The fruit is very sweet, just super thin. But the nuts aren’t terrible either.
You can supposedly graft chokecherry onto black cherry and will supposedly give a much larger tree than just chokecherry on its own roots. Chokecherry fruit is superior to black cherry fruit in every aspect (pulp to pit, less tannic, sweetness). They allso have som select chokecherry varieties too.
I guess the best way is to grind it all up together to make hackberry milk, nutty and sweet! (I’ve been told)
I wish hackberries produced more, they are extremely light producing trees here. The southern version of hackberry called sugarberry evidently has much larger fruit.
How about a nut tree? They grow to varying sizes, and while walnuts have juglone, there are many that don’t. Some nut trees can get to over 100’ while others only get to about 15’ like hazels. I just planted some heartnuts last year (I already have hazels) because they don’t get huge, maybe 30’ or so. They fruit late and drop their fruit for easy harvesting and are beautiful the rest of the year. They also would be a good protein source and they keep well without having to be processed, frozen, etc.
Where in 6b are you? I like the ideas above about nut trees and persimmons but I feel like those are kind of mid-atlantic/middle states/southeast sorts of suggestions.
I have wild black cherry growing all along the edges of my fields and roadways… and persmmons…
These are wild black cherry blossoms… very pretty.
The fruit is small… about half pit… has a dark rich tart flavor… not much sweetness at all.
I like to snack on them… but not anywhere near my fav fruits.
Presimmon, Mulberry, Goumi, pear… you might consider.
I’m the one who suggested nuts and I live in zone 4-5 Vermont. They are extremely hardy and have a very wide range in which they’ll grow. Of course, you’ll want to read about varieties and hardiness. For example, I can’t grow pistachios, and almonds are iffy, but the Green Mountains are filled with walnuts and beech etc. many are native to the northeast. Also American persimmons are native to the NE. I can’t grow Asian varieties, but I have six American persimmons that are thriving. Trees are expensive enough that I did copious research and triangulated the information with many sources before choosing the varieties I did. Anyone would be wise to do that.
Some very nice apple crabs that are pretty native.
Great for human consumption, pollinator havens… could also feed chickens etc with spoils.
Storage, canning, freezing, baking etc
I live in 8b. I have black cherry all over my woods. They get tall, but not too big around. The fruits are great for wildlife. Nut trees grow well here and I have pecan and hazelnut. Both good choices.
Not necessarily an edible, but tulip poplars would benefit the pollinators if you have a lot of other fruit trees on the property.
