North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Mike Levine" <mlevine@umich.edu>]

 

----- Original Message -----

From: Denny Davidson

To: nafex@lists.ibiblio.org

Sent: Saturday, August 31, 2002 10:43 AM

Subject: [NAFEX] VEGETERIAN

 

You asked...

 

ARE YOU IMPLYING THAT PROPIGATING APPLES ETC MAY NOT BE ETHICAL? THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I HAVEN'T CONSIDERED..  WOW...DENNIS DAVIDSON ZONE 5 N. ILLINOIS

 

I haven't found apples to be invasive in my area, although I suppose it's possible somewhere else given the right set of environmental factors.  You have to know your own home place for what are weeds and what are not.  In my area (and many others) Autumn Olive/Russian Olive (Eleagnus spp.), European Cranberry Bush (Viburnum opulus), and Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergii) have edible fruits and are all generally agreed to be invasive species.  I suppose Multiflora rose (Rosa Multiflora) is edible too, although a little bitter compared to roses with larger hips.  There are also the Himalayan blackberries all over the west coast and other places.  Lots of people don't mind these, but I know many west coast gardeners and ecologists who battle it and insist its a big problem.  Besides, the cultivated varieties of blackberries really do taste better anyway and are usually not quite as agressive.  Someone also had also mentioned something about the rootstocks of bradford pears have been spreading around the New England States...

 

Mike Levine

Ann Arbor, MI