Malus asiatica
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID6440406ab4105947499875 |
| Scientific name | Malus asiatica |
| Authority | Nakai |
| First published in | Icon. Pl. Koisikav. 3: 19 (1915) |
Ethnobotanical Use Top
Suggest a correction!
Important notice
- Content in this section summarizes historical and cultural records. It is not medical advice.
- Do not use plants for self-treatment. Safety, efficacy, and appropriate use are not established here.
- Plant identification errors, allergies, and interactions can cause harm. Consult qualified professionals for health questions.
- Local legality and regulatory status may vary; verify before collecting, processing, or selling plant materials.
Among Chinese communities, including the Han and Korean communities of northeast China, dried slices of the Malus asiatica fruit are steeped to make a mild, tart tea that settles the stomach and helps break up phlegm (Cheng et al., 2019). In rural parts of Japan’s Tohoku region, sun‑dried Malus asiatica fruit and sometimes young leaves have been infused for digestive discomfort and as a household cough remedy (Takashima et al., 1997). On the Korean peninsula, elder herbalists have documented using Malus asiatica fruit as a diaphoretic and expectorant by preparing a decoction of the dried slices (Korean Association of Herbalists, 2012). Across these settings, the preparations are simple household infusions and decoctions.
One practical recipe is a gentle digestive fruit tea: place 10–15 g of dried Malus asiatica fruit slices in 300–400 mL of just‑boiled water and let it steep 10–15 minutes; strain and drink warm, once daily. This is a food‑grade tea, not a pharmaceutical dose. Because the fruit is highly astringent and rich in acids, people with ulcers or severe gastroesophageal reflux should use it cautiously, and those taking aspirin, anticoagulants, or thiazide diuretics should consult a professional before regular use. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid concentrated decoctions due to limited safety data. A 1:5 ethanol tincture may be prepared by macerating 20 g of dried fruit in 100 mL of 40–50% ethanol for 4–6 weeks, shaking daily; the resulting tincture can be taken in very small doses of 10–20 drops diluted in water, only for short periods and under guidance.
Malus asiatica contains well‑studied constituents that plausibly underlie these uses: high levels of malic and citric acids impart the characteristic tartness and stimulate digestion, while proanthocyanidins such as procyanidin B2 and chlorogenic acid contribute to the fruit’s notable astringent and antioxidant capacity (Zhang et al., 2005; Liu et al., 2018). These compounds, together with flavonoids including quercetin‑glycosides, help explain the traditional roles as a gentle digestive aid and expectorant.
Modern relevance: while Malus asiatica remains a familiar household tea throughout northern China, Japan, and Korea, it is also increasingly investigated for its phenolic profile and enzyme‑modulating activity, with products ranging from culinary teas to standardized extracts appearing on the market today (Cheng et al., 2019; Liu et al., 2018).
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Common products:
Malus asiatica is cultivated for its fresh fruit, marketed in China as “Chinese dwarf apple,” and to a lesser extent as small dessert apples under the trade name “Pearmain” outside China. Processed forms include concentrated juice, dried slices, sauce and compote, candied fruit, and pomace derived from juice extraction. The fruit’s primary value is in fresh consumption and straightforward industrial processing into juice and fruit-based ingredients.
Food and beverages (non-medicinal):
Juice is the principal processed product; it is clarified or concentrated for use in blends, nectars, fruit drinks, and as a flavor base in bakery and dairy formulations. Dried slices retain texture and color and are used in cereals, snack mixes, and baked goods. Candied fruit, typically whole or halved, serves as confectionery decoration and ingredient for bakery applications. Pomace is dried or ensiled for animal feed, and in some regions is processed into pectin for jams, jellies, and confections; where used as an additive it functions as a gelling or stabilizing agent in fruit-based products.
Properties relevant to use:
Fruits are high in sugars (predominantly fructose and glucose) and have low-to-moderate acidity (primarily malic acid), yielding a characteristic sweet–tart flavor well-suited for juice and dried products. Apple pectin from pomace has a characteristic galacturonic acid content and degree of esterification suitable for conventional jam and jelly set formation when combined with sugar and acid.
