Paradise Apple/Paradisæble /Malus species
Paradise Apple is a lovely little tree with bunches of beautiful flowers in the spring and lots of miniature apples in yellow or red colours in the autumn. They are hardy trees and are found in many sorts, some of them grow in gardens and parks, other in fences or feral in forest and thicket. Most of the sorts origin from East Asia. There is place for a paradise apple tree even in the smallest garden.
The fruits are still on the trees a long time after leaf fall, and they are very much sought after by birds.
De biggest fruits are fine in jelly and gelé. They can also give an extra special taste to a snaps - whole preserved paradise apples are an excellent and pretty accompaniment for many desserts - and raw paradise apples cooked in pies, cakes or fermented into cider - the taste can be sweet and pleasant.
photo: grethe bachmann