Is Apple a Citrus Fruit

Introduction

An apple a day keeps you away from the doctor is a popular saying most of us grew up knowing. Foodies out there are sometimes confused if apples are citrus fruits or not. Before I answer the question I would like us to understand the word “citrus”

Citrus

From a botanist perspective, citrus is a genus (taxonomy) of flowering plants from the Rutacea family. Fruits from this genus are called citrus fruit. All fruits that are under this genus possess some characteristics that make them fit to be classified under it but do apples fit under this genus.
let keep diving in by looking at two key descriptions of a citrus plant:
  1. Tree: large or small to moderate size shrubs which could be 5m to 15m tall. They have evergreen leaves and are often strong-scented
  2. Fruit: They are specialized berries that can be globose to elongate. The fruit can be 4 to 30 cm long with a leathery rind or peel called a pericarp
Assessing the above-listed characteristics, I can boldly say no to the question. Apple belongs to a genus called Malus. So I can say it’s a Malus fruit. Malus is a small deciduous tree or shrub in the family Rosaceae.

Apple

Apples are high in fiber, vitamin C, and various antioxidants. They are also very filling, considering their low-calorie count.
Here are the nutrition facts for one raw, unpeeled, medium-sized apple (100 grams):
  • Calories: 52
  • Water: 86%
  • Protein: 0.3 grams
  • Carbs: 13.8 grams
  • Sugar: 10.4 grams
  • Fiber: 2.4 grams
  • Fat: 0.2 grams
As a bonus to our question, let’s look at the scientific classification of both Citrus and Malus.
Scientific Classification of Citrus and Malus.
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Clade
Tracheophytes
Tracheophytes
Clade
Angiosperm
Angiosperm
Clade
Eudicots
Eudicots
Clade
Rosids
Rosids
Order
Sapindales
Rosales
Family
Rutaceae
Rosacea
Sub-family
Aurantioideae
Amygdaloideade
Genus
Citrus
Malus
Specie
Citrus medica
Malus sylvestris

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