Standards and regulation:
Fruit marketed as fresh food complies with national hygiene and quality standards for fresh produce; China-specific grades and safety limits (e.g., GB/T 10651 for apples) generally govern class designation, maturity, and permissible residues. Processed juice and dried products follow national food safety and hygiene regulations for fruit derivatives, including limits for microbial contaminants and pesticide residues.
Sustainability and sourcing:
Cultivation in China relies on dwarfing or semi-dwarfing rootstocks to improve orchard efficiency and facilitate high-density planting. Fruit is widely available from mid to late season harvest, with concentrated juice production concentrated near processing facilities to limit transport of bulk fruit. Waste utilization focuses on pomace valorization into animal feed and pectin recovery where processing infrastructure exists.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Malus domestica var. asiatica | (Nakai) Ponomar. | Bot. Zhurn. (Moscow & Leningrad) 76: 719 (1991) |
| Malus domestica var. rinkii | (Koidz.) Ohle | Verz. Landwirtsch. Gärtn. Kulturpfl. 1: 359 (1986) |
| Pyrus prunifolia var. rinkii | (Rehder) L.H.Bailey | Rhodora 18(no. 211): 155. 1916 [1 Jul 1916] (as “rinki”) |
| Malus dulcissima | Koidz. | Bot. Mag. (Tokyo) 30: 330 (1916) |
| Malus dulcissima var. asiatica | (Nakai) Koidz. | ; 1934 190 1934 |
| Malus dulcissima var. rinkii | (Koidz.) Koidz. | ; 1916 330 1916 |
| Malus matsumurae | Koidz. | Bot. Mag. (Tokyo) 23: 172 (1909) |
| Malus prunifolia var. rinkii | Rehder | Pl. Wilson. 2: 279 (1915) |
| Pyrus matsumurae | Cardot | Bull. Mus. Natl. Hist. Nat. 24: 67 (1918) |
| Pyrus ringo | Wenz. | Linnaea 38(1): 37. 1873 [Dec 1873] |
| Malus prunifolia var. rinki | (Koidz.) Rehder | Pl. Wilson. 2(2): 279–281 1915 |
| Malus pumila var. rinkii | Koidz. | J. Coll. Sci. Imp. Univ. Tokyo 34(2): 87 (1913) |
| Malus matsumurae var. dulcissima | Koidz. | Bot. Mag. (Tokyo) 23: 173 (1909) |
| Pyrus asiatica | (Nakai) M.F.Fay & Christenh. | Global Fl. 4: 96 (2018) |
| Malus asiatica f. lutea | Asami | Crab. Nect. Jap. : 6 (1927) |
| Malus asiatica f. rubra | Asami | Crab. Nect. Jap. : 6 (1927) |
| Malus asiatica f. yamamoto | Asami | Crab. Nect. Jap. : 5 (1927) |
| Malus ringo unranked fastigiata | Dieck ex C.K.Schneid. | Ill. Handb. Laubholzk. 1: 717 (1906) |
| Pyrus ringo unranked bifera | Dieck ex Koehne | Deut. Dendrol. : 260 (1893) |
| Pyrus ringo unranked fastigiata | Koehne | Deut. Dendrol. : 260 (1893) |
| Pyrus ringo unranked sublobata | Zabel | Syst. Verz. Münden Pfl. : 18 (1878) |
| Pyrus ringo unranked trilobata | Zabel | Syst. Verz. Münden Pfl. : 18 (1878) |
| Malus asiatica var. rinkii | (Koidz.) Asami | Crab. Nect. Jap. : 6 (1927) |
| Malus microcarpa unranked ringo | (K.Koch) Carrière | Étud. Gén. Pommier. : 98 (1883) |
| Malus prunifolia var. dulcissima | (Koidz.) Ohwi | Bull. Natl. Sci. Mus. Tokyo 33: 76 (1953) |
| Malus prunifolia var. matsumurae | (Koidz.) Asami | Crab. Nect. Jap. : 15 (1927) |
| Malus prunifolia var. ringo | (K.Koch) Asami | Crab. Nect. Jap. : 16 (1927) |
| Malus pumila var. asiatica | (Nakai) Koidz. | Bot. Mag. (Tokyo) 31: 259 (1917) |
| Malus pumila var. dulcissima | (Koidz.) Koidz. | Bot. Mag. (Tokyo) 31: 259 (1917) |
| Malus ringo | (K.Koch) Siebold ex Carrière | Rev. Hort. (Paris) 46: 170 (1874) |
| Pyrus prunifolia var. rinkii | (Koidz.) L.H.Bailey | Rhodora 18: 155 (1916) |
| Pyrus ringo | K.Koch | Dendrologie 1: 213 (1869) |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| Arabic | تفاح آسيوي |
| Bulgarian | азиатска ябълка |
| Japanese | ワリンゴ |
| Korean | 능금 |
| Korean | 능금나무 |
| Latvian | Āzijas ābele |
| lzh | 林檎 |
| Russian | Азиатская яблоня |
| Russian | Яблоня азиатская |
| Ukrainian | Яблуня азіатська |
| Chinese | 花紅 |
| Chinese | 沙果 |
| Chinese | 文林郎果 |
| Chinese | 花红叶 |
| Chinese | 花红 |
| Chinese | 林檎根 |
| Chinese | 林檎 |
Germination/Propagation Top
Suggest a correction or add new data!
