Some wild ones are better I’m sure. The problem is before we could improve autumn berry it was declared an invasive stopping the improvements in their tracks. I have around 30 bushes and am making serious plans for crosses for myself and those in this area. There is a lot that can be done. They could be as good or better than sour cherries.
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Hector Black of Hidden Springs Nursery did exactly that. He bred Autumn Olive looking for improved varieties…
That is until the state of Tennessee banned them and his nursery had to liquidate its stock…
There are still some of his varieties available in the trade…
Scott
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At the beach today and found this one. Decent tasting. I took a photo of it’s location so I can check next year to see if it produces well next year.
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I tried a couple of his varieties many years ago and found them too astringent to be useful, even cooked. Of course, I’m in NY, a long ways from Tennessee. They didn’t become invasive on my land.
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I’ve got 2 named varieties and one random seedling. The named varieties don’t seem to fruit well for me and the seedling bears some years and not others (this year being fruitless)…
I’ve had 0 seedlings from any of these 3 plants in my yard. Mulberries, those I get seedlings by the dozen each year, but none of these…
Goumis fruit more heavily and more reliably for me.
Scott
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Once in awhile i have to control the autumn berry on my property they start killing the trees or vines they are supposed to be nursing along. Love that they are nitrogen fixers. Look how rich they make that soil! This is an example of a row im fighting them over. They are not as bad as mulberry or elm or cedar but they are fast growing.
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They are classified as an invasive species in several states.
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I hate them with a passion. If a tree falls down, AO proliferates into an impenetrable thicket choking everything out. The thorns arent fun to deal with either. If fields arent cut, they pop up everywhere. The only good news is the wood is brittle and roots shallow (but grows quick). If it was one here or there it wouldnt be bad but it can become a monoculture quick! With reclaimed strip mines taken over by AO, they at times take two bulldozers with a huge chain attached to clear the AO. Those that survive have to be chemically treated. Unfortunately, they’re here to stay.
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Tried them once. They werent tasty to me. To be fair, even if they were, it wouldnt change my opinion on them. They present a big problem for biodiversity. Im not saying others shouldnt grow them. They’re here to stay.
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For anyone struggling with too much autumn olive, consider sheep. I planted one years ago and every year my sheep manage to un-cage it and eat off all the leaves and young branches. I’m sure sheep could be used along with a chainsaw to help manage areas with to much of this species.
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The astringency fails to please most palates. It doesn’t disappear when you cook them and I found them worthless even for preserves. I was growing selected varieties too. On my property they were not invasive although plants do show up occasionally, but they don’t seem capable of domination here. Probably a problem in deficient soil where the ability to colonize N is helpful. In decent soil it’s probably a waste of energy.
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I’m disappointed by AO. I have a (supposedly productive variety) red with a yellow, with a goumi within 35 feet of both of them and my yellow (in its 6th year) and the red (in its 5th) barely produce a half pound between them.
I also have a golden silverberry (the variegated one) in my front yard, perhaps 60 feet away, but on the other side of the house.
Yellow is in higher pH and organic matter, but 50% shaded area. Red is in full sun, but shaded to the south by a Kukoso mulberry (20 ft trunk to trunk with no overhang)
I see AO 35 miles to the west, on the side of the highway and am amazed by their productiveness.
Scott
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Mine seem prolific and delicious Planning on a big autumn olive harvest . Did see a couple of other planting in lawrence that were delicious just like mine. Neither location had seedlings growing anywhere. My problem is on my property they are not well behaved 20 feet is a little one here. They do spread from the base growing in a big tight clump. When they get in the way they need chainsaw pruned. As i mentioned mine were bought by accident lawyer nursery sent them to me as goumi. Guess how i found out i didn’t have goumi? Goumi fruit
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Too astringent for me. Made a batch of jelly and gave it all away. Tasted like chalk to me. Goumi - mrtexascitrus
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I’ve sampled a group of wild ones and was surprised at the variability of taste, size and quantity of fruit. Some were definitely spitters but other’s were ok. I grafted on I liked and I hope to get some fruit on it this year.
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This suggests to me that the problem with AO is in the mouth of the beholder and that some folks don’t sense the astringency in the same way some folks don’t sense the slight bitterness of Paw Paws. Those are the people who go ga-ga for PP’s. I’m envious.
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My personal experience here… Chewing up the seed with the fruit brings balance to the flavor. I’m always surprised at how many people try to just eat the fruit without chewing the seed. Yes, I know there’s a lot of fiber around the seed, but unless you try to eat too many too quickly it generally isn’t an issue.
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