When you hold an apple, the presence of a stem at one end and a small indentation at the other invites a closer look at the fruit’s structure. This common fruit possesses a complex anatomy that reveals its floral history. Understanding the specific names for these parts helps to appreciate the apple as a botanical marvel. The answer to what the bottom of an apple is called links directly to how the apple develops from a flower.
Identifying the Blossom End
The indentation located on the apple opposite the stem is known most commonly as the blossom end. This area marks the spot where the flower’s petals, stamens, and sepals were once attached before the fruit matured. It is sometimes also referred to simply as the “eye” of the apple.
The more precise botanical term for the dried remnants found in this depression is the calyx. The calyx is composed of the remains of the sepals, which are the small, leaf-like structures that protected the flower bud. These sepals persist on the mature apple, forming the small, star-like structure at the fruit’s base.
The presence of these dried floral parts is a direct clue to the apple’s development. The calyx end can also be a point of concern for apple growers, as certain fungal diseases like calyx end rot can begin their infection at this vulnerable spot.
The Apple’s Botanical Origin
The calyx remains visible because the apple is classified as a pome, a specific type of fruit. Apples are accessory fruits; the fleshy, edible portion does not develop exclusively from the flower’s ovary. Instead, the bulk of what we eat comes from the enlarged receptacle tissue, the part of the flower stem that supports the floral structures.
This development causes the flower’s ovary, the actual “true fruit” containing the seeds, to be buried inside the fleshy tissue. As the receptacle expands, it pushes the remnants of the sepals, petals, and stamens (the calyx) to the far end of the developing fruit. The edible flesh grows around the ovary.
The apple flower has an inferior ovary, meaning the ovary is situated below the attachment point of the other flower parts. This arrangement ensures that the sepals remain at the end opposite the stem, defining the fruit’s bottom. This accessory tissue development is a characteristic of all pome fruits, including pears and quinces.
Anatomy of the Apple Fruit
While the blossom end is the fruit’s bottom, the apple contains several other distinct parts. At the opposite end is the pedicel, or stem, which connects the apple to the branch and serves as the conduit for water and nutrients.
The central region is the core, which develops from the true ovary of the flower. Within the core are typically five small compartments, known as carpels, which contain the seeds. The seeds are protected by the tough walls of the carpels.
The outer layer is the skin, or exocarp, which protects the fruit and varies in color. Beneath the skin is the sweet, juicy flesh, which is predominantly the enlarged receptacle tissue.