Apple facts:

In the process of preparing a story about Johnny Appleseed, I found these interesting facts about apples.

Growing:

2,500 varieties of apples are grown in the United States, but only the crabapple is native to North America.
There are 7,500 varieties of apples grown around the world.
Apple trees take four to five years to produce their first fruit.
Apples ripen six to 10 times faster at room temperature than if they are refrigerated.
Apples harvested from an average tree can fill 20 boxes that weigh 42 pounds each.
Apple varieties range in size from a little larger than a cherry to as large as a grapefruit. The largest apple ever picked weighed 3 pounds.
Apples are a member of the rose family.
The top apple producers around the world are China, United States, Turkey, Poland and Italy. Apples account for 50 percent of international deciduous fruit tree production.
Apples are actually part of the rose family, just like pears and plums.
Red Delicious apples are the most widely grown apple variety in the U.S.
Apple trees can live for more than 100 years.
Many apple orchards grow dwarf apple trees because their shorter height makes them easier to maintain and harvest.
Apples are thought to have originated in central Asia.
How tall is the average apple tree? Over 40 feet!
To produce one apple, it takes energy from 50 leaves

Health:

Apples contain no fat, sodium or cholesterol and are a good source of fiber.
A peck of apples weighs 10.5 pounds. A bushel of apples weighs about 42 pounds.
It takes about 36 apples to create one gallon of apple cider.
On average, apples contain 4.5 grams of fiber. It takes nearly two servings of Metamucil to get that same amount of fiber.
Two-thirds of the fiber and lots of antioxidants in apples are found in the peel.
A medium apple contains about 80 calories
A medium apple (tennis-ball size) is an excellent source of fiber. One medium apple with the skin on provides 5 grams of fiber. Fiber and pectin help reduce cholesterol, aid in digestion, and may help prevent certain types of cancer.
Many apples have a natural wax applied to them after they’re harvested. This isn’t just done to make them look shinier—it helps keep out bacteria and slows the ripening process.
Apples contain high levels of boron, which increases mental alertness.
The average person eats 65 apples each year.
Thanks to their high levels of boron, apples can help improve your memory, mental alertness, and electrical activity of the brain.
More than half of all apples grown in the United States for fresh eating come from orchards in Washington State!
Apple blossoms are pinkish in color but they turn white as they get older.

Food:

It takes two pounds of apples to make one nine-inch apple pie.
It takes roughly 36 apples to make one gallon of apple cider.
Humans have been eating apples as far back as 6500 BC.
Animals which eat apples include horses, monkeys, chimpanzees, bears, raccoons and rabbits.
Ever wondered why apples float? It’s because 25 percent of their volume is made up by air.

Sources:

https://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome-psyapi2&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8&q=johnny%20appleseed%20folk%20tales&oq=johnny%20appleseed&aqs=chrome.0.69i59j69i57j0l4.11813j0j7