No germination or propagation data was added yet.
Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top
Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
-
Asia-temperate click to expand
-
China
- China North-central
- China Southeast
- Inner Mongolia
- Manchuria
- Qinghai
- Xinjiang
-
Eastern Asia
- Korea
-
China
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0001016401 |
| USDA Plants | MAAS4 |
| Tropicos | 27802344 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:726239-1 |
| The Plant List | rjp-7028 |
| Open Tree Of Life | 3903005 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 106548 |
| IUCN Red List | 18770855 |
| IPNI | 726239-1 |
| iNaturalist | 452326 |
| GBIF | 3001132 |
| Freebase | /m/09rwbf8 |
| EPPO | MABAC |
| EOL | 633294 |
| USDA GRIN | 104653 |
| Wikipedia | Malus_asiatica |
| CMAUP | NPO16620 |
Genomes (via NCBI) Top
Below is displayed the reference genome only!
If you wish to browse all genomes for this plant click here.
If you wish to browse all genomes for this plant click here.
| Accession | Assembly | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Level | Submitter | Released | Coverage | Size | |
| GCA_033882615.1 | MA | Chromosome | China Agricultural University | 2023-11-22 | 30 | 631.69 Mb |
Scientific Literature Top
Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
Phytochemical Profile Top
Add a new one!
Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
You can also contribute to this by clicking here.
You can also contribute to this by clicking here.
| Name | PubChem ID | Canonical SMILES | MW | Found in | Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Fatty Acyls / Fatty acid esters | |||||
| [(2S,5S,6R,7S,9S,11R,13S)-9,11-dihydroxy-13-(methoxymethyl)-5,9,13-trimethyl-4-oxo-3,12-dioxatricyclo[8.3.0.02,6]tridec-1(10)-en-7-yl] (Z)-2-methylbut-2-enoate | 102321417 | Click to see | 410.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| [(3S,3aR,4S,6S,7S,9R,9bS)-6,7,9-trihydroxy-3,6,9-trimethyl-2-oxo-3a,4,5,7,8,9b-hexahydro-3H-azuleno[4,5-b]furan-4-yl] (Z)-2-methylbut-2-enoate | 643640 | Click to see | 380.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| [(3S,3aR,4S,6S,9bS)-6-hydroxy-3,6,9-trimethyl-2-oxo-3,3a,4,5,8,9b-hexahydroazuleno[4,5-b]furan-4-yl] (E)-2-methylbut-2-enoate | 101672241 | Click to see | 346.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| [(3S,3aR,4S,6S,9bS)-6-hydroxy-3,6,9-trimethyl-2-oxo-3,3a,4,5,8,9b-hexahydroazuleno[4,5-b]furan-4-yl] (Z)-2-methylbut-2-enoate | 101078309 | Click to see | 346.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| [(3S,3aR,4S,6S,9R,9bS)-6,9-dihydroxy-3,6,9-trimethyl-2,7-dioxo-3,3a,4,5,8,9b-hexahydroazuleno[4,5-b]furan-4-yl] (E)-2-methylbut-2-enoate | 15922700 | Click to see | 378.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| [(3S,3aR,4S,6S,9R,9bS)-6,9-dihydroxy-3,6,9-trimethyl-2,7-dioxo-3,3a,4,5,8,9b-hexahydroazuleno[4,5-b]furan-4-yl] (Z)-2-methylbut-2-enoate | 101143220 | Click to see | 378.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Sesquiterpenoids / Guaianes | |||||
| (2S)-2-(3,8-dimethylazulen-5-yl)propanoic acid | 3083593 | Click to see CC1=C2C=CC(=C2C=C(C=C1)C(C)C(=O)O)C | 228.29 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Terpene lactones | |||||
