Somehow relevant xkcd:
Actually, apple varieties are preserved via grafting. If you take an apple seed, the tree that will grow from it only has 50% of the DNA of the tree that made the apple. So there is absolutely no guarantee that the taste was preserved across generations.
Human: I love this apple, I will plant its seeds so I can grow more myself.
Apple tree: Crabapples crabappley
I thought that was what made the meme funny…
Apple grafting is incredibly easy and cheap. All you need is a bit of knowledge, a utility knife, cheap flagging tape and ordinary waterproof wood glue. Planning to procure scions and watching for the bark slip is necessary - usually right around when buds start to break. My first graft was successful. Now I graft all the time. Peaches were a problem for me until I learned that they must be grafted after blossoms drop - usually later than ideal apple grafting time.
Damn it! That was my bit of esoteric plant kkowlwdge
Lol me too. 30 minutes late I guess.
Likewise, fellow apple nerds.
TIL :)
I can only imagine how many useful genes that saves.
It blows my mind how many apple varieties (“cultivars”) exist.
Spoiler: over 7,000!
No, it’s just over 7000.
Yeah, the other number wasn’t even close. I don’t think you’d even be able to fit that many
on earthin thesolar systemgalaxy.Sorry, I’m confused by these comments. I typed “7,000”. In the US, that translates as “seven thousand”. What is wrong with that?
It’s a joke. 7000! mathematically is 7000 factorial. Which means 7000 x 6999 x 6998…
You can see why orchard space might be a problem.
Oh… 7000! thanks.
I got one!, there are only 3 trees in existence (only 1 mature enough to fruit and 2 cuttings) rn and the apples taste kinda like pears but with an apple texture.
Apples do not grow true from seed, you get a new variety unless you clone.
Just like humans.
Guy from the maths problem
From my hometown!