apple

open main page for all woods open page 2 for articles

NOTE: there is rarely any "standard" or "typical" look for a wood so take what's in this table with a grain of salt
the REST of the pictures on this page will give you a better overall feel for this wood

apple / Malus spp. and Pyrus spp.
both of the family Rosaceae
There are at least two dozen Malus species and a dozen Pyrus species that have apple as all or part of one or more of their common names. In addition, there are almost another 200 species from another 60 genera that also have apple as all or part of one or more of their common names.

5" x 5" flat cut, 3" x 3" quartersawn, 1" wide end grain, and a 1/4" x 1/4" end grain closeup.

Smooth grained, fine texture, diffuse porous with very small pores more dense in the earlywood and marginal parenchyma, growth rings distinct, sapwood is thick, demarcation between dark heartwood and light sapwood is fairly sharp.

Because the trees tend to be modest in size, apple is not generally available as lumber but is readily available in the craft market in small sizes. European apple is sometimes available as small sized lumber

my samples:
NOTE: these pics were all taken in very bright incandescent lighting ("soft white" at 2700K)
colors will vary under other lighting conditions

both sides of a sample plank of apple / Malus domestica --- HUGE enlargements are present

end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above

END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above

both sides of a sample plank of apple / Malus domestica --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.

end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above

both sides of a sample plank of apple / Malus domestica --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.

end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above

END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above

both sides of a sample plank of common apple / Malus domestica --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by Mark Peet whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site. The vendor of this sample calls it "yellow transparent" apple which is a legitimate designation but not one that I've seen before in woodworking circles. I think it might be a hybrid of Malus domestica and something else.

end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above

END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above

both sides of a sample plank of common apple / Malus sylvestris --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site. The dark streaking is likely mineral stain, although with the white inside it, it could be a combination of blue stain / white rot

end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above

END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above

both sides of a sample plank of apple listed as Northern spy apple / Malus sylvestris --- HUGE enlargements are present.

end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above

END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above

both sides and both ends of a sample piece

end grain closeup of the piece directly above

END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above

both sides of a sample plank of apple harvested in Washington state

end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above

END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above

both sides of a sample plank of flowering crab apple / Malus spp. --- HUGE enlargements are present.

end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above

END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above

both side of a sample plank of Oregon crab apple / Malus spp. --- I believed the light areas to be wormholes but had stated that they could could be just rot; correspondent Mark Freeland tells me they are definitely wormholes and he has experienced many similar looking pieces.

end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above

END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above

both sides of a sample plank of Oregon crab apple / Malus fusca --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.

end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above

END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above

end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above

END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above

end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above

END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above

both sides of a sample plank of Japanese crab apple / Malus floribunda --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.

end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above

END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above

both sides of a sample plank of hupei crab apple / Malus hupehensis --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by Mark Peet whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.

end grain and HIGH GRIT END GRAIN CLOSEUP of the piece directly above

set of planks

closeup from the set directly above

set of planks

closeup from the set directly above

plank and end grain --- this was cut from the larger plank above

end grain closeup and END GRAIN UPDATE of the piece directly above

plank --- it's unseasoned so I'll stick it in the garage for a couple of years and then clean the ends and get and end grain shot. EDIT: now done: see directly below. I assume the lightening of the color in the newer pics is because it now has relatively little moisture.

both sides of a sample plank of apple. HUGE enlargements are present. This has been air drying in my garage for a couple of years and I can't even remember where I got it, but it was identified only as "apple", not any particular species or even type of apple.

end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above

END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above

first face and the end grain of a sample of apple / Malus spp. This part of a collection which is discussed here: COLLECTION B

the second face, before and after slicing off 1/8" showing how the patina from aging is only surface deep.

end grain closeup and END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above.

first face and the end grain of a sample of apple / Malus spp. This part of a collection which is discussed here: COLLECTION B. This is most likely Malus domestica.

the second face, before and after slicing off 1/8" showing how the patina from aging is only surface deep.

end grain closeup and END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above.

first face and the end grain of a sample of apple (unknown species) --- This part of a collection which is discussed here: COLLECTION G

the second face, before and after sanding it down a bit, showing how the patina from aging is only surface deep.

end grain closeup and END GRAIN UPDATE of the piece directly above

both sides of a sample plank of apple with bug tracks and a bark inclusion --- HUGE enlargements are present.

end grain and HIGH GRIT END GRAIN CLOSEUP of the piece directly above

apple box shot at a woodworking show --- HUGE enlargements are present

stairway made from apple wood ... pic donated by Iain Rankin, whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.

The Wood Book pics

flat cut, quartersawn, end grain
apple (Pyrus malus) from The Wood Book --- both levels of enlargement are present for all 3 views

flat cut, quartersawn, end grain
crab apple (Pyrus rivularis, aka Oregon crab apple) from The Wood Book --- both levels of enlargement are present for all 3 views

flat cut, quartersawn, end grain
wild crab apple (Pyrus Coronaria, which is just a syn. for Malus coronaria) from The Wood Book --- both levels of enlargement are available for each of the 3 views. This wood is also listed as wild crab and sweet-scented crab; why these are not "crab apple" instead of just "crab" I do not know but apparently that IS another common name for this wood.

web pics:

end grain listed as Malus communis

log ends and plank ends

various log sections with believable colors

log section with unnaturally strong red color --- might have just been moistened for the pic

plank listed as apple / Pinus malus

planks (I believe the deep orange ones have been moistened for the pics)

two views of a plank listed as just "apple"

both sides of a pair of planks

scales

apple scales with white rot, moistened for the pics

pieces with white rot

spalted pieces --- this is black line spalting is rare for apple

plank listed as Malus sylvestris

planks listed as wild apple

bowl blanks listed as wild apple

bookmatched planks

set of planks and a closeup --- these were moistened for the pics

slab shown both dry and wet

planks that have been moistened for the pics

plank w/ wet and dry sections

slabs

turning stock

both sides of a turning block that has been moistened for the pic

crotch pieces with mineral stain

turning stock

German apple plank w/ wet and dry sections

moisteded planks --- these have a "pippy" look that is unusual for apple

dry pen blanks

pen blanks --- I believe all of these have been moisted in some way, but it did not say

pen blanks that have been waxed

veneer

bookmatched veneer

bookmatched veenner listed as Malus sylvestris

curly apple

bookmatched scales of Eastern red apple

spalted turning block

bowl blanks

apple bowl blanks, all from the same culling. First a single blank, then two more with each showing a front and a side views. These all show varying degrees of white rot.

apple plank closeup from the BogusColorVendor which means the color is suspect

goblets

a bowl made from spalted apple

bowl and vase listed as spalted apple (this is white rot but that is a common form of spalting in apple)

apple, turned pot

crab apple hollow form

bowls

two views of an apple bowl --- both levels of enlargement are present

apple bowl shot at a woodworking show. HUGE enlargements are present. The finish is shellac and polyurethane.

bowl listed as crab apple

three views of a carved apple bowl

various types of apple (mostly Japanese crabapple, but see pics for details) bowls turned and photographed by Tom Pleatman, whom I thank for these pics and other contributions to the site.

spalted apple bowls

shallow bowl, turned from an apple crotch, shot at a woodworking show. HUGE enlargements are present. The finish is buffed wax over polyurethane.

bowl listed as crabapple --- the owner, tongue in cheek, listed this a "South American" crabapple but not because of the origin of the wood --- look at the "map" of South America in the upper area of this pic.

platter

front and rear of a bandsaw box

apple mushroom and spalted apple mills

table --- this looks to be a very nice slab of apple, but at $750 I think this was overpriced.

dresser