Encyclopedia of Fruits, Berries & Nuts A cornucopia of photographs follows. Flavor and color descriptions are included for hundreds of fruit, berry, and nut varieties. Hardiness, time of fruiting, and special care requirements are discussed. ‘choose the best possible fruits for your garden. It describes the best and most popular fruits, Some varieties are known by more than one name, In these eases the most common name is used with the less well known alternatives following in parentheses, Many varieties have chilling requirements that must be met for the fruit to develop properly. The chilling requirements are described in terms of the number of hours of exposure to winter temperatures below 45° Fruits and berries that require chilling fall into one of three general categories: Low chill 300 up to 400 hours below 45° F Moderate chill 400 up to 700 hours below 45° F High chill 700 up to 1000 hours below 45° F ‘The maps accompanying each fruit show where it is best adapted. The darkest part of the map shows where most varieties are well- adapted; the lighter part shows where you will need to use adapted varieties. You may still be able to raise the fruit in parts of the country uncolored on the map if special varieties are available for your region, or if you use special techniques, such as bringing the plants into a greenhouse for the winter. ‘Just because a variety is recommended for one area does not neces- sarily mean that it can’t do well in others. Local climate, as well as special treatment from the gardener, ean support plants that generally are not expected to do well in a given region T he information in this eneyclopedia is designed to help you The home orchardist’s reward—a bountiful harvest.Apples Well over a thousand apple varieties are available today Many of these are sports, oF accidental mutations ofan ther varity. Others, espe cially the more recent intro Auctions, are the result of 4 ( painstaking erasing and selec tion by apple breeders. Bach parent plant supplies haf the heritage of soedlings, but that Ina may be ase of charac teristics ether partly oF com pletely hidden inthe parent. ‘The seedings are an unknown, rixture until breeders grow them to fruiting size to see what characteristics they have, This work takes tne, and many seedlings prove to be inferior to their parents ‘Sports, or mutations, may eur at any time, often with ‘ut apparent reason: Suddenly lone branch ofa tree is difer. ent, Oecaslonally the odd branch results from mochani cal damage, suchas pruning sometimes experimenters pur- posely change genetic struc: ture with ehemicals or radia tion. Most sports are wort. Jess, but now and then one turns out to have characteris: ties that make it worth propa- _geing to create a new strain ‘Delicious’ which is by far the most popular and econom! cally important apple in Amer- fica, first sprouted in an Towa ‘orehard in 1872. Its parentage is uncertain but one parent may have been a nearby ‘Yel low Balifower' apple. That ‘Delicious’ exists at all today is almost a miracle. The owner, Jesse Hiatt, cut the seedling ‘down twice, but it resprouted each time so faally he Tet it ‘row. In about 1880 it bore fruit that Hiatt thought was the best held ever tasted. The name ‘Delicious’ was given at a fruit show by C. M. Stark of Stark Nurseries. Stark didn't Tear the name ofthe grower ‘until 1894, and by then the apple had already begun its ise to fame, ‘Delicious’ has proiuced & numberof sports, including the original red sport, ‘Star king’ the redder ‘Richard’, "Royal Red’ Hi Barly’, Chelan Red, and ‘Red Queen’ andthe spur-type Starkrimson, Red: spur, ‘Wellspur,Tardispur, and ‘Oregon Spur. "Delicious is also a parent of ‘Melrose ‘The first seedling of ‘Fone than’ sprouted in Woodstock, ‘New York, apparent from the frlt of an “Esopus Spitzenborg. A Judge Buel of ‘Albany found the appe so 00d that he presented speci mens to the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, naming it forthe man who first showed it to him. ‘Jonathan’ was the most important com: mercial variety before ‘Dei ous’ took aver Red sports of ‘Jonathan in- clude ‘Jon-A-Red! end “Jonnie Hybrid descendants include ‘Jonagold’, Jonamae, dart, ‘Melrose’ ‘Mion’, and ‘Monroe ‘The ‘Melntosh’ apple came from the Melntosh Nursery in Ontario, Canada. John. Motntash discovered it about 1811 but dd not propagate ‘rafted stock until 185, when the arafting technique was perfected, Well-known descen ddnts of ‘Melntos’ inlude “Summerred’, Niagara, Early Melntosh, ‘Puritan, “Tyde man’s Red, ‘Jonamac’ ‘Macoun’, "Empire, Cort- land’, Spartan’ and the