North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Ginda Fisher <ginda@concentric.net>]

I'd like to buy two (for pollination) bush cherries from you this fall,
and wonder if you could help me pick which type.  I'm thinking of prunus
fruticosa, Jan/Joy/Joel, or possibly Nanking, or sand cherry.  My
priorities are:

1)  Will it fruit at all?  The spot I have does not get full sun.  The
lilac right behind the spot blooms, though, so there's a fair amount of
light.

2)  If more than one will fruit, I care about flavor.  My favorite
cherry for flavor is actually the black cherry, it just doesn't have
enough flesh on the fruit to eat it.  (I need something small for the
spot, so that's not a option anyway.)  I also like both sweet and pie
cherries, and expect I'll like other cherry-like fruits.

3)  If it's unlikely any will fruit, I'll go for ornamental.  Nanking is
a little too tall, but the others should be nice.  Whichever is bushiest
and most tolerant of pests. etc. would be the best bet.

(Note below that I am in a moderate climate compared to yours, and
everything you sell is more winter-hardy than I need.)

Thanks,
Ginda Fisher

Eastern Mass, zone 6
on a protected slope, missing most late and early frosts.
Soil drains well, and will be supplemented with compost this summer.