Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
The cherries on the tree are highly attractive and, of course, delicious. A true win-win in the landscape.
(Photo courtesy of Rachel Matthews)
Sour cherry cultivars to try:
English Morello
has tasty, rich-red flesh and is a low-chill cultivar
on a naturally small tree.
Mesabi
is a sweeter hybrid cherry that isn't quite as tart as most sour
cherries.
Surefire
is a tangy sweet cherry that blooms later than other sour cherries and is highly
crack-resistant.
Other cherries to try:
Nanking cherry (
Prunus tomentosa
) is a bush cherry that is about 6 to 10
feet tall with white or pale pinkish flowers. Plant two cultivars for best pollination and use them in
the landscape as a hedge alternative to increase the usefulness and productivity of your landscape.
Mulberries (
Morus sp.
)
Mulberry trees may be unfamiliar to some because it's not a fruit that is available commercially.
The fruit doesn't ship well and won't keep long, so enjoy it while it's ripe. The mulberry fruits look
similar to raspberries and have a super-sweet taste to them. Mulberry trees are hardy in zones 5
through 8.
Mulberries are highly variable—I've seen everything from small shrubs with multistemmed forms
to huge trees 50 feet tall and wide. There are even weeping forms of mulberries, which can add
an interesting shape to the landscape. They are self-pollinating, so you can add just one to the
landscape as desired.
thOrny MatterS
When you plant your mulberry, don't put it in an area where it will overhang a walkway or driveway area.
The dropping fruits can be messy and stain pavement or car paint.