spur variety, Macspur Other apples with long lines of descendants include “Rom, ‘Golden Delicious, ‘Northern Spy’, and ‘Winesap! ‘The extensive work on dwarfing rotstocks for apples hs produced plant ses rang ng from a s-foo bush to 30- foot spreading tree. Ther is An informal espaliered apple ven a trv, or genetic, dwarf that stays small on any rwotstoek, Spur-type apple varotios fare sports of standard variet- Jes. They grow more slowly than other plans, and their spurs are packed elosar to iether onthe branch, This less Vigorous growth means that they area kind of genetic ‘dwar, but they are stil good- sized trees unless grafted to dwarfing rots. Spur varieties are dificult to train formal If you buy spur varieties on dwarfing rots, use a training ‘method that doesnt call for any particular form, Pruning methods depend ‘on how you grow the tree. Far general pruning of the larger ‘dwarfed trees or standard trees, see pages 40-49. For spe- ‘al training, tue to page 48. ‘Thinning is crucial with apple varieties, If left alone the trees set too much fruit, tnd the heavy crop ean snap branches. Even more impor: tant, many apple varieties tend to bear every other year If you leave too much fruit you encourage this alternate bear- ing: The following year you may find that your tree bears ‘only a handful of apples be ‘cause the large crop of the previous year has depleted the tree's reserves. Most important ‘ofall, tho quality of tho ro raining fruit is better after thinning There arw many thinning methods, bat the best method is to make a ight first thin ning by the time the fruit is pea size, After this, wait for the natural drop of young frit, in dune, then thin the remain ing fruit so that there isa single apple every 6 inches along the branehes. Bach spur may have a cluster of fruit. single fruits Tes Hikely to be ‘come diseased, so leave only the largest fruit on each spur. Thin carefully oF you will ‘damage the spurs or even pull them off with the young fruit, It the apples are small one year, thin more heavily the next year fee frut set is light but the fruit is largo, ‘thin less next season. Most apples are selFinfer tile, so fora good crop most ‘Varieties need a pollinator.A formal espaler Almost any two kinds that boom together afer good ross pollination. The follow ing varieties preduce poor po! Jen so cannot pallinate other varletls: ‘Jonagold, ‘Spigld’, Mutsu, ‘Gravenstein’ ‘Winesap’,'Stayman\ and Stayrman’ sports such as ‘Blaxstayman’ and Staymared’ If you plant one of theso varitis, you will need to plant three different varieties in total to get fruit from al of them. Also if you plant only & very early andl a very late variety, they will not ross pollinate. All apples need some ona ‘winter weather, but there is Aan enormous rang in this re quirement, so varieties are avallable for any ellmae ex opt tropical and low desert regions Apples are subject to at tack by many organisms, but the gardener will have most ‘rouble with coding moth and other fruit spoiling pests and with the usual aphids, mites, nd scales See the pest and disease section on pages 29-37 for further details. A regular spray schedule is best. Re peated sprays can control dis eases such a8 mildew. Early Season Varieties ‘Akane’ A hybrid of ‘Woroester Poarmain’ and ‘Jonathan’, Akane’ has bright rd skin; esp, uley white ‘esh; and ‘Jonatharlike fa vor. The moderately produc- tive Lee isles susceptible io ‘irebight than the ‘Jonathas? parent is. Origin: Japan. ‘Jersoymac’ A ‘Melntosh’ cross that ripens in August ‘this re frat is medium firm, Jule, and of goed quality, The ‘ee produces crop every year and is generally avail able. Origin: New Jersey ty’ The medium-sized fruit is sweet and juiey, some ‘what coarse-grained, and abundantly produced; the skin i almost entirely red The tree's greatest virtue is ex ‘treme resistance to rust and seab and high resistance to fireblight snd mildew: Origin New York spur” pe tre Melatst ‘Lodi’ The frit is up to 3 Inctes in dlameer, with Hight green skin, ometimes with a slight orange blush, The lest is nearly white with a green: Ish tinge; fine grained, tender, and juiey but sour The eating ‘quality is ony fait, but ‘Lodi Is exeollont in sauce and pies, ‘The tree tends to averse fruit and must be thinned. Widely availabe, Origin: New York. “Tydeman's Early’ A ‘Melntosh’ type simi shape and ripening four weeks carler, this apple is almost en rely re from a very early stage. Fruit drops quickly at maturity and should all be picked within afew days for ‘optimum quality and favo, ‘The eating quality is good and the fruit keeps much