When the apple trees turn into pink and white clouds of flowers in April and May, one might assume that they have not yet grown any leaves. We will clarify in this article whether this is actually the case.
Do the flowers or the leaves come first on an apple tree?
In the apple tree (Malus domestica)the pink flower buds open first However, there is already a little foliage, because the flowers are in protective, green sepals. During the flowering process, the tree begins to sprout the leaves that nourish it.
Why does the apple tree bloom first?
Since innatureeverything isoriented towards reproduction, the apple tree opens the pink or white flowers even before the leaf buds burst. This gives it the advantage over other plants in that fruit formation occurs more quickly. In addition, the fruit tree can put all of its energy into the flower buds planted the previous year.
Does the apple tree also get leaves when it is blooming?
After the sepals andflowers have opened,the leaf budsclearly visiblebegin to swell. During the apple blossom, which lasts two to three weeks, these burst. When the petals fall off, the fruit tree is already adorned with many, still light green leaves.
Tip
Some apple varieties do not bloom regularly
If your apple tree produces leaves but has hardly had any flowers, it may be a variety for which annual yield fluctuations are normal (alternancy). For example, Boskop, Cox Orange and Elstar only bloom well every two years. In the year in which flowering almost completely stops, these variants gather strength for the following year.