Edible Landscaping is advertising a white bush cherry that is supposed to be the sweetest. Anyone tried these? Are bush cherries even worth growing? Do they taste like cherry? And the 60 thousand dollar question, do they get brown rot?
Side question- Are Edible Landscapings pawpaw at least more than a foot or twigs?
I’ve had some Nanking Cherries that were pink, not red. They had an excellent cherry flavor and were preferred over the red ones by all who tried them. Their flesh to pit ratio was small, like all Nankings.
Despite their reputation as a no trouble fruit, I’ve had several problems with Nankings. Cherry leaf spot disease, some fungal or bacterial root disease which kills the whole bush (probably Verticillium Wilt) and the brown rot. The brown rot has been the least of the problems.
put in 2 next to my red ones on mounds . put out about 12in. of new growth over summer. should see a few fruit this summer.
Hi Robert! I got my current pawpaws from Edible Landscaping. Alas they are the twig sized plants. However, it’s my understanding that pawpaws are very finicky when it comes to their taproot so that is why most reputable nurseries I see selling them have them in the very tall pots and a small size. EL is a cool nursery to visit.
I had never heard of the White Nanking Cherries before, but yesterday someone posted a trade list and was looking for some cuttings from one. I immediately went over and ordered all three varieties that Edible Landscaping is offering. I’m so excited about these. They look and sound so interesting!
I bought several from other people. All were about a foot or so. Most from Rolling River. I am between you and EL, but still a couple hour drive. Wanted to go as everyone describes it as a fun experience tasting and touring the orchard.
I thought that I could escape brown rot with them, but all say no. Let us know what they are hitting on.
Does anyone know of any other nursery who is selling White Nanking Cherry bushes?
I got an email from EL and apparently 2 out of the three White Nankings that I ordered are on back order until Sept. So now, not only am I getting a smaller size than I requested for the back ordered bushes, they won’t be here until (potentially) Sept. I’m not all that happy about it, but what can I do? Nothing. Anyway, I’m looking for another resource for White Nankings in case this sell fall through.
Anyone?
Why white over red nanking?
Two reasons jump to mind for me.
novelty
birds (and other critters) are alerted to ripening by color (among other things). I only grow white fruited alpine strawberries because whenever I’ve tried to grow traditionally red strawberries I can’t beat the birds to the fruit. With the white ones I get most of the fruit.
Scott
Most sources I can find indicate that the white is sweeter than the red.
Somehow it seems like to some the vein of ‘edible landscaping’ is a pretty bush with substandard fruit. I don’t get it. There are tons of outstanding berry bushes that are quite handsome on their own right and can provide you with superb berries. I mean I would not try to make a pretty bush out of raspberries (sprawling bastards… so yummy though), gooseberries (brambly as they come) or any of a number of suckering bushes (saskatoons, although I like it when mine suckers), but a nice haskap bush? A romance bush cherry kept as a bush or small tree? Jostaberries or upright form currants? They are pretty and with outstanding fruit.
But if you get the nanking you can always use it as rootstock for plum, for a very dwarf plum tree.
I like to collect rare plants in addition to the plants that you listed @don1357 . I also like to make rare jams (that I sell). I have plans for these white nankings. 
Don’t get me wrong, as it just happen this year I picked two nanking bushes myself 
Why stop with the red and white? There is also an elusive black Nanking cherry out there. There’s a separate thread about it. Doesn’t seem that any nursery sells it though.
Man if only someone would put together some sort of joint order from hartmann to lower the costs.
Has anyone seen Gabe anywhere??? I have both Ian and Jules shipping to me any day now.
I was at Edible landscaping today for their