| (3R,3aS,7R,10E,11aS)-7-hydroxy-3,10-dimethyl-6-methylidene-3,3a,4,5,7,8,9,11a-octahydrocyclodeca[b]furan-2-one | 13821246 | Click to see CC1C2CCC(=C)C(CCC(=CC2OC1=O)C)O | 250.33 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Terpene lactones / Sesquiterpene lactones / Eudesmanolides, secoeudesmanolides, and derivatives | |||||
| (3R,3aS,5aR,6R,9R,9aS,9bS)-6,9-dihydroxy-3,5a,9-trimethyl-3a,4,5,6,7,8,9a,9b-octahydro-3H-benzo[g][1]benzofuran-2-one | 14110909 | Click to see | 268.35 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Dihydrosantamarin | 13895713 | Click to see CC1C2CCC3(C(CC=C(C3C2OC1=O)C)O)C | 250.33 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Terpene lactones / Sesquiterpene lactones / Germacranolides and derivatives | |||||
| Costunolide derivative | 54607887 | Click to see | 250.33 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organic acids and derivatives / Carboxylic acids and derivatives / Amino acids, peptides, and analogues / Alpha amino acids and derivatives / Alpha amino acids | |||||
| Betaine | 247 | Click to see | 117.15 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organic acids and derivatives / Carboxylic acids and derivatives / Amino acids, peptides, and analogues / Alpha amino acids and derivatives / Proline and derivatives | |||||
| (-)-Stachydrine | 115244 | Click to see | 143.18 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| (2S)-pyrrolidinium-2-carboxylate | 6971047 | Click to see | 115.13 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Betonicine | 164642 | Click to see | 159.18 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organic nitrogen compounds / Organonitrogen compounds / Quaternary ammonium salts / Cholines | |||||
| Choline | 305 | Click to see | 104.17 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Cycloheptafurans | |||||
| (3S,3aR,4S,6S,9bS)-4-(Acetyloxy)-3a,5,6,9b-tetrahydro-6-hydroxy-3,6,9-trimethyl-4H-cyclohepta(2,1-b:3,4-c')difuran-2(3H)-one | 15127111 | Click to see | 308.33 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| [(2S,5S,6R,7S,9S)-9-hydroxy-5,9,13-trimethyl-4-oxo-3,12-dioxatricyclo[8.3.0.02,6]trideca-1(13),10-dien-7-yl] (E)-2-methylbut-2-enoate | 102008485 | Click to see | 348.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 2-Butenoic acid, 2-methyl-, (3S,3aR,4S,6S,9bS)-2,3,3a,5,6,9b-hexahydro-6-hydroxy-3,6,9-trimethyl-2-oxo-4H-cyclohepta(2,1-b:3,4-c')difuran-4-yl ester, (2Z)- | 102008484 | Click to see | 348.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Lactones / Gamma butyrolactones | |||||
| [(3R,3aR,4S,9aS,9bR)-3,6,9-trimethyl-2,7-dioxo-3,3a,4,5,9a,9b-hexahydroazuleno[4,5-b]furan-4-yl] acetate | 102014217 | Click to see | 304.34 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| [(3S,3aR,4S,9aR,9bS)-9a-hydroxy-3,6,9-trimethyl-2,7-dioxo-3a,4,5,9b-tetrahydro-3H-azuleno[4,5-b]furan-4-yl] acetate | 76764466 | Click to see | 320.30 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 14-Deoxylactucin | 156302 | Click to see | 260.28 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Deacetylmatricarin | 6713966 | Click to see | 262.30 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Dehydroleucodine | 73440 | Click to see CC1=C2C(C3C(CC1)C(=C)C(=O)O3)C(=CC2=O)C | 244.28 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Hydroxyachillin | 10038339 | Click to see | 262.30 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Matricarin | 3083923 | Click to see CC1C2C(CC(=C3C(C2OC1=O)C(=CC3=O)C)C)OC(=O)C | 304.34 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Matricin | 92265 | Click to see CC1C2C(CC(=C3C=CC(C3C2OC1=O)(C)O)C)OC(=O)C | 306.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavones / Flavonols | |||||
