North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[nottke1 <nottke1@earthlink.net>]

I thank everyone for their help on identifiying this plant, which I myself 
have never seen!  But one of the NAFEXers forwarded it to an orchardist 
friend in Brno, who explained to me in German (he does not write English) 
that the plant in question is indeed an Aronia melanocarpa, but a 
particularly vigorous cultivar that trains to a tree easily and has 
relatively large fruit, used to make jam, jelly, and as a filling in baked 
goods.  The fruit is too tart to eat fresh, but people line up outside the 
bakery on the day the first pastries filled with this fruit become available 
each summer.
He told me the shrub would not do well here in North Carolina as it does not 
tolerate hot, humid summers.
NAFEX and the internet are GREAT!!

Jim Nottke
humid 7a