My “Eastern Prince” Schisandra vine has failed here in hardiness zone 10b. It succeeded at my former home in 9b but being from southern Mongolia this location was probably a bit much.
Today I bought an Olallie Berry from Clausen’s as a replacement. It’s not quite what I was looking for but at least fills in another spot on the berry hybridization chart.
Interesting. Why do you think? Due to heat? Dryness?
I was concerned that mine may have difficulty here in z8 so I put them down by the creek partially shaded by the woods. So far so good.
Mine are the standard dioecious variety.
Good move … and of course I envy the crops you’ll have. The preserves and condiments that can be made from the fresh berries – wow. Don’t forget to try them in a mince-meat pie or made into chutney.
I worked hard on giving my plant good growing conditions. It probably failed because I didn’t heap 15 lbs of ice on it every day November through February.
I’ve been wondering why I don’t hear of Olallie berries around here and I just live a short ways by canoe (Orygun, ya know) from the USDA orchard. I think I’ve chosen a poor location for my berry area anyway…up on a very sunny, dry slope with poor soil. Even at the bottom of the slope my Cascade berries are doing very well. I have to plan/create something better.
I think I’ve found dewberries in the wild; I’ll have to grab some and bring’m home. Cascades, shown here (last week) are attracting a lot of birds…gotta do something about that, too.
Richard, how would you say the ripening time of Ollalie compares to other Blackberries? Maybe compared to Triplecrown or Chester if possible? Wondering if it could maybe give a crop before the SWD set in?
This year here in zone 10b, we started picking Olallie Berries about 3 weeks after Arapahoe Blackberries. There was a smaller second crop in September.