Anyone growing less-common but hardy fruits?

Will be watching those. I am trying to incorporate edibles into my the landscape. I have no garden space - mostly shade.

My favorites, which all grow well for me, and which I forgot to post:

Black Currant: Ben Sarek or Ben Lomond (quite strong)
(trying Slitsa for the 2nd year, it might be a competitor for favorite)
Red Currant: Jonkheer van Tets or Rovada
White Currant: Blanka
Pink Currant: Gloire des Sablons

Currant & Gooseberry Cross: Orus 8

Gooseberry: Oregon Champion or Invicta

Claire

Here is the pic of a young Joel bush cherry, showing the large amount of fruit for such a small size plant.

Hi all!
Sorry to chime in so late on this- but for what it is worth- we moved up to northern Colorado and this is our first summer. The previous owner of this ranch put in 2 Nanking Cherries in the front yard sometime in the last 5 years. This year I watered them pretty well- we had gorgeous flowers and I just finished harvesting the cherries, which are sweet enough to eat right off the bush. Got almost 3 quarts from two bushes. These are in full sun, and seem to be extremely hardy, as we regularly hit -20 and winds up to 100 mph in the winter. They are about 5-6 feet high and as wide. Seems to me I have quite a few seedlings around here as well. There are two in the back 'yard' area as well, but those are only about 18" high and had no flowers this year. (I did not know they were even there until a couple of weeks ago).

I would recommend this shrub- I am going to plant more of them- it is beautiful.

Kathy

Hi Kathy - glad to hear that the Nanking cherries have done well for you in that zone. I didn't realize they were quite that hardy! I moved earlier this year and left my Nanking cherry behind (although I did bring all my currants and grapes). I will be looking to replace it next year because those cherries are such a great flavor for fresh eating, for pies, or even jam. Mine never seemed to be bothered by insect pests, although the birds do enjoy the cherries too!

Claire

I went to Ohio for the ORV RU in early June, and stayed with Melissa_Ohio. She had about 10 Nanking cherries full of delicious fruit! She dug a seedling for me (it didn't survive, tho') and we looked online at Raintree Nursery to see about pollinator requirements. They had a special of 10 bushes (small, 1 foot plants, of course) for $10. I should have ordered them right that moment, because when I got home a few days later, they were sold out and taking orders for next year at $4.50 each or 5 or more at $3 each!

At any rate, I will order some for next year, just not as many.

I visited Edible Landscaping http://www.ediblelandscaping.com/ last month and I was quite impressed with his knowledge and plant quality. His plants are a bit pricey, BUT he grows them all there rather than import from tree farms, and they are very healthy. The parent plants are all growing there and I got to taste an incredible variety on my 'tour'. I have never tasted a plum as wonderful as the Aycock plum. http://www.ediblelandscaping.com/plant.php?splantName=Aycock%20Green-Leaf%20Plum&subsearch=Search

This thread was a big help in decision to plant some currants and gooseberries, so I thought I would bump it up for others...

My, my... what a lot I have learned in a year, thanks to many of YOU. Glad this thread got bumped up to read where I was just a year ago.

LOTS of research under my belt, and lots more fruits I want as money permits.

I just planted 3 Nanking cherries, 3 Rovada red currants, 3 buffalo (Crandall) currants, several Triple Crown thornless blackberries, an Allegheny chinquapin that will need a pollinator, and a beach plum that will also need a pollinator. Got 3 different blueberries (Blueray, Bluegold and Jersey because that's what they had... and prematurely, my pH needs lowering). I have 3 quince coming at the Ohio River Valley Roundup in June; I had also ordered one from ForestFarm but when the box came, it was an issued credit.

I already had black currants (gave 1 away), an elderberry (Samdal), 2 gooseberries (Hinnonmaki Red and Tixia™), two rows of red raspberries (mostly Heritage and Caroline), and 2 small potted figs. If I live long enough I'll have fruit salad!

I live on the southern edge of zone 6 and just planted a Chicago Hardy fig in the ground. Hopefully it will survive, I believe in taking good care of my trees but don't have the time or inclination to baby them through the winter. I also have 2 late blooming mayhaws and 2 muscadine grapes on the patio to plant this afternoon. I am also on the border line for both of these. I just cut down half of my black currants(1 of 2). I find I am not too crazy about the taste of them or their jelly when I have so many other kinds. (Too much jelly, too few days) I have a 3 yr old Quince which is just coming into full bloom. Everything else has already bloomed except the apples which are also in full bloom. I am also taking out my Nanking cherries. They are nice but my pie cherries are now producing and they produce lots more fruit with less seeding effort. I have trouble with gooseberries. They don't grow well, die back quite a lot and don't produce much fruit. I have been reading they do better with afternoon shade in a climate like mine. Blueberries are doing great, black raspberries are doing terrible. Blackberries look OK, red raspberries have just been planted(all i planted last yr did not grow. Only 1 out of 10 lived) Purple raspberries I planted last spring look great . And all my fruit trees are doing great. Gonna be a good yr. for fruit I think

Wow, wish I could have had your extra blackcurrant! They're my fave!

Imred,

if you are taking out your nanking cherry, I think that will produce here in Jackson Mississippi where sweet cherries will not. Could I pay postage for the rootball? Or trade you some (unrooted) cuttings of pomegranate?

I was told by many people that cherries won't produce well in Jackson, but I'm trying a Montmorency cherry anyway. It doesn't seem to want to come out of dormancy. We have 600-800 chill hours here.

