{"id":21906,"date":"2026-02-17T07:32:39","date_gmt":"2026-02-17T07:32:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/spbt.gr\/?p=21906"},"modified":"2026-02-18T06:07:03","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T06:07:03","slug":"deerapple_theburnt_tree","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spbt.gr\/en\/deerapple_theburnt_tree\/","title":{"rendered":"Deer apple, the burnt tree of Thrace"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Deer apple, the burnt tree of Thrace<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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The deer apple, a small deciduous tree up to 10 meters tall, which can sometimes take the form of a shrub, is found in small numbers scattered throughout the vast forests of Thrace. It has been found in Dadia, Lefkimi, Pessani, Nipsa and Mesti.<\/p>

The scientific name is Malus<\/em> trilobata<\/em> (<\/em>formerly Eriolobus<\/em> trilobatus<\/em>), <\/em>a forest species found in the Eastern Mediterranean in small populations in Israel, Lebanon, Syria, and Asia Minor, while in Europe it is found in the northeastern end of Greece and the southwestern end of Bulgaria. Its eastern distribution is linked to its Greek name, \u201clevantiniki agria milia\u201d. In Evros, local names vary, with the most common being bragania<\/em>, alitsi<\/em>, agriomilia <\/em>as well as kikelmas <\/em>or zarkadomilo <\/em><\/p>

The small populations of this species make it a rare species, resulting in its inclusion in the past as \"Vulnerable\" in the Red Data Book of Rare and Threatened Plants of Greece. After the mega fire that affected southern Evros in 2023, the deer apple populations have shrunk even more, and it's pretty much certain that it's fallen into the \"Endangered\" category, according to international criteria for assessing threatened species.<\/p>

It is a deciduous tree with leaves that have three characteristic lobes and could be confused with some species of maple. The flowers are white and large and bloom relatively late, in May. The apples are yellow to orange in color, about the size of a cherry plum, and contain up to 9 seeds inside. In the past, they were collected and eaten by the locals during the winter.\u00a0<\/p>

In the recorded locations in Thrace, the deer apple has not produced many mature trees, as most individuals have been repeatedly burned in the extensive fires of Evros over the last 15 years. Both forest fires and the foraging behavior of bees, which are the main pollinators of the species, have led to genetic degradation of individuals, according to a genetic study of approximately 70 individuals in Evros, which has endangered the survival of the species in its westernmost distribution.<\/p>

In seed collection program<\/a> which began in 2025 with the aim of studying and recording the appropriate manipulations of propagation material of native species of the Evros Region, the wild honeysuckle was clearly on the list of species collected and sent to the Amygdaleza nursery for further manipulations. For such a species that adorns the forests of Evros, but a species that has been burned and burned by continuous fires, efforts to rescue it and establish it in more populations in nature are worth it, as well as its reproduction and exploitation as an ornamental and\/or beekeeping species, which will ensure its viability.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Sources:<\/h6>
  • \u2022\tBalaska K., G.C. Adamidis, G. Varsamis, K. Papalazarou, P. Karanikola, A. Manolis, A. Karapetsas, N.G. Eliades, R. Sandaltzopoulos, N. Papamatthaiakis, K. Poirazidis, G. Korakis, A.C. Papageorgiou 2021. Genetic diversity and spatial structure of the imperiled European population of Malus trilobata in Greece. Genetika, Vol 53, No.1,103 -119.<\/h6><\/li>
  • Konstantopoulos M., Papamatthiakis N., Papanastasiou A., Poirazidis K., Papageorgiou AX, Korakis G. 2017.\u00a0Malus trilobata<\/em>\u00a0: a rare tree of the Greek flora in northeastern Greece. Pages 209-219 in Arampatzis, G., S. Tampakis, E. Manolas, and G. Tsantopoulos, G. (eds.). Environmental and Regional Policy. Volume in honor of Konstantinos Soustas. Published by the Department of Forestry and Management of Environment and Natural Resources, School of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences of Democritus University of Thrace. Orestiada.<\/h6><\/li>
  • \u2022\tKorakis, G. 2015. Forest Botany \u2013 Native Trees and Shrubs of Greece. Greek Academic Electronic Books and Aids. 620 pages.<\/h6><\/li>
  • Korakis, G., Poirazidis, K., Papamattheakis, N., Papageorgiou, AC 2006. New localities of the vulnerable species\u00a0Eriolobus trilobatus<\/em>(Rosaceae) in northeastern Greece. In: Ivanova D (ed), \u201cPlant, fungal and habitats diversity investigation and conservation\u201d, Proceedings of the IV Balkan Botanical Congress. 20-26 June 2006, Institute of Botany, Sofia, Bulgaria. pp. 422-426.<\/h6><\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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    Wild apple seed extraction<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    Wild apple leaves and fruits<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    Wild apple fruits<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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