longer than most early varieties. When few other varieties are boing harvested, early ripen ing i 8 virtue. One drawback is growth habit: The branehes ae undesirably long and lanky and need to be controled by pruning, For best results grow this one on dwarf or som dwarf roctstocks. Widely avall able. Origin: England arly to Midseason Varieties avenstoin’ Fruit is large but not uniform, with skin ‘hat’ ed against light green ‘The greenish yellow flesh Is moderately fine textured, crisp, rm, ad juiey. I sex cellent for eating fresh, in sue, and in ples. The trees are strong, very vigorous, up- right, and spreading. Widel available along with ‘Red GGravenstein’. Origin: Germany. “Honamae’ This Melntosh type dessert apple is of very 00d eating quality milder in flavor than the ‘Meintash’ Origin: New York “Melntash’ If you write down the attributes ofa great apple—medium-o large fruit with sweet, tondor,juiey white Aesth very good fresh or in sauce, pies, or cider—you are describing Minto’. The skin is yellow with a bright red blush. The tree is strong and very vigorous. Widely available. Origin: Ontario.‘Sparta ‘Paulared’ This apple rates high on several eounts. I has an attractive solid red blush, ‘ith a bright yellow ground ‘olor. The Nesh is white 10 ‘ream and nobrowning, is excellent, slightly tart flavor makes it good both for eating fresh and in sauee and pies. Although it eolors early, for ‘quality apples it should not be picked until nearly mature Fruit holds well onthe tre2 and is harvested in two pick Ings; it has long storage life ‘The tree is everything an aitractive tee should be— strong and upright, with ood branch structure. Origin: Michigan, ‘Prima’ This juicy red apple hha fair quality, but its main feature is its resistance to scab, mildew, and fleblight. Origin: ins Midseason Varieties ‘Cortland’ According to many apple growers, this is ‘exeollent—even better than ‘Melntosh’—as a dual-purpose apple, for eating and cooking The tree bears heavy erups of large, re-striped frit with white Nesh that is slow to turn brown when exposed toa ‘making it especially suited for use in salads. The tree is strong and very vigorous, with ‘spreading, drooping growth habit, Widely available Origin: New York ‘Empire’ This ross between Melntosh’ and "Delicious! has ‘medium, uniform fruit with dark red striped skin and \whltish eream flesh that firm, medium testured, crisp, very juley and of excellent eating quality. A major fault fs that it develops full color long before maturity, tempting the rower to harvest too ean The trees are moderately vig ‘orous and of spreading form. Origin: New York ‘Gala’ This variety gains hgh marks for quality as & frosh fruit with the advantage of long storage life, The me ddiumsized fru yellow brightly striped with rod and bone on a large, upright tree. Origin: New Zealand, ‘Jonathan’ The standard ‘Jonathan’ is one ofthe top varieties growa in commercial orchards in the Cental Sates. ‘The fruit is medium sized and uniform; the skin is washed red and pale yellow; and the 4lesh is frm, ersp, and jue. Rieh favor makes i a goa choice for snacks, salads, and all elinary uss. Trees bear hoavily. Widely available. Origin: New York. ‘Spartan’ A crass between ‘Metatosh’ and "Yellow New. town’, the fruit is medium sized, uniform, and symametti cal, It has sod dark red skin and light yellow, rm, tender crisp, and juicy Mesh. The tree Js strong, moderately vigorous, and well shaped. t must be thinned to assure good size and annual bearing. Widely available, Origin: British Columbia, Canada "ed Delicious Midseason to Late Varieties ‘Golden Delicious? For (reat eating and cooking ap- ple, ‘Golden Delicious’ ranks as high as ang The frit is me dium to large and uniform in sae. The skin is greenish ye: low with a bright pink blush, The flesh is firm, esp juicy, and swoet—excellent fresh ‘and In desserts and salads, and very ood for sauce. The tree is of medium helght, mod: rately vigorous, upright, and round, with wide-angled cerotehes. It bears very young, ‘and continues to bear annually if thinned, This isan excellent. pallinator and will set some erop without crass pollination Widely available. Origin: West Virginia, ‘Jonagold’ cross of ona than’ and ‘Golden Delicious’, this is a beautiful large apple with atively yellow-green {round color and bright rod blushes, The erear-colored flesh is erisp and juicy and has good favor. I is good for coking, fs among the very best apples for fresh eating, and stores well. The tres are vigorous with wide-angled branches, Origin: New Yorka ‘Red Delicious’ ‘The number one supermarket