I recently received a large potted Che tree from a friend who is downsizing in the fruit tree department. It has lots of young fruit on it now.
Is it worth growing? I’ve lots of similar stuff, like mulberries which I like. When does it ripen for you? Does it need a lot of heat units? We are heat challenged in the Puget Sound region of Western Washington.
I didnt see any recent threads - hence this new topic.
I think it’s a great idea to focus on fruit like you are. Everytime che comes up I’m never totally happy with our knowledge base. The more that is out there the better it is.
I have no thorns at all on this tree. I imagine it will also be seedless since there is no other Che tree for miles.
I’ve got a couple of them that haven’t fruited yet. If you have the space I’d plant it. Nothing wrong with having something uncommon even if it’s not your favorite. You can always cut it out later if you hate the fruit.
I have long hot season here in southern middle TN.
I have a California Dreaming seedless CHE… that is also thornless. Got it from Cliff at EO in 2020.
Mine fruited some in year 3.. and year 4 and forward has produced well. Loaded this year.
My first Pic of ripe fruit last year was Sept 27.. and last was Nov 5.
It has a rich ripe watermelon flavor with some raspberry flavor in there too. My son taste vanilla.. but I don’t.
It is not a watery type flavor.. but more of a syrup type flavor like a fig.
They are sort of like figs when it comes to ripening…. Pick it a little too early and way less flavor. You have to wait for them to soften.. when you squeeze them a little with your fingers and that red juice squirts out.. they are ready.
TNHunter
When do they ripen for you? Before or after main crop figs?
@ramv .. late Sept to early Nov… here.
TNHunter
@ramv .. I have been to Englands Orchard tour the last 2 years and he has several varieties of CHE ripening mid October.
TNHunter
They interest me but my climate doesn’t work for them.
Yes, I think female fruit
I have had a seedless Che tree on Osage orange rootstock for about 10 to 12 years in St. Louis Missouri. It produces an insane amount of fruit every year. I have made jams, frozen them for smoothies, etc. I grow a ton of different bush fruits and tree fruits on 55 acres. This is one of the most uninteresting fruits for me. It has a subtle watermelon-ish flavor but lacks any acidity to balance it out. It’s not that it’s even that sweet. Just kind of boring. But, it’s never been bothered by pests or disease, and it produces a lot of fruit.
@ramv @armyofda12mnkeys your fruit is still in that “stringy” phase.
Mine are quite a bit past that to the phase where they start looking more like the final fruits.
I may have a month or more earlier spring than you do.
This is what mine look like today 6/27/2026.
TNHunter
I’ve never eaten the fruit.
I hope it’s good. My tree originally came from edible landscaping. Their tree is reputed to have good tasting fruit.
@TNHunter I was also at that tour last year. I would have said ‘hello’ had I known you were there.
@ramv and @growgathercookeat may I add this from my own experience. On that tour, Che were in peak season. I was able to taste every cultivar that the England family grows. Much like figs, there was a big difference between cultivars. Most of them were quite bland, really. The exception would be CA Dreaming and Norris. Both were very sweet. I planted Norris in the ground last fall and fully intend to plant 2 CA Dreaming in the ground this fall. With all of that being said, I suspect that Ram’s growing seasom may be too short for this fruit, but it’s borderline, so hard to say. Time will certainly tell. I really hope that it ripens for you and that it is a good one.
Glad to hear that. Those are two of the three varieties I have. The other being the EL variety. This saves me the time of experimenting with any of the other varieties. Which did you like more between the Norris and CD?
I would rank them in this order, with #1 as best:
3.) Edible Landscape
2.) Norris
1.) California Dreaming
Of course this is my own personal preference. Everyone’s palette is different. I will say that there were 3 of us on the tour and we all 3 felt that CA Dreaming was the best as far as flavor.
When do these varieties ripen relative to each other? Since I am heat challenged, earliest would be best.
I can’t say with certainty as I was on an orchard tour when tasting them. My own trees have not yet come into bearing
