(Point of origin: Europe and Asia)
Nutrition:
Seed oil is high in preprocessed omega 3,6,9.
1 cup contains 80 mg omega-3
120 mg omega-6
High in anthocyanin.
Properties:
Ripens late unevenly
Prefers afternoon shade.
Black Consort -
Properties:
white pine rust immune,
trim to single cane
Sources: St. Lawrence
Information:
Omega 3
********
Blackberry (Rubus nigrobaccus):
(Point of origin: North America)
Nutrition:
1 cup seeds contains 135 mg omega-3
268 mg omega-6
High in anthocyanin.
Omega 3
Properties:
one of the most disease and insect
resistant fruits
conifers (cone bearers) harbor disease
mulch to protect from freezing
grows well around water
and under shade.
Ripens early and unevenly
Varieties:
Triple Crown:
Very sweet but prone to sunburn.
Good for fresh eating
Erect, thornless
Zone 5, good disease resistance
Doyle - zone 5
mainly good for jelly
thornless, trailing (needs trellis)
very disease resistant
Obsidian - zone 7-9
excellant flavor
thorny, trailing (needs trellis)
very disease resistant
USDA - Obsidian blackberry
Marion - zone 7-9
, excellant flavor
, thorny, trailing (needs trellis)
, good disease resistance
Disease and other characteristics ratings:
Oregan State - blackberry ratingUniversity of Arkansas - blackberry ratingUniversity of Arkansas - blackberry ratingMissouri Botanical Garden - NavahoUniversity of Arkansas - blackberries
Sources:
WeeksberryBackyard Berry Plants
**********
Fig (Ficus carica):
(Point of origin: western Asia)
Nutrition:
will not ripen further after picking,
so wait until the stem itself darkens.
high in quick releasing sugar,
so don't eat much.
the tree has latex so some people
cannot tolerate the fruit.
Properties:
prefers a warm dry environment.
cool weather varieties are available.
ripens late
Varieties:
choose a variety which will ripen
in your region.
Brown Turkey:
bears on new wood
, has a small eye
, ripens in cool weather
Hardy Chicago:
bears on new wood
, has a small eye
, ripens in cool weather
Sources:
Raintree, One Green World
Information:
Pinch figs to force fruiting
********
Plum (Prunus sp.):
(Point of origin: Fertile Cresent)
Nutrition: Very rich in anti-oxidants
High in anthocyanin.
Properties: Slightly acidic
Tastes best after touched by frost
ripens late
Very cold hardy
Varieties:
President Plum - Prunus domestica,
zone 5, late bloom
very disease resistant
, needs pollinator (Merryweather)
slightly more drought tolerant
Connecticut Ag Ext Station - plum diseasesPresident Plum - vulnerable to canker if sun scaldedGrowing Prunes
Merryweather Damson -
Prunus insititia, zone 4
self fertile, late bloom
better for jam than drying
not drought tolerant
Damsons WikiPlum Booklet
Kuban Delight - Prunus salicina
zone 5b, self fertile
very disease resistant
Pollination:
Dave's GardenOrange PippinOrange Pippin - pollination checker
Grafted plums onto Prunus americana can be slightly more moisture tolerant:
Such as Mount Royal (Prunus domestica).
Source: St. Lawrence Nurseries
There are many other plum varieties (Prunus domestica), that are very
anti-oxidant rich, but most only grow well in extremely dry desert environments,
with a moderate temperature.
Exceptions are AU Roadside and AU Rosa.
*************
Honey berry (Lonicera caerulea var. emphyllocalyx or L. edulis var. Kamtschatica):
Nutrition: rich in zeaxanthin
Nightshade family
Properties: some varieties zone 3
height 3-12 feet
Invasive
excellant for poultry
Ripens late.
********
Chinese Wolfberry (Lycium barbarum):
Nutrition:
Rich in zeaxanthin
Nightshade family
Properties: zone 6
height 3-12 feet
ripens midseason unevenly
Invasive
excellant for poultry
Purdue
********
American Persimmon (Diospyros virginian):
(Point of origin: American )
Nutrition:
rich in zeaxanthin
Properties:
American persimmons are dioecious;
each tree produces either male or
female flowers
and requires a mate, or pollinator,
nearby.
Hexaploids grow in cold climate areas
further north where teraploids
could not survive.
Some wild American cultivers can
be grown in zone 3.
Drought and moisture tolerant.
Very disease resistant.
Late ripening
Hardwood
Will not tolerate shade
Varieties:
Early Golden - zone 5, large early fruit.
Szukis - zone 5, large early fruit.
Meader - hardy to 30 degrees
below zero F.
Source: Oikos
Info:
Savanna Institute
************
Aronia or Black Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa):
Nutrition:
High in anthocyanin.
Properties:
Astringent
, improves once processed.
Mid season harvest
Some varieties are blue.
Very disease resistant.
Source:
Sandusky Valley Plant Nursery, St. Lawrence Nursery, Millers, Raintree
********
(Point of origin: North America and Europe)
Nutrition:
Wild blueberries are very rich
in polyphenols
and pterostilbene.