| Quercetagetin-6,7-3',4'-tetramethyl Ether | 5316832 | Click to see COC1=C(C=C(C=C1)C2=C(C(=O)C3=C(C(=C(C=C3O2)OC)OC)O)O)OC | 374.30 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavonoid glycosides / Flavonoid C-glycosides / Flavonoid 8-C-glycosides | |||||
| Isoschaftoside | 3084995 | Click to see C1C(C(C(C(O1)C2=C(C(=C3C(=C2O)C(=O)C=C(O3)C4=CC=C(C=C4)O)C5C(C(C(C(O5)CO)O)O)O)O)O)O)O | 564.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Schaftoside | 442658 | Click to see C1C(C(C(C(O1)C2=C3C(=C(C(=C2O)C4C(C(C(C(O4)CO)O)O)O)O)C(=O)C=C(O3)C5=CC=C(C=C5)O)O)O)O | 564.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavonoid glycosides / Flavonoid O-glucuronides / Flavonoid-7-O-glucuronides | |||||
| Luteolin 7-glucuronide | 5280601 | Click to see C1=CC(=C(C=C1C2=CC(=O)C3=C(C=C(C=C3O2)OC4C(C(C(C(O4)C(=O)O)O)O)O)O)O)O | 462.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavonoid glycosides / Flavonoid O-glycosides / Flavonoid-3-O-glycosides | |||||
| Kaempferol-3-O-Rutinoside | 5318767 | Click to see | 594.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Rutin | 5280805 | Click to see | 610.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavonoid glycosides / Flavonoid O-glycosides / Flavonoid-7-O-glycosides | |||||
| 6-Hydroxyluteolin 7-glucoside | 185766 | Click to see | 464.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Apigenin 7-O-glucoside | 5280704 | Click to see | 432.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Isorhoifolin | 9851181 | Click to see | 578.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Luteolin 7-O-glucoside | 5280637 | Click to see C1=CC(=C(C=C1C2=CC(=O)C3=C(C=C(C=C3O2)OC4C(C(C(C(O4)CO)O)O)O)O)O)O | 448.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / O-methylated flavonoids / 4-O-methylated flavonoids | |||||
| Diosmetin | 5281612 | Click to see COC1=C(C=C(C=C1)C2=CC(=O)C3=C(C=C(C=C3O2)O)O)O | 300.26 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / O-methylated flavonoids / 6-O-methylated flavonoids | |||||
| Centaureidin | 5315773 | Click to see COC1=C(C=C(C=C1)C2=C(C(=O)C3=C(O2)C=C(C(=C3O)OC)O)OC)O | 360.30 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Pectolinarigenin | 5320438 | Click to see COC1=CC=C(C=C1)C2=CC(=O)C3=C(O2)C=C(C(=C3O)OC)O | 314.29 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Santin | 5281695 | Click to see COC1=CC=C(C=C1)C2=C(C(=O)C3=C(O2)C=C(C(=C3O)OC)O)OC | 344.30 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / O-methylated flavonoids / 7-O-methylated flavonoids | |||||
| Artemetin | 5320351 | Click to see COC1=C(C=C(C=C1)C2=C(C(=O)C3=C(C(=C(C=C3O2)OC)OC)O)OC)OC | 388.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Eupatorin | 97214 | Click to see COC1=C(C=C(C=C1)C2=CC(=O)C3=C(C(=C(C=C3O2)OC)OC)O)O | 344.30 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Penduletin 4'-methyl ether | 5318355 | Click to see | 358.30 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |