I am going to purchase 1 or 2 fruit trees from a local guy that I found on Craigslist, but I want to know what I should buy. What is or which ones are the best bang for my buck? I live in easter North Carolina or 8b, but maybe want them to be hardy up to 6a-b. Preferences are probably loquat, pomegranate, or Meyer lemon. Thank you.
Pomegranate Trees (Russian Giant) $25 ea
Fig (Yellow long neck) $20 ea
Blackberry (Thornless large Berry’s) $15 ea
Muscadine (Black) $10 ea
Weeping Mulberry Tree (Purple Berry) $20 ea
Mulberry Tree (Purple Berry) $20 ea
Loquat (Yellow-Orange Fruit) $20 ea
Meyer Lemon Citrus $20 ea
Kumquat citrus $15 ea
Grapefruit Indian River $15 ea
Neither loquat nor kumquat will be anywhere near hardy to z6. Also, and I’m sorry if you already know this but figure it’s worth mentioning: despite the similar sounding names, they are entirely unrelated fruits (one is a distant relative of pears/apples and the other is a citrus).
Also, it’s very suspicious that person isn’t giving a cultivar name for either of them. They probably aren’t grafted. That’s pretty expensive for seedling trees of unknown quality that may take many years to fruit.
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Thank you for sharing that information. I
knew about the differences between loquat and kumquat, but thank you as well for the considerations around cultivar names and grafting. How would you regard the other ones?
Loquat!!!
I lived in 10b and had loquat and it was the best! I’ve heard of people growing them successfully in zone 8.
If you want something hardy to 6 you’re not going to be looking at citrus. And pomegranate is hard to grow.
I’d try mulberry if you want a tree and blackberry if you want something that will fruit quickly. But if you are in zone 8b and are willing to wait for it- loquat!
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It totally depends on your taste. What you listed are very different fruits, can’t compare apples and oranges. I would select the ones you will eat . The fruit you have tasted and liked it.
I have been Wilmington for many times, and the beach. It is in warm climate
You should be able to grow all listed trees there and get fruits most of the years. Not sure of the citrus, figs, blackberry, mulberry are easy to grow. Muscadine, you should plan growing two,male and female, otherwise you don’t have a lot of choices
I agree, loquat is the right choice for 8b! I got distracted by the rest and didn’t answer the question.
If it’s an ungrafted seedling, you can buy cheap scionwood from Fruitwood Nursery or a forum member and graft it with a known good variety that will fruit sooner.
You can get self fertile muscadine vines. Would be a waste of space to plant a male, I actually think muscadine is best bang for buck they will produce loads of excellent tasting fruit.
Sure, but you missed my point. I didn’t say you have to plant two, I said the selections will be limited
You said you should plan on growing two, male and female. Nurseries don’t even sell males, just self fertile and female.