where did apples come from in the columbian exchange

Apples were not brought to the Americas from Europe during the Columbian Exchange. Apples actually originated in Central Asia, specifically the mountainous regions around Kazakhstan, Turkey, and potentially other nearby areas.

The Columbian Exchange involved the transfer of plants, animals, and other goods between the Americas (referred to as the “New World”) and Europe, Africa, and Asia (the “Old World”). In this exchange, many crops native to the Americas, like potatoes, tomatoes, and maize, were introduced to Europe and other parts of the world. However, apples were already well-established in Europe and Asia long before Columbus’s voyage.

European colonists did bring apple seeds and saplings to North America in the 17th century, not the other way around. These were likely cultivated varieties of apples from Europe, not the wild ancestors from Central Asia.