North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Stephen Sadler" <Docshiva@Docshiva.org>]

That explains it.  The plant with that rare foliage was probably also rarely
bitter.

I've only had wild ones, and they're always sweet.  We have a home in the
high Sierra - zone 2 - where in a long-summered year we find plentiful
gooseberries, thimble berries, and serviceberries - the "June" berries ripen
in mid-September up there.  I leave most for the forest critters, but in the
one-in-ten year where they're abundant, I'll make a tart or berry pancakes
or muffins.  

Stephen Sadler, Ph.D.
USDA 9, AHS heat zone 8, 
Sacramento CA - Mediterranean climate

-----Original Message-----
From: nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Mark Lee
Sent: Thursday, June 23, 2005 12:51 PM
To: 'North American Fruit Explorers'
Subject: RE: [NAFEX] bitter juneberries

Stephen,
Maybe these aren't fully ripe.  The only variety I am sure of is 'Autumn
Brilliance" which is selected for its fall foliage, not for its edible
berries.  This variety I think is cloned, so it will have the same taste
everywhere I run across it in my fruit exploring.  The bitter component
is interesting for me, but my kids and wife spit out the samples I have
shared... yuk.  I have other varieties selected for good tasting fruit,
but these won't produce for another year.
-Mark Lee, Seattle