North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Elizabeth Hilborn <ehilborn@mebtel.net>]

I am removing my 3 year old Bristol black raspberry plants. The fruit 
quality was a big disappointment to me. Just not very flavorful. I will 
have some space freed up when they go.

I am also removing my Nanking bush cherries as they are in a crowded 
spot and are succumbing to what looks very much like fireblight, but I 
know that pathogen is not probable on a Prunus. Maybe it is black knot, 
but it does not appear similar to the lesions I commonly see on the wild 
cherries (Prunus serotina) in my area. The Nankings display black, 
necrotic distal shoot damage that descends, whereas the trees develop 
lesions on their trunks and branches, but distal tissue appears healthy.

I very much like the fruit of the Nankings and am wondering if any 
varieties of bush cherries will thrive here if I give them better air 
circulation. Can folks on the list recommend bush cherry varieties for 
my humid zone 7b location? My understanding is that varieties developed 
in the northern plains may not do well here, but am not sure.

Anybody have any suggestions?

Thanks,
Betsy Hilborn
7b central NC