I am looking to make a list of the current ideal edible landscape specimen trees, another type of “the best of the best” for each type of fruit that we grow. I’m not necessarily saying “Daisies are pretty, plant daisies!”. I’m more looking along the lines of “This peach tree makes “edible” fruit but it has beautiful flowers and you don’t need to spray it 5 times a year to get fruit.”
Or “This specific cherry should make fruit “more edible” and better than wild cherries but it’s blooms are beautiful” and you don’t need to spray it. Both of these examples may be hypothetical, but I don’t know and that’s part of the reason why I’m making this thread.
Some preferences would include:
-using no spray (or very low spray if absolutely necessary) to have a good crop.
-ornamental flowers, bark, foliage (including variagation or other unique features)
-unique or unusual growth habits such as contorted or dwarf or weeping which make the tree desirable for landscaping
Also-for fruits that are generally already “no spray”, what are the best varieties from an ornamental perspective?
Flavor is a good metric to include where multiple choices exist, however not the primary driver for this landscaping focused thread.
If this thread garners enough interest, I would be willing to put together a shared spreadsheet which includes a range of zones each option can grow in (another important metric to include if applicable). Marginal zone listings for zone pushers should be noted if applicable and known, either for cold hardiness or pushing with heat tolerance.
I’ll start.
Pawpaw Asimina triloba (z4? z5-z8 z9-10?) www.growing-pawpaw.webnode.com for reference
Flowers - Regulus is supposed to be unmatched, rarely making vegetative buds. Weeping form possible from heavy fruit set.
Foliage - NC-1 is supposed to have the best landscape appeal due to its large dark green leaves and usual growth habit. There are also a few variegated varieties floating around for areas of the yard in the shade.
Mulberry www.growingmulberry.org for reference
Morus alba (z4? z5-z7 z8+?)
Girardi- only true dwarf mulberry currently available
Weeping- trainable to a very nice weeping landscape tree at any height, 1 meter up as tall as you are willing to work on it
Morus macrura (z7+?)
Pakistan - Semi dwarf form easily maintained to ~5 meters
Jujube (z5? z6-z8 z9+?)
Contorted, also known as “SO” - ornamental contorted, slow growing and thus easy to maintain the size of this variety. Even leafless it is attractive in the winter
“Flying Dragon” hardy trifoliate orange
Hybrid Persimmon Diospyrus virginiana x kaki (z5-z8+?) Persimmon Varieties for general reference (needs work, PLEASE add your knowledge to this and make it better!)
JBT-06 heavy fruit set, dwarf/semi dwarf size tree. Weeping from the heavy fruit set.
Asian Persimmon Diospyrus kaki (z6? z7+?)
Most are 5 meters or less, with large fruit and little spray or maintenance needed
for z6, I have seen Inchon mentioned more than once along with Miss Kim. Z5 would REALLY be pushing it.
Cornelian Cherry Cornus mas
Pioneer (red fruit) is supposed to be good, others have yellow fruit if you want something different.
American Highbush Cranberry Viburnum trilobum (z3-z8?)
Phillips
Strawberry bush (z7+)
Mahonia reptans (z7+)
Northern highbush blueberry Vaccinium corymbosum (z3? z4-z7)
Many options
Southern highbush blueberry Vaccinium corymbosum x (z6? z7-z8+?)
Many options
Rabbiteye blueberry (z6? z7
Many options
NJ Tea Ceanothus americanus
Contorted quince
Figs Ficus carica (z6? z7+)
Hundreds, probably thousands of options. Many threads available here.
No Spray Apple List please make suggestions for red leaved disease tolerant varieties, pretty flowers, etc
Similarly for other “normal” fruits, I need help selecting the “best of the best” for landscaping focus + still edible. Also, importantly, the links to nurseries I shared don’t necessarily reflect the “best” place to buy that particular plant, but they DO give a reasonable description at the time of writing. Do your research on sourcing once you figure out what you want.