apple, there {is no question about its dessert and fresh-eating quality. The frait is medium to large with striped to solid red skin, The flesh is moderately firm in toxture and very sweet and [uie. Your best choices are the red sports such as ‘Wellspur’ or ‘Royal Red. The tree tends to prestuc full crops every other year unless properly thinned for annual bearing, Widely available, Origin: lowa. ‘Yellow Newtown’ ‘The me dium sized frit has greenish yellow skin and crisp, firm Tesh, Ii good for eating fresh and excellent for sauce and ples. The trees are strong, and vigorous. Widely avail able, Origin: New York, Late Varieties “Pui? This variety i later to ripen than ‘Granny Smith and, like that varoty, needs & Jong growing season (at least 200 days). Origin: Japan ‘Granny Smith’ Tho fruit is ‘medium to lange and bright lossy green, The flesh re Sembles ‘Golden Delicious’ but, Is more tart, Ibis very god eaten fresh or in desserts, sa aus, sauce, and pies. The tree Is strong, vigorous, upright, and spreading, but it ean only be grown in areas with a very Fong growing season It has re cantly hocome the favorite tart apple in groceries. Widely avallable, Origin: Australia ‘dared’ A cruss of ‘Jona- ‘han’ and ‘Wagener’, this hy brid hasan attractive, nearly solid rod skin with a smooth finish, he large, uniform fruit has whit, frm, smooth-tex tured flesh that is excellent for eating fresh and for cook Ing. thas along storage lite The tree is vigorous, upright, and produetive, Widely aval able, Origin: Idaho. "Muutsu’ _\ cross of ‘Golden Delleous’ and the Japanese "Indo, this relative neweomer has gained the approval of both geowers and eonsun Large, oblong, greenish fruit develops some yellow color When mature, The flesh is vars, frm, and ersp. The flavor is excellent (tarter than ‘Golden Delicious’) when eaten fresh, and itis god for saver, pies, and baking. Unlike ‘Golden Dellelous It does nat shrivel in storage. The toe is vigorous and spreading Origin: Japan ‘Northern Spy’ Trees of this variety are very slow to begin Dearing; sometimes M years lapse before they produce theie first bushel (but they bear much sooner on dart rotstock). The fruit is large with yellow and red stripes, and the les is yellowish, firm, and crisp. The quality is excellent fresh and for pies. The fruit bruises easly, but has along storage life, "Trees ‘are vgneous and bear in alter nate sears, Widely available Origin: New York “Northern Sp "Rome Beauty’ This variety and its sports are the world’s best aking apples. Many red sports (such as ‘ed Rome’) are avalable in a beautiful, solid medium-dack red. The fruit i large and round, and the flesh is medium in texture, frm, and erisp. The tre is moderately vigorous, starts to produce at an early age, and is shay producer. The fruit hss along storage life. Widely avallable, Origin: Ohio “Stayman' This variety is 2 very late ripener, Where it ean bbe grown, itis good for cooking or cating fresh, The fruit is Inicy with « moderately tart, ich, winelike flavor. The skin is bright red and has a te: dency to rack. The flesh is fine-textured, fim, and ersp. The tree is medium sized and moderately vigorous. Widely available, Origin: Kansas.Extrahardy Varieties In cild-winter areas where some ofthe favorite apple varieties are subject to winter damage, gardeners may chonse ‘ne of three hardy varieties developed by the University of Minnesoa, ‘Honeygold’ Midseason to Late. This apple boasts “Golden Delicious’ favor The fruit is medium to large with olden to yellowish green skin and yellow flesh that is crisp, smooth, tender, and juicy. I is 00d for eating fresh and in sauce and pies. The tree is moderately vigorous. Orig Minnesota, ‘Red Baron’ Midseason ‘This cross of Golden Delicious ‘and ‘Red Duchess has round, medium-sized fruit with cherry-red skin. The flesh is crisp and juicy witha please tantly tart flavor: [es ood eaten fresh oF in sauce and pies. Origin: Minnesota. “Regent? Late. Ths variety {s recommended for a long eoping red winter apple. The fruit is media sized, with bright red skin and risp- textured, creamy white, juicy ‘esh. Rated excellent for cook ing or eating fresh, it retains ts fine dessert quality late Into winter. Te tree is vigor- ous. Origin: Minnesota, Low-Chill Varieties ‘Anna’ Barly. This apple flowers and fruits in Florida and Southern California, The pple is grven with a red blush and fair quality Its normally harvested in July but some: times sets another late bloom that praduees apples forthe fall Use an early blooming variety such as ‘Dorsett Golden’ or ‘Bin Shemer’ as a pollinator, Origin: