North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Hector Black <hblack1925@fastmail.fm>]

Hello Lisa,
    We've tried several of these - our experience is in eastern US zone 6,
so bear that in mind.
    We found Chinese hawthorn to be subject to quince rust, both the fruit
and branches.  Galls form and put out these orange spores when ready.
Sometimes the gall kills the branch, sometimes not, but the fruit is
deformed and inedible, and most of the fruit is affected.
    Coirnus mas is a very pretty small tree that blooms very early - Feb
here.  We have had problems with leaf curling on trees in our more humid
areas.  Does not affect fruit which is quite tasty, but strong flavored.
Ornamental.
 Poncirus trifoliata is about the thorniest thing going and they are stiff
and very sharp.  The flowers are nice and the fruit ornamental and barely
usable.  The tree drops fruit which sprouts seeds eventually making an
impenetrable mass.  There's a form with recurved thorns which is quite
unusual.  The bark and thorns are green all year.  Probably would hold it's
foliage in your area.  You could graft or bud some of the hardier citrus to
it, if you had a mind to.
    E. umbellata is one of our favorites.  Got a bad rep. for invasiveness
but we pull them up where they are unwanted.  We've sent the fruit off to
the USDA and it's loaded with anti-oxidants, more lycopene than tomatoes.
The bushes are very fragrant in bloom, great for bees, beautiful in fruit,
and the foliage has silvery undersides which are nice to look at in a
breeze.    And it's a great nitrogen fixer, fixing enough to fertilize
adjoining plants and trees.  We use them as a nurse plant for nut trees.
    There's another elaeagnus, E. uniflora or Goumi with makes a more
upright bush and is similar to Autumn olive (E. umbellata) blooming about
the same time, but the fruit ripens in May here and is larger than the
autumn olive.  Neither one has disease problems, both fix N. but I think the
A. olive does the most.
    hope that's helpful.     Hector Black  zone 6
----- Original Message -----
From: "Lisa Almarode" <lisaalmarode@yahoo.com>
To: <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>


Sent: Friday, February 18, 2005 5:57 PM
Subject: [NAFEX] Unusual fruits, for demanding spot


> I have a particular spot on the corner of the porch
> in a garden border, where I need a very small,
> decorative tree, about 8-12'.  As I understand, most
> common fruits will have problems with the conditions;
> so it's a place to put something really unusual, even
> if it doesn't reliably fruit here or the fruit is
> only marginally edible.
>
> There are the ones I'm considering
>   Crataegus pinnatifida - Chinese Haw
>   Cornus mas - Cornelian cherry
>   Cornus kousa - Japanese dogwood
>   Poncirus trifoliata - trifoliate orange
>   Punica granatum - pomegranate
>   Eriobotrya japonica - Loquat
>   Elaeagnus umbellata - Autumn olive
>
> The criteria:
>  - self fertile
>  - decidious, and look nice without leaves
>  - tolerate moisture, fertilizer and some root
>    disturbance
>  - not need spraying, or swarm with aphids or scale
>    or shed honeydew
>  - location is full sun, windy, dry climate
>  - only needs to be about zone 8 hardy; but, I won't
>    be able to withhold water in fall to encourage
>    dormancy.
>
> I'd really like any advice if any of these varities
> are not self-fertile, too big/too small, ugly or
> smelly, or would have serious disease or insect
> problems under my conditions (will the Cornus, like
> decorative dogwoods, succumb to anthracnose if the
> roots are nicked?).
>
> Thanks for any information,
>
>
> =====
> Lisa in Ashland Oregon
> USDA Z7 - Sunset Z7 - 1800' - 19" annual rainfall
>
>
>
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