And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit therof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. —Genesis 3:6

It has long been known that the familiar apple was not introduced into the Holy Land until comparatively recently. Because of the heat there, it produces fruit only with difficulty. Most Biblical botanists now agree that the “apple” named in the Bible was the apricot, which (with the fig) was the most abundant fruit of the country. The apricot has a delicious perfume, the tree provides a welcome shade, and the colors are similar to the “apples of gold” mentioned in Proverbs 25:11. Apricots in Cyprus are still known as “golden apples,” which is the literal translation of their modern Greek name. The apricot is a round-topped, reddish-barked tree growing to 30 feet tall. The early pink blossoms enhance the beauty of the tree’s silvery foliage.