What Countries Do Apples Come From?

Apples are grown in a huge number of countries around the world, but the leading apple producers are China, the United States, Turkey, Poland and Italy. It is thought that the apple tree originated somewhere in central Asia between two and 10 million years ago.

Over the course of human history, apple seeds were transported to various locations and people began to rely on apples for food. Apples were transported to China as early as 6500 B.C., and by the year 2000 B.C., apple trees were grown in parts of Europe.

The Romans started planting apple trees in England, but it wasn’t until the 1600s that Europeans brought apple trees to North America. The first apple trees in North America were planted by pilgrims in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Before that time, crabapples were the only type of apple tree found in North America, but these are generally considered inedible.

Most apples sold in the United States are also grown in the country. In fact, apples are grown in all 50 states, although not all states grow them on a commercial scale. As of 2014, Washington is by far the biggest apple producing state, accounting for nearly 60 percent of all apples grown in the country. New York is the second-largest apple producer with around 11 percent, followed by Michigan, Pennsylvania and California.

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