Unique Fruits for Home LandscapesLuke Gustafson LNG@UMD.EDU

Outline

• Why• How

• Site selection• Soil preparation• Planting

• What• Ideal species for

southern Maryland

Why Fruits

• Enjoy fresh flavors• Reduce soil disturbance vs. annual

crops• Grow color throughout the seasons• Get more from your landscape

• Multi-season color• Have your landscape and eat it, too!

Why Fruits

• Enjoy fresh flavors• Reduce soil disturbance vs. annual

crops• Grow color throughout the seasons• Get more from your landscape

• Multi-season color• Have your landscape and eat it, too!

Why these “unique” fruits?

• Eat unique & delicious fruits not available in grocery stores

• Grow plants better adapted to Maryland climate

• Reduce use of pesticides

vs

Planning ahead

• Do I have the…• Space? • Time?

• Prep, planting, maintenance• What’s practical for me?

• Start planning one year before planting• Sourcing

• Mail order bare-root or “plug” size plants for best selection

Site Selection

• Full sun to part shade (at least 6 hrs)• Access to water • Protection from wildlife• How much can you maintain?• Best to start small

Google Maps

Use legend to find scale:

20 ft

Soil Testing

• Macronutrients:• Nitrogen, potassium, calcium, magnesium,

phosphorous, sulfur• pH – determines nutrient availability

• pH 6.5 is ideal for most crops EXCEPT blueberry

• Amend BEFORE planting• Test every 3 years• $10-15 per sample

John & Jane Doe

pHPKCa

Mg

Picking cultivars

• Select well-adapted, cultivars with resistance to most common diseases

• Buy high quality plants “certified”, “registered”

• Go for bare-root plants since they will catch up to container-grown plants

• Check if more than one is required to pollination

Pollination

• Most fruits require beepollinators to produce

• Native bees (bumble bees, mason bees, carpenter bees, & more)

• European honey bees

• Avoid or reduce pesticide use and don’t spray when flowers are open

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Water and fertilizer

• Regular watering throughout the year is essential

• Shallow-root small fruit plants are especially vulnerable to drought stress

• Use fertilizers according to soil test recommendations

• Be careful not to over-fertilize

Weed Control

• Maintain weed-free zone around young plants

• Keep mulch away from trunks and crowns

• Apply coarse wood chip mulch• Avoid herbicides on trunks

More mulch, please! Ideally, the weed-free zone should be 5-6’ in diameter

Arborist Wood Chip Mulch

Wildlife issues

Deer scat Vole feeding

Pruning Control size and shapeInvigorate- stimulate new fruiting woodImprove air circulation and increase sunlight interception

Overgrown apple tree

• Native range: Eastern US• Habitat: Full sun to part

shade, well-drained moist soil• Habit: shrub (4-6’ tall & wide)• Bloom: late April – mid May,

white• Diseases: none serious • Landscape use: rain garden,

border, naturalized garden• Alternative to: privet, winged

euonymus/burning bush, viburnum

Aronia (Aronia melanocarpa)

Aronia (Aronia melanocarpa)

Aronia (Aronia melanocarpa)

• Fruit: Blueberry-sized, tart, ripen in August

• highest antioxidant content of any temperate fruit

• Uses: Juice & preserves• ‘Viking’ (7 feet) and ‘Nero’ (5

feet) are most common varieties for fruit production

• Note: self-fertile, excellent fall color, fruits attract birds, very high antioxidant content

Elderberry (Sambucus nigra subsp. canadensis)

• Native range: Eastern & central US • Habitat: Full sun to shade, mesic to

wet soil• Habit: Medium shrub (5-10’),

suckers readily• Bloom: Late May-early June• Diseases: leaf spots• Landscape use: rain garden,

naturalized garden

Elderberry (Sambucus nigra subsp. canadensis)

Spring of Year 2

August of Year 2

Elderberry (Sambucus nigra)

• Maroon foliage cultivars for ornamental use

Boonesboro, MDCatonsville, MD

Elderberry (Sambucus nigra subsp. canadensis)

• Fruit: Blueberry-sized, ripen August to September

• Uses: Juice, preserves, tea (flowers)

• Note: yields best with cross pollination

• Fruits can be popular with birds• Easy to grow from cuttings!• Prune like knockout roses

Beach Plum (Prunus maritima)

• Native range: eastern seaboard (ME to VA)

• Habitat: Sun, moist to dry soil• Habit: shrub (up to 10’)• Bloom: Late April – early May• Diseases: no serious issues• Landscape use: hedge,

naturalized bed• Native to: Eastern seaboard

Beach Plum (Prunus maritima)

Wild beach plum at Cape HenlopenState Park, Lews, DE

Year 1May 1, 2017

Year 3March 26, 2019

Year 4April 17, 2020

Beach Plum (Prunus maritima)

Year 3Oct, 2020

Beach Plum (Prunus maritima)

Cornell University

Beach Plum (Prunus maritima)

• Fruit: dime to quarter-sized, ripens in August, sweet flesh & tart skin

Serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.)

