 1,090 lbf 4,848.32 N 1,730 lbf 7,695.04 N
Shear| | 1.64 103 11.307 MPa 1.74 103 11.997 MPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
aReference (59).
Drying and shrinkagea
Percentage of shrinkage
(green to final moisture
content)
Type of 0% MC 6% MC 20% MC
shrinkage
Tangential 10.1 NA NA
Radial 5.6 NA NA
Volumetric 17.6 NA NA
aReference (59).
Kiln drying schedulea
4/4, 5/4, 8/4 10/4 12/4 16/4
Conditio 6/4 stock stock stock stock
n stock
Standard T6-C3 T3-C2 NA NA NA
aReferences (6, 86).
Working Properties: The wood, which is very difficult to split, is hard and difficult to work, but is easily stained and polished. The timber converts cleanly but is moderately hard to saw. A clean finish is produced normally, but a reduction of the cutting angle to 20° is an advantage to planing.
Durability: When exposed, apple wood is nonresistant to heartwood decay.
Preservation: No information available at this time.
Uses: Apple is used in furniture, turnings, mallet heads, skittle balls, umbrella handles, machines and toys, cog wheels, fruit presses, shuttles, wood screws, plane blocks, bookbinder screws, boat knees, canes and walking sticks, drawing instruments, pianos and tool handles.
Toxicity: No information available at this time.
Additional Reading: 29, 55, 68, 74. 55, 66, 68, 74, 79. 28, 29, 42, 43, 44, 48, 50, 55, 56, 68, 72, 73, 74, 79, 92, 97, 102. 74, 75, 77, 99, 106. 101.