Israel ‘Beverly Hills’ Barly This is small to medium sized pple, stiped or splashed with red aver a pale yellow skin, ‘The lsh is tender, juiey, and tart Overall the apple 1o- semble Melntosh. Use i fresh or cook it in sauce or in pies. The tree is suited mainly {nowoler enastal areas, since heat spoils the fruit. Locally available. Origin: Califor ‘Dorsett Golden’ Early, ‘This lage Golden Delicious type fruit requires no frost or significant winter chill and performs well in oastal Southorn California and the hot-summer regions of the Deep South Use it for eating feesh or for cooking. A good pollinator for ‘Anna and “Bin Shomer’ Origin: Bahamas. in Shemer’ Barly This is another ‘Golden Deliious type fruit that is welladapted tothe Deep South, "Texas, and Southern California, The tree begins bearing a an early age Makes a good copollinatoe for ‘Dorsett Golden’, Origin: Israel Gordon’ Early to midsee ‘on, The esp flesh is enclosed in red-striped green skin. The blooming and bearing period is unusually prolonged—August to October in California It per {forms particularly well in ‘coastal Southern California, ‘The fruit is good both for eat- ing fresh and for cooking Selt- fruitful. Origin: California. “Winter Banana’ Midsea ssn, The large fruits stk ingly beautiful The skin eolor is pale and waxy with a spreading pink blush, The flesh is tender, with & wonder: ful aroma and tangy flavor “Winter Banana’ requires a pollinator such as Red Astra- chan’ in order to set good crop, Locally availabe. Origin: Indiana, “Winter Pearmain’ Mid season, This large green apple thas moderately firm flesh of excellent quality It sa con sistent producer in Southern California. Origin Unknown. ‘Sungai Apricots In the colder regions ofthe country, the selection of api ‘ot varieties i ited because ‘sprouts bloom early and may suffer frost damage, In recent years, however, brooders have produced a numberof hybrids : x a 2 ee with hardy Manchurian ape: cos, and now varieties sueh as Chinese will uit fairly regularly even inthe noth plain. Te choice of varieties ‘widens in milder regions, and ‘more tender varieties such as ‘Moorpark’ will bear even in the eastern states. Dwarf apricots on spe cla rootstock produce fie sized toes, and a full-sized tree wll la 2-fotsquare site, bt you ean ean the tre to branch high and us tin {he landscape ss a shade tree. ‘Trees are fairy Hong-ved and ‘may last from 15 to 80 years, ‘depending on care. ‘Many aprients are sof fertile, but in colder regions it Is usually best to planta see ‘ond varioty for pollination to encourage the heaviest fruit set possible, Frost may thin much of the young frat Thinning is generally natu ral, elther from frost o from hnatural drop in early summer. I your tree sets heavily, you will get larger apricots by ‘thinning to 2 inehes between ‘each feui, For pruning an ‘raining details, see page 46, Apricots can also be used as stock plants for gras Plums do well on apricot stock, and peaches may take a: ‘though the union is weak Your aprien tee ean bear sev ral different fruits over a Jong season Brown rot and hacteri canker aro serious pests,“Meoepak Varieties Check for climate adaptability and pollinating requirements, and be sure to buy handy trees inthe colder regions. ‘Blenheim’ (‘Royal’) This is the best eating drying, and caning aprieot in California ‘The frit is medium sized and fat orange with some ten- dency to have green shoulders, It requires moderate chilling tnd will not tolerate excessive heat (over 90°F) at harvest time. Origin: England, ‘Chinese’ (‘Mormon’) ts ‘Utah birchplace marks this variety a8 a good choice for the coldest regions of the West's apricot climates, Late flowering gives blossoms a hance to escape Inte frost. ‘Troes boar heavy crops of small sweet, juicy fruit at an carly age Origin: Liab, “Flora Gold’ This genetic dwarf apricot reaches about half the size ofa full-sized tree, Is small to medium-sized fruit i of high quality—best for eating fresh and for can ning. The heavy erop ripens early, about a month before “Blenhetn’, Modorate-chll re ‘quirement. Origin: California “Goldeot” Late Nowering, Fate bearing, and hardiness to A0"P recommend this variety to midwestern and eastern growers. The medium-sized to large fruit is tough-skinned and flavorful, ood for eating fresh ard for eaning Slt: fruitful. Origin: Michigan ‘Hareot’ Another cold hardy variety with late flowering but carly ripening. Fruit is dium to large and flavorful Heavy-bearing, compact trees resist browa rot and are some: ‘what resistant to bacterial spot. Origin: Ontario, Canada ‘arogem’ Small to me