I’m a few years into this project collaborating with a some other fruit explorers and preservationists here in Maine. We revisited some amazing specimens to do some light pruning and scion collection. Already got fruit samples from these and going to submit
leaf samples this summer for DNA analysis which will hopefully nail down identification
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wow! how old you figure those trees are? how was the fruit?
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100+ years old… fruit was excellent
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Would you have some scionwood for that pear available for purchase or trade? I am happy to pay for scions plus shipping and handling costs. I am in Zone 3 or 4 Montana, looking for cold-hardy apple and pear varieties.
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i would be interested in some as well Jesse.
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That’s great! Big trees!
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Any updates on these trees? How are they doing?
I have collected scionwood from one that’s near me, tentatively IDed as ‘Sheldon’. It got pruned a couple years ago so there was plenty of good material. Grafts I made at my place last spring took, grew nicely and then some got damaged by porcupines- they were brutal to my pear trees last season- but still most survived and will hopefully make some vigorous growth since I topworked bearing age trees…maybe some fruit in the not too distant future!
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Hope you own a .22 for the porcupines. I killled 26 one year.
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