A list for people who research, grow and love rare fruit. Focus on rare temperate fruits: their identification, botany, preservation, and culture.

["Kathryn Mathews" <kathmath AT charterinternet.com>]

Hi folks,

This is my first post.  I live on average size town lot in Northfield, Minnesota (south central, MN zone 4).  I haven't got a lot of room, so I've planted one or two of a lot of things to see what I like and what works.  So far the only thing I'm eating a lot of fruit from is clove currants.  I've got some sorbus crosses (Ivan's Beauty and Ivan's Belle) that I don't like much (too mealy).  I've got some honeyberries that are promising, but haven't given a lot of fruit.  I think the cold springs we have been having lately might have something to do with that.  I just planted some nannyberries.  I have one cornelian cherry that has flowered but not fruited for 7 years.  I guess I need to plant another for pollination.  Does anybody have suggestions?  I've just planted a rhus aromatica (fragrant sumac).  Does anybody use the fruit?  I've also just planted a bladder nut (staphylia trifola).  Does anybody use the nuts?  I'm planning on putting in a serviceberry or two.  The named varieties of alnifolia haven't done well, so I'm considering canadensis, arborea or laevis.  Does anybody in my area have suggestions?  Thank you.

Kathryn Mathews

Northfield, Minnesota

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