Low in the difficult to digest
fructooligosaccharides.
Unfortunately, domesticated blueberries
are over selected for sweetness which
comes from high levels of
fructooligosaccharides.
Properties:
Most blueberry species and varieties
require a moist environment and an acid
soil.
But there are a few that are more drought
tolerant.
PH of at least 5.5 required.
Ripens early unevenly
Varieties:
Some of the more drought tolerant
varieties:
Vaccinium stamineum
Vaccinium pallidum
Vaccinium darrowii
Information:
Univ of MinnesotaForest ServiceBlueberry - wild has more polyphenolsVaccinium darrowiiAcademia - Vaccinium stamineumUSDA - Nocturn hybrid, cold hardy
**************************************************
(Point of origin: Asia)
Disadvantages:
Very difficult to grow consistently,
except in dry areas.
Advantages:
the more red,
the greater the possibility of lycopene.
Peaches are self-fruitful
Exra-floral nectaries in very early spring for
beneficial insects.
Ripens mid season
Disease Resistant Zone 5 Varieties:
Harken
Harson
Venture
Harrow Beauty
Links:
CanadaOregonCornell
Training:
Fan Training Peach
Rootstock:
Peach Rootstock alternativesGardenWeb - Rootstock alternatives
*******
Pawpaw (Asimina triloba):
(Point of origin: eastern North America )
Advantages:
Tropical fruit taste.
Very disease resistant.
Disadvantages:
Cannot be dried or stored except as fruit
leather.
Late ripening
Info:
Purdue
Source: Oikos
********
Black Raspberry (Rubus occidentalis):
(Point of origin: North America)
Nutrition:
astoundingly nutritious, seedy.
High in anthocyanin.
Disadvantages:
Even the most resistant varieties
are still very disease prone
Cultivation:
Well drained soil, never water from
overhead
prefers afternoon shade
Early ripening
To overcome disease, grow in semi-wild
setting as desribed below:
The Contrary Farmer
Varieties:
JEWEL - good overall disease resistance, good yield
MUNGER - good fungal resistance, poor cold hardiness
Wild - potential for superior flavor
***************************************************
(Point of origin: North America)
Nutrition:
High in oil. Medium levels of complete
protein.
High tannin that must be leached.
Properties:
Acorn finished pork has a unique flavor.
Very disease resistant.
Nuts are susceptible to insects.
Ripens late.
Hybrids:
White oak hybrids are generally the
best tasting.
These are precocious heavy annual
bearing dwarfs
that require heavy pruning for
industrial production.
plant on slopes and poor sites.
Perfect for poultry and hog feed.
Morse - BurXChestnut, BurXSwamp, BurXEnglish, BimundorRhora's - Sargent 5, BimundorNut Cracker Nursery
Native Varieties:
Low tannin varieties:
Chinkapin Dwarf - Quercus prinoides
Bears early and every year.
Chinkapin White Oak -
Quercus muehlenbergii
Bears every year.
Bur White Oak - Quercus macrocarpa
( Kreider, Ashworth )
Bears every 2-3 years.
Water tolerant.
Swamp White Oak - Quercus bicolor
Bears every 3-5 years.
Water tolerant.
Common White Oak - Quercus alba
Bears heavy every 4-10 years;
light production every year.
*********
Hickory (Carya spp.):
(Point of origin: North America)
Nutrition:
Similar to pecan
Properties:
Takes decades to bear nuts.
Grafting can greatly speed up the
process.
Very long taproot so very drought
tolerant.
Prefers high rainfall areas.
Very disease and insect resistant.
Ripens mid season unevenly
Varieties:
Shagbark hickory (C. ovata)
Shellbark hickory (C. laciniosa)
Badgersett Hybrid
Information:
Kentucky Woodland MagazineUniversity of MissouriBadgersett - hybrid hickory and hazelburt
*********
Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba)
Advantages:
Very ancient tree species which
survives even the most adverse
conditions.
Improves soil enzyme levels.
Very insect and disease resistant.
Useful in hedgerows and mixed into
orchards.
High protein nuts are edible after boiling.
Tolerates occasional grazing and is used
for bonsai.
Capable of going dormant rapidly.
Hardy to zone 3.
Ripens late
Disadvantages:
Fruit is very stinky.
Nuts are toxic unless cooked.
Information:
Survives nuclear blasts.
***************************************************
Advantages:
A member of the legume family,
nitrogen-fixing, extremely hardy.
The "peas" are reportedly 36% protein
Use for animal or poultry feed.
Must be cooked before feeding to
animals.
Prefers afternoon shade.
Disadvantages:
Seeds are very small.
Not as good a permaculture legume as
honey locust.
Can become invasive if not harvested
thoroughly.
Best to plant sterile versions:
Sutherland, Lorbergii
Information:
PURDUE UNIVERSITY - Siberian PeaUSDAPlants For a Future
Source: St. Lawrence
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