Apple (Malus domestica) is a cultivated fruit tree in the rose family, Rosaceae, and is among the most widely grown tree fruits globally. Apples are consumed fresh or processed into juice, vinegar, jelly, applesauce, apple butter, and cider, wine, and brandy. Nutritionally, they provide vitamins A and C, are rich in carbohydrates, and are an excellent source of dietary fibre. The trees are generally small to medium-sized, depending on the rootstock, with dwarf and semi-dwarf types remaining compact while standard trees can grow up to 9 metres tall. They have brown, scaly bark, oval serrated leaves, and showy white or pink-tinged blossoms that rely on bees and other insects for cross-pollination.
Botanically classified as a pome (fleshy), the apple is a fleshy fruit formed from the ripened ovary and surrounding tissue. Fruits are typically round, 5–10 cm in diameter, and range in colour from red and green to yellow, depending on the variety. Thousands of cultivated varieties exist and are grouped into cider, cooking, and dessert types, differing in sweetness, acidity, texture, and aroma. Popular dessert varieties include Honeycrisp, Red Delicious, Gala, Granny Smith, and Golden Delicious. Apples thrive in regions with a distinct winter period, require well-drained soils, and can be stored for long periods under controlled, near-freezing conditions. In Kenya, apples are mainly grown in high-altitude, cool regions where temperatures favor flowering and fruit development, particularly in Central Kenya counties such as Nyeri, Kiambu, Murang’a and Kirinyaga, as well as parts of the Rift Valley including Nakuru, Laikipia, Nandi and Uasin Gishu, and sections of Eastern Kenya such as Meru and Embu. Limited trials are also ongoing in other elevated zones of Western Kenya. Production is primarily for the domestic market, as Kenya continues to rely heavily on imports to meet demand, but the introduction of low-chill and heat-tolerant varieties has encouraged gradual expansion into non-traditional areas.