Pome

The word pome first appeared in English in the late 14th century and was used to refer to an apple or an object in the shape of an apple. In turn, it derives from the Old French word for “apple”.

Pome is an accessory fruit that consists of one or more carpels that are surrounded by accessory tissue. It is believed by some specialists that the accessory tissue is an extension of the receptacle and is referred to as the “fruit cortex,” while it is believed by others that it is a fused hypanthium (floral cup). It is the most delectable part of the fruit.

Within the “core” of a pome, the carpels are fused. Even though the epicarp, mesocarp, and endocarp of some other fruit types resemble the skin, flesh, and core of a pome, they are all parts of the carpel of the fruit in question (see diagram). In some pome fruits, the epicarp and mesocarp are both fleshy and difficult to distinguish from one another as well as from the hypanthium tissue. The endocarp is a leathery or stony case that surrounds the seed, and it corresponds to what is commonly referred to as the core.

Apples, pears, loquats, medlars, and quinces are all classified as pome fruits, despite their distinct textures and flavours. The plants that produce pomes are members of the apple subtribe of the rose family, Rosaceae, and are known as Malinae. Peach trees, strawberry plants, flowering almond trees, and hawthorn bushes are all members of the much larger rose family, which also includes peonies.

Shared Traits

Pomes all have some structural similarities in terms of their design. Pomes are accessory fruits, similar to strawberries and figs, in that their edible flesh develops not only from the ovary but also from other parts of the flower. Accessory fruits are distinguished from aggregate fruits (for example, berries) and simple fruits (for example, apples) (e.g., nuts).

Carpels (the female reproductive organs of the flower) fuse to form the core of each pome, which contains the seeds. While the seeds are surrounded by the endocarp (a tough, fibrous flesh), the softer mesocarp (the pome’s edible flesh) encircles and protects the endocarp. The edible flesh of the pome is protected by the epicarp (the skin).

Pome Trees

Pomegranate trees are deciduous, which means that they shed their leaves in the fall and go dormant in the winter months. During the spring, these trees bloom, and then in the summer, they bear fruit. Harvesting takes place primarily in the late summer and early autumn.

Growth of the Pome

Pomes are particularly well-suited for interspecies grafting because they have the following characteristics: A single pome rootstock can support up to 20 different cultivars of pome fruit. Apples, pears, and Asian pears are frequently grown together on the same tree, not only to provide variety but also to protect the fruits from certain diseases and pests that can affect them.

Apples are, without a doubt, the most popular type of pome in Europe and America, with pears and Asian pears coming in a close second and third. Horticulturists have created hundreds of cultivars of each species, though only a few specific cultivars dominate the market today.

Loquats are a hardy species that thrives in a warm, subtropical climate. They are particularly popular in the Middle East and Asia, where they are widely grown. Because cold temperatures prevent the fruit from developing a sweet, pleasant flavour, loquats grown in North America are typically grown as ornamental plants.

Medlars, quinces, and rowans were popular fruits in Europe for hundreds of years, but they fell out of favour as apples and pears were developed to produce more flavorful fruit in greater quantities. The fruit of the quince tree can still be found in some speciality markets, but medlars and rowans are no longer grown for commercial purposes.

The following are examples of edible pomes:

• Apples
• Pears
• Asian pears
• Quinces
• Loquats
• Rowans
• Medlars
• Crab apples

It is possible to refer to a polypyrenous drupe as a pome-type fruit that has a stony rather than leathery endocarp. The shrivelled remains of the sepals, style, and stamens can sometimes be seen at the end of a pome opposite the stem, and the ovary is therefore frequently referred to as inferior in these flowers due to its position opposite the stem.

Examples

The apple is the most well-known example of pome fruit. Cotoneaster, Crataegus (hawthorn and mayhaw), medlar, pear, Pyracantha, quince, rowan, loquat, toyon, and whitebeam are examples of plants that produce fruit that is classified as a pome. [a citation is required]

Some pomes (for example, some apples) have a mealy texture, while others (for example, Amelanchier and Aronia) have a berry-like appearance with juicy flesh and a core that is barely noticeable.

Conclusion

Pomes have been consumed by humans for thousands of years. Scholars estimate that cider fruits accounted for nearly 60% of all pomes produced throughout human history, rather than dessert fruits like apples. In fact, until the end of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century, hard cider was the most popular and easily accessible alcoholic beverage in the United States.