Inground Che trees are leafing out in Z5.
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I should, but its likely too late to source one for this year.
Its going to be a pain to graft onto. Its very umbrella shaped and those thorns…
Scott
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I was under the impression that Che where only thorny when young. Perhaps the original root stock took over?
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I am always surprised how big a difference there is in zones and locations in the country. Here is what my Che looks like today. It is just finishing the flowering stage.
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Mark,
You only have one Che tree and very productive is that right?
If anyone is looking for a source of Che in central Europe, here are two nurseries that offer the plant. They also have interesting descriptions of the varieties which I’ve translated.
Horticulture Limbach, a Slovakian nursery, sells several varieties and a male pollinator, all grafted on Maclura.
http://www.shop.zahradnictvolimbach.sk/en/Rare-Fruit-Trees-For-Sale/che-chinese-mulberry
The Che is native to many parts of eastern Asia from the Shandong Province of China to the Nepalese sub-Himalayas. It requires minimal care and has a tolerance of drought and poor soils similar to that of the related mulberry. Young wood is thorny but looses its thorns as it matures. The fruit is not a berry but a collective fruit, in appearance somewhat like a round mulberry crossed with a lychee. The ripe fruits are an attractive red or maroon-red color with a juicy, rich red flesh inside. The stem does not bleed white sap when the fruit is picked fully ripe. Fruit ripens on the tree individually, not all at once, and does not ripen further once picked. It is important that the fruits be thoroughly ripe to be at their best. Che requires a full sun location and will grow in a range of soil types. Deep, well drained loam is the best. Medium, regular yields. If a pollinator is nearby, yield is higher. The tree begins to bear at an early age. It tends to drop ripening fruit when very young but gets better at retention with age. No pests or diseases have been noted.
Seedless:
- Growth: fast growing, spreading bush or small tree
- Flowers: Can bear fruits without pollination, doesn’t need a pollinator with male flowers
- Ripeness: the fruits ripen in November
- Taste: when fully soft, ripe fruits develop a watermelon-like flavor. The sugar content is similar to that of a ripe fig.
- Hardiness: zones 5-9
Norris:
This cultivar was discovered by nurseryman Cliff England on the site of the TVA’s Norris Dam in northern Tennessee.
- Growth: fast growing
- Flowers: Can bear fruits without pollination, doesn’t need a pollinator with male flowers
- Picking season: the fruits ripen in August
- Taste: when fully soft ripe fruits develop a watermelon-like flavor.
- Hardiness: zones 5-9
Darrow:
Early ripening sedless variety, the tree is only moderately growing compared to other strongly growing cultivars.
- Breeder: Dr. George M. Darrow
- Growth: moderately growing, compared to other strongly growing cultivars
- Flowers: Female flowers of variety Darrow need a pollinator with male flowers. If pollinator is nearby yield is higher.
- Picking season: the fruits ripen in August
- Taste: when fully soft, ripe fruits develop a cantaloupe to papaya flavor.
- Hardiness: zones 5-10
The German nursery Hortensis also offers two varieties on their own roots:
http://www.hortensis.de/pflanzen/suchergebnis.html?suche=cudrania
Seedless Che:
- Bush or small tree
- Parthenocarpic seedless fruit
- Discovered in Greenwood/Virginia/USA
- Hardy below -20°C
- Taste of fruit reminds one of sweet watermelon
- Propagated by cuttings, on its own roots
- Trouble-free, bears at an early age. Related to fig and mulberry
- Around 3 meters
- Preferably pickup by customer, 1 litre pot, price upon request, available in August
Norris:
- Parthenocarpic seedless fruit
- Superior to ‘Seedless Che’ in all aspects; more vigorous, faster development, bigger fruit (up to 5 cm in diameter), fruit ripens earlier (late September, early October)
- Has supposedly withstood -27°C in Turkey on its own roots with no damage
- Propagated by cuttings, on its own roots. The common Maclura rootstock dies at around -20°C. This variety is the only one that grows as fast on its own roots as it does when grafted
- Around 4 meters
- Preferably pickup by customer, 1 litre pot, available in August
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I have one tree from E.L. It has always been productive, I think it started producing after its 2nd year.
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how big was it when it went in the ground?
About 1’ tall, I think I planted it in either 2015 or 2016.
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I can show the graft, its clearly a Che (by leaves).
ok, what grafts work best for this? Anyone ever t-bud this? Anyone have a male Che?
Scott
@ Chills. My trees are also the seedless/thornless che from EL . Reports about fruiting without a male are very contradictory…I conclude that it all depends on summer heat and duration of vegetative period. In a continental climate summers usually are very hot and this is what che needs.When summer heat lacks, the fruit will ripen much slower. In the case of “seedless” che the fruit will grow to half the size it should and then drop because the season is at and end… I noticed that the pollinated fruit on the same tree ripens much faster and so it ripens in a normal summer…followed by warm autumn. Still, che is a late ripening fruit, it ripens along with persimmon in my orchard! I added some pictures of seedless/thornless from EL. The branch which is sticking out on the lower right is the male branch that was grafted onto it. I find the taste is just like marshmellow. The fruit will also hold on to the tree for a long time and it even stands quite some frost.IMG_20181204_103852|690x517
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your first picture didnt upload correctly.
What I find strange is my notes tell me that the fruit generally drops late August - early Sept when temperatures are still quite how here.
looks wonderful. I love that the fruit hangs for you after the leaves.
Scott
- it is not me who defines the meaning of “invasive”:
any species, including its seeds, eggs, spores, or other biological material capable of propagating that species, that is not native to that ecosystem; and whose introduction does or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health.
Supposedly, osage orange originates somewhere in the Oklahoma/Texas border area and was spread by pioneers as a natural cattle fence. Invasive is an interesting term–I was reading an article about how Pablo Escobar kept some hippos as pets. Those pets have escaped into the wild of Colombia and are actually filling an ecological role that was held by a large pre-ice age mammal.
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Ok, I have seeds of osage-orange, I can graft on 20 seedlings in a hope that some are males 
and when I’ll know it? In ten years.
Osage Orange is native to central and northern Kentucky.also
Poison Ivy is native. Listed as invasive because it can harm human health.
Dawn Redwood is not listed as invasive. Well, who knows, it may existed here 65 millions years ago and it is “native”.
Anyone know if Che tend to get infected by SWD? If they fruit late summer then that’s during peak SWD season.
Hi, c5tiger,
I got one from EL last year as well. It is really small like 1ft. I think same as yours. How fast does it grow? How tall is yours now after 5years? Thanks!
nova