Who was Johnny Appleseed?

John Chapman, who planted orchards in the US

Why are apple trees grafted?

Seeds don't grow true to the parent

Apples and Pears Trivia: 10 Questions With Answers

The Granny Smith apple sprouted from a chance seedling found by Maria Ann Smith in Australia in 1868, and apples and pears trivia explores these orchard favorites. Learn about Kazakhstan's wild apple forests, Johnny Appleseed, Isaac Newton's tree, Japanese nashi pears and why pears ripen best off the tree.

Start Apples and Pears Trivia

🎯 Daily Trivia Challenge • 🧠 10 Questions • ⏱️ 150 Seconds

Question 1 / 10 Time: 150s

Granny
Where was the Granny Smith apple discovered?
Kazakhstan
Where do wild ancestors of apples grow?
Varieties
About how many apple varieties exist?
Appleseed
Who was Johnny Appleseed?
Newton
Which scientist's apple tree inspired gravity stories?
Pear ripen
Why are pears usually picked before they ripen?
Nashi
What are nashi pears?
Grafting
Why are apple trees grafted?
Brown
Why do cut apples turn brown?
Float
Why do apples float?

Explanations: answer key for all 10 questions

Q1: Where was the Granny Smith apple discovered?
Answer: Australia
Maria Ann Smith found it in 1868.
Q2: Where do wild ancestors of apples grow?
Answer: Kazakhstan
Almaty means father of apples.
Q3: About how many apple varieties exist?
Answer: Over 7,500
Only a few are sold widely.
Q4: Who was Johnny Appleseed?
Answer: John Chapman, who planted orchards in the US
He lived from 1774 to 1845.
Q5: Which scientist's apple tree inspired gravity stories?
Answer: Isaac Newton
The tree still grows at Woolsthorpe.
Q6: Why are pears usually picked before they ripen?
Answer: They ripen better off the tree
Tree-ripened pears get gritty.
Q7: What are nashi pears?
Answer: Crisp, round Asian pears
They are popular in Japan.
Q8: Why are apple trees grafted?
Answer: Seeds don't grow true to the parent
Each variety is cloned.
Q9: Why do cut apples turn brown?
Answer: Enzymes react with oxygen
Lemon juice slows it.
Q10: Why do apples float?
Answer: About a quarter of their volume is air
Hence bobbing for apples.

Apples And Pears Trivia – Orchard Favorites

Apples and pears are pome fruits from the rose family. Wild apples originated in the mountains of Kazakhstan, and today there are over 7,500 apple varieties, though only a handful fill supermarket shelves.

Famous apples have stories. The Granny Smith came from a chance seedling found by Maria Ann Smith in Australia in 1868, Johnny Appleseed planted orchards across America and Isaac Newton's apple tree still grows at Woolsthorpe. Apples are grafted because seeds don't grow true.

Pears ripen best after picking, and Asian nashi pears are crisp and round. Cut apples brown when enzymes react with oxygen, and apples float because about a quarter of their volume is air, which makes bobbing for apples possible.

What This Quiz Teaches

Food lovers and gardeners will enjoy these questions.

Where Granny Smith came from
Where apples originated
Who Johnny Appleseed was
Why pears are picked early
Why apples float

Did You Know?

Honeycrisp was developed in Minnesota.
Fuji apples come from Japan.
Perry is a pear cider.
Quince is a relative.
Apple seeds contain amygdalin.