The only less-common fruit I'm growing is 5 different kinds of serviceberries and 2 honeyberries. I also have the more common apple, blackberry, raspberry, blueberry, peach, pear, persimmon, plum, pomegranate, pecan and soon some filberts.

I also have some Overleese cross pawpaw seeds stratifying in the refrigerator for planting this summer. I don't know what pawpaws taste like, but if they are anything like the cherimoyas I had in Peace Corps, Ecuador, I want alot of trees! Cherimoyas and guanabanas taste like sherbet, and the pawpaws are in the same family Annonaceae.

There is more I'd like to try but I'm on a limited budget.

Susan

This message was edited Apr 23, 2009 10:33 AM

Zonkel, I think you will find pawpaw's somewhat similar to cherimoya. I have only had the latter from the supermarket,so they were not the best quality. However, I loved the smell just like I love the smell of pawpaws. Not a great fan of eating either of them, but love to have a few around for the nice smell.

Zonkel
Sorry, I just got through removing the Nankings, BUT if you can remember(I won't be able to, I have CRS) and email me in June I will send you some seeds. After my initial planting that is the way I propogate. They will start producing in 3 yrs after being planted.
RED

Thanks Red, I'll email you then! It will be nice to have a bush where the kids can 'graze' since the dogs often graze the blackberries before we can....

Susan

korten,
Where could one buy yacon for planting?

Nichols garden nursery and Seeds of Change both carry them and are both sold out. You will find that to be the case after spring. They are kinda becoming a hot commodity.

Good luck

Thank you. I'll put it on my spring list then :)

Enya (and others), As luck would have it, I was going through my garden stuff in the basement (end of the spring routine) and found a small crown of yacon stored in a pot. I had divided it a week or so ago and have several plants sizing up in some small pots. They are small but should grow fast and well. While I had planned to find a spot for them in my garden, my main yacon plants went in a month ago and these are "optional" I will gladly offer these for trade, one per person, to interested parties. While it may be getting a bit late to get a sustancial tuber crop, these should at least get you a crown for storage and division as well as a taste. I usually get about 1/2 dozen plants from a crown, but this number can be much higher at times - depends on how well the crown held up under storage.

Krowten, May I participate in this trade? What do you want in trade, or just postage?

Thanks,
darius

I would absolutely love to have a piece! I am not sure have anything I can interest you in.
I do grow alpine strawberries but they are red not white you are interested in.

My non-edible garden is in full shade. Have a look at my garden journal.
Not all plants are mature but some are dividable.

This message was edited Jun 25, 2009 12:07 PM

Darius, Just read your article about berries. I am into unusual/uncommon edibles (and so are you). I have seen many of your posts. So, I would love to work out a trade if possible. I do not have bilberry yet and could used another named seaberry female, if those are available. Feel free to make a suggestion.

Enya, I looked at your trade list and there might be a Seum of interest.

While I would prefer a trade, I guess we could do postage. However, due to some serious family health problems, I am running behind on some trades (and catching up now). Let me ship first.

Let's take this to d-mail to work out the details.

krowten, neither of those are something I have so far. I am making a trip the first week of August, and that might net me something potted that perhaps could ship when it's cooled off, but no guarantees I'll have enough $$ to spend. Sorry. (I wanted to grow yakon mainly so I could write an article about it.)

Imred -- interesting to hear about your gooseberry problems. I'm in Murphysboro, and I've been pondering gooseberries for quite a while, but I've read that they don't like hot, humid summers... which kind of defines Southern Illinois! If I do try some, I will be absolutely certain to give them afternoon shade.

Does anyone have cuttings of any of these fruiting shrubs they would be willing to give for postage, or trade? I want to get a few more of the unusual fruits going around here. I have pawpaws (not fruiting yet), and black raspberries, along with apple and pear trees. I'm looking for a few things that are plant-n-ignore, but can give fruit. I like the unusual.

I have some flowering shrubs that will be rooted soon, such as gold mound spirea, Turkistan burning bush, and a few others, for trade.

Krowten,

Do you still have a yacon plant for trade? I have some cold-hardy pomegranate cuttings (one rooted) that originated in one of the Russian satellite countries. They have been reliable producers for me. Unfortunately I don't have much else to trade since I am just getting started, but please consider anything on my tradelist!

Thank you, Susan

Susan, I have a couple of plants that are 2-4" and will send you one for postage if we cannot work a trade.

I've been growing Apios americana for about 5 years, waiting for the tuber to get big enough to divide or for it to set seed tubers. I checked the site you mentioned as well as your trade lists. Can you tell me more about your Apios, where you got it, is it setting seed for you, etc.

I doubt that the version growing in Louisiana or Florence would survive here in Zone 5, but want to hear about others experience with this American native. Since you are growing it, please comment if you can.

Please d-mail me your address.

Krowten, thank you!

Unfortunately, my Apios americana groundnut plants are very small due to the awful drought we are experiencing. I just germinated them this spring and lost all but 3 plants. They are only about a foot tall. I have been spending an average of 3 hours a day watering and hauling hoses and still have lost 4 Dorman Red raspberries, 3 serviceberries, several spicebushes and too many other plants to list.

I got the seed from nativeventures.net. They probably collected it from Louisiana Apios americana varieties. They do send a good quantity of seed for $2 plus shipping for anyone closer to Louisiana who wants to try groundnuts.

Susan

I have mine in a large pot and generally keep a saucer of water under it, but this year sank the pot into the ground and am doing top watering. I dug it last year (after it went dormant)and found the tuber was about 3" in diameter, but there was only one of them. This year the vine is much more vigorous than in previous years, so I am encouraged that its happy. In previous years, I thought I might have lost it, as it is always very late to emerge.