Can someone tell me if sorbs are worth growing (for fruit) if you already have medlar?
I want one but maybe if there is a dwarf form it would be better. I’m not sure I want a 20 metre tree in my front lawn…
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If you have to chose just one, I’d pick a service tree over one of the pasty tasting giant fruited medlars, but would chose one of the average fruit sized cultivars of medlar over the service tree.
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In eastern North America there is the mountain ash (Sorbus americana). Ive seen it grown ornamentally but have never heard of anyone doing anything with fruit. The fruit is quite small. I looked it up and apparently it is edible.
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Thank you, Johann, yes I have ‘Nottingham’ medlar already. I have not tried it yet but I hear it is one of the good ones.
I will try to find a dwarf form of S. domestica if it exists. I have a few cultivars to choose from but information about them is scant!
I want to make sorb cider!
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I’ve never heard of a genetic dwarf S. domestica selection, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a rootstock which could make a normal one smaller. However, I’ve not found any references to anyone confirming long term graft compatibility between this and any related species…
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Wasn’t Quince or Aronia dwarfing of it?
You’ve found documentation for them being used as a rootstock for S. domestica?
Maybe it can be grown in a large container for a number of years? What do you think?
There is no such thing as “dwarf” Sorbus domestica.
The only long term rootstock for Sorbus domestica is another Sorbus domestica.
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Thanks, Harbin. There is apparently a population of stunted shrubs growing wild on some cliffs in Glamorgan and Gloucestershire in the UK.
I bet those specimens don’t fruit too prolifically but I guess that growing in a pot can probably be done with mixed success. I think I will try.
They definitely will grow in containers for years. I would be surprised if they were able to mature enough to fruit if not put in the ground though.
My experience is a slow decline in a pot. So whenever I get a young plant I try to plant it in the ground as soon as possible.
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My 4-year old grafted tree about 1.5m tall produced its first fruits. They are as big as small pears. Variety is named Friss 4. This is something special as Sorbus domestica is known for being slow to fruit:
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Isn’t that fruit a little larger than normal also? I wanted one of those, but very few sell them in America.
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I think Burnt Ridge has them? I was thinking OGW did, but they only have Shipova hybrids unless I couldn’t find them.
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I got a couple seedlings this spring from Burnt Ridge. They have grown well for me and have about doubled in size since I planted them. Also have the Shipova hybrid, but it seems to grow a lot slower.
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I purchased the pear and apple form of Sorbus domestica (Cormus domestica) from One Green World several years ago. I lost the pear form possible to fireblight but the apple form is now an amazing and beautiful tree. The young spring growth has a very nice silvery color to it and the tree in bloom is impressive. The growth is very erect and tight in form. I also have grown out seedlings.
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