HARDY TREE AND BUSH FRUITS

One key to the survival of fruits in the north is the right choice of rootstocks. For apples, the following rootstocks are used in colder regions:

• Budagovski 9-originally developed as a dwarfing stock for the mountains of Poland-not hardy enough byitself-best used as an interstem on `Beautiful Arcade' on which it will produce about a 45% tree.

• Beautiful Arcade-originally a Russian tree-fruit is edible-comes true from seed-easy to grow-produces a semi-standard tree (65%).
• Baccata-seedling from a wild Siberian crab-extremely hardy-probably the best for zone 2 and colder. 80-90% tree.
• Antonovka-hardy Russian rootstock-in use nearly 500 years-edible fruit-comes true from seed-90% tree-quite hardy-tolerates clay soil.
• Dolga-intermediate in hardiness between Antonovka and Baccata-good crab apple in itself-makes a 100% tree.

For hardy pears, the choice of rootstock is limited.

• Pyrus ussuriensis (Siberian Pear)-extremely cold hardy-zone 1b-sensitive to excess soil moisture-makes a tall, beautiful tree in itself-attractive to wildlife and makes an excellent windbreak tree.
• Cotoneaster acutifolia (Peking Cotoneaster) -currently under trial-very hardy-zone 2-dwarfing for pears.
• Amelanchier (Saskatoon)-zone 2-promotes earlier bearing than Quince-poor anchorage so trees need support-best used for trellised plantations.
• Crataegus (Hawthorn)-very hardy-very dwarfing -unfortunately graft is unstable and scion dies in about 5 years.

For cherries, the Chokecherry and Pincherry are used as rootstock.

• Prunus virginiana (Chokecherry)-readily available in the wild-extremely hardy-one of the best possible rootstocks.
• Prunus pensylvanica (Pincherry)-wild cherry-less common than P. virginiana-very hardy rootstock.

Plums can be grafted onto Prunus nigra or P. americana in very cold areas.

• Prunus americana makes a weak combination and the tree should be planted deep so the scion will develop its own roots.
• Some of the cherries such as Prunus tomentosa (Nanking Cherry) may provide serviceable rootstocks in cold areas.

  B. HARDY APPLES

  Much research has been done on hardy apples over the years. The recent release of the Nor group of apples has broadened the selection for home orchard. In zone 1, Norhey apple, Early Yellow, Osman and Red Siberian Crabs are being grown. In zone 2, there are several apples, apple-crab and crabs available but the Noran ranks very high among them. It is a good cropper, keeps well and is the most blemish free apple at Beaverlodge, Alta. Norda, Norland, Norson and Patterson are some of the other good apples available for the north.

  C. HARDY PEARS

  Although there are a few hardy pears available, the quality of the fruit still needs great improvement. Olia, Pioneer 3, John, Peter, Tait Dropmore, Tiona and Ure are all hardy but their fruit is of cooking quality only. More research needs to be done to improve the fruit.

  D. SANDCHERRIES AND BUSH CHERRIES

  There are many hardy Sandcherries and Bushcherries. Hans and Fritz are considered the hardiest and tastiest of the Sandcherries. The bush cherries include Prunus tomentosa (Nanking cherry), P. fruticosa (Manchurian Cherry), as well as the cherry-plum crosses which include Opata and Sapa.

  E. HARDY PLUMS

  Plums are grouped by families: European, Damson, Japanese, Native and American Hybrids. It is essential to know the family groupings when selecting plums because plums are generally self-fertile. In addition, there are several family groupings that are cross sterile due to a differing number of chromosomes. Therefore you must plant 2 different varieties from the same family group, i.e. 2 different Japanese plums, for proper pollination. The hardy plums according to family are:

  Family	Hardy Varieties
  European	none known at present
  Damson	none known at present
  Japanese	Ptitsin 9
  Native	Bounty, Dandy, Norther
  American	Acme, Elite, Patterson, Pembina, Perfection, Prairie, Superb

  F. HARDY APRICOTS

  There is a limited number of hardy Apricots for the north. Prairie Gold is not definitely hardy. Sunrise has borne fruit reliably for 30 years at Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (zone 2b) and is worth a try in zone 1b. I have been unable to obtain data on Scout and Brookcot apricots, and so am unable to comment on these at this time.

  G. STRAWBERRIES

  Strawberries in the north generally require a mulch in winter, although many people such as myself have been growing them for years with no protection. I have grown Chief Bemidji, Autumn Beauty, Protem, and Fort Laramie, all with no mulch. Even when the snow cover is eliminated by Chinooks, I have had very few losses.

  H. RASPBERRIES

  Raspberries are the most satisfactory fruit as they bloom late and therefore escape the late spring frosts. In zone 2b, no protection is normally required for red raspberries but in zone 1, the tips should be covered in winter as recommended for black raspberries. With raspberries, it has been found that those cultivars that experience early leaf drop and a greater reduction in growth after the end of August, tend to be the hardiest. The winter of 1984-85, played havoc with raspberries in the Beaverlodge area. An extremely early killing frost caught the raspberries in full foliage and they were killed back to the ground.

  I. GRAPES

  Grapes have been grown in zone 2 but they require special handling. They are trained to a fan shape so that the canes can be laid down and covered for the winter. The native grape, Vitis riparia, has small blue fruit suitable for jelly. Beta has fruit of fair to good quality for juice and jelly but is too acid to make good wine.

  J. CURRANTS AND GOOSEBERRIES

  Currants and Gooseberries are hardy even in zone 1b with very few exceptions. Some have been grown as far north as the Arctic Circle in favoured sites. Because of their high vitamin content and good flavour, they shoud be planted more extensively.

  K. BLUEBERRIES

  Lowbush blueberry, Vaccinium angustifolium, requires an acid soil. They are difficult to transplant from the wild as their roots are very thin and dry out quickly. Highbush Blueberry is too tender for the north.

  L. SASKATOONS

  Saskatoons are a native fruit that is presently being developed as a commercial crop in Northern Alberta. The varieties available are selections from the wild Saskatoon. Quite often nurseries will offer seedlings of these selections but seedlings are not always true to type and if a uniform plantation is desired, it is best to obtain root sprouts or grafted material. Named varieties include: Forestburg, Honeywood, Pembina, Smokey and Thiessen.

  M. ROSE HIPS

  Rose hips are another wild fruit that is used widely for syrups, jellies and eaten fresh. They have a high vitamin C content.

  N. WILD CRANBERRY

  Highland Cranberry or Lingonberry, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, is presently being developed as a commercial crop in Alaska. Some people prefer the taste of them to the commercial cranberry.

  Elderberry, (Sambucus canadensis); Pincherry, (Prunus pensylvanica); Chokecherry, (Prunus virginiana); Sandcherry; Hawthorns, (Crataegus); American Mt. Ash, (Sorbus americana); Highbush Cranbery, (Viburnum trilobum); Nannyberry, (Viburnum lentago); Staghorn Sumac, (Rhus typhina); are all native plants that have an edible fruit.

  There is no lack of small fruit for the northern garden. The home gardener has a wide choice of hardy fruit to choose from for his home orchard. The potential for developing a fruit industry in the north is excellent. Specialty jams and jellies have a market.

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  fruit.html
  This page by Pat
  updated August 18, 2000
  
  

  

  

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