• Native range: Eastern US• Several species native to MD • Habitat: Sun to part shade, well

drained soil, drought tolerant• Habit: Medium shrub to tree up to

25’• Bloom: April – May, white • Diseases: rust diseases & others • Landscape use: specimen,

naturalized garden • Alternative to: ‘Bradford’

callery pear

Serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.)

Serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.)

Serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.)

• Fruit: Blueberry-sized, sweet with hint of cherry, ripen early to mid June

• Uses: Fresh eating, preserves, juice

• Note: fall color, fruits attract birds• Common in ornamental

landscapes• Readily available from

local nurseries

Serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.)

• Commercially grown in Alberta & British Columbia

• Juneberry (Amelanchier alnifolia) are most compact and fruitful

• Self-fruiting

Asian pear (Pyrus serotina)

• Native range: East Asia• Habitat: Full sun, somewhat

tolerant of heavy soil (depending on rootstock)

• Habit: tree (up to 25 ft)• Bloom: April• Diseases: fireblight, rust

diseases & more• Landscape use: fruit tree

Asian pear (Pyrus serotina)

• Fruit: Crisp like an apple but juicy like a pear, hints of butterscotch

• Bears in 3-4 years (grafted)• Uses: Fresh eating• Cultivars: Atago, Hosui,

Olympic, Shenseiki, 20th Century, Shinko

American persimmon (Diospyros virginiana)

• Native range: Eastern US• Habitat: Sun, moist to dry soil• Habit: tree (up to 60 ft)• Bloom: Spring to summer, inconspicuous• Diseases: root rots, leaf spots• Landscape use: naturalized area• Note: glossy leaves turn yellow/orange in

fall, unique bark pattern

American persimmon (Diospyros virginiana)

• Native range: Eastern US• Habitat: Sun, moist to dry soil• Habit: tree (up to 60 ft)• Bloom: late May – early June• Diseases: root rots, leaf spots• Landscape use: naturalized

area• Note: glossy leaves turn

yellow/orange in fall, unique bark pattern, slow to leaf out in spring & early to loose leaves in fall

American persimmon (Diospyros virginiana)

• Fruit: Quarter to half dollar-sized, orange, very sweet, ripen late Oct-Nov, persist after leaf drop

• Bears in 3-4 years (grafted)• Uses: Fresh eating, dried,

preserves• Astringent fruit eaten only when

completely ripe & very soft but does NOT require frost to ripen

• Trees are dioecious• Cultivars available by mail order

American persimmon (Diospyros virginiana)

Asian persimmon (Diospyros kaki)

• Native range: East Asia• Habitat: Sun, moist to dry soil• Habit: tree (up to 25 ft)• Bloom: Spring to summer,

inconspicuous• Diseases: root rots, leaf spots• Landscape use: specimen• Note: glossy leaves turn

yellow/orange in fall

Asian persimmon (Diospyros kaki)

• Fruit: Tomato-sized, orange, very sweet, ripen Sept-Nov, fruits often persist after leaf drop

• Bears in 3-4 years (grafted)• Uses: Fresh eating, dried,

preserves• Non-astringent (eat like apple)

and astringent varieties (eat only when soft)

• Grafted trees available from some local nurseries – some are not hardy in So. MD

Asian persimmon (Diospyros kaki)

Asian persimmon (Diospyros kaki)

Pawpaw (Asimina triloba)

• Native range: Eastern US • Habitat: Full to part sun, moist

well drained soil• Habit: pyramidal tree in

full sun (25’)• Bloom: March – May, 1-2”

reddish-purple blooms • Diseases: No serious disease

issues, avoided by deer (acetogenins)

• Landscape use: specimen, rain gardens, naturalized garden, forest edge

Photo credit: Ron Powell

Pawpaw (Asimina triloba)

Photo credit: Ron Powell

Pawpaw (Asimina triloba)

• Fruit: 1/3 lb – 1 lb, creamy texture, mango/banana flavor

• Bears in 3-4 years (grafted)• Uses: Fresh eating, frozen• Note: need two varieties to fruit• Custard apple family – related

to Annona, soursop, guanabana• Developed varieties (grafted)

have larger fruit, more consistent flavor, fewer seeds

• Available from increasing number of nurseries

Pawpaw (Asimina triloba)

• Challenges: • 5+ years for

tree fruit to bear good crop

• Short shelf life

Key Points

• Fruits can…• Provide fresh, healthy food• Provide food & habitat for pollinators and birds• Be beautiful landscape plants!

Resources

•Home and Garden Information Centerhttp://www.extension.umd.edu/hgic

– Here you will find factsheets, photos, and videos. You can also subscribe to the free monthly e-newsletter.

– We answer gardening questions 24/7…just click “Ask Maryland’s Garden Experts”

– Maryland Grows blog– YouTube channel

•Maryland Master Gardener Programhttp://www.extension.umd.edu/mg

– Consider becoming a trained MG volunteer!

Luke Gustafson9501 Crain Highway, #1, Bel Alton, MD 20611

301-539-3047 / lng@umd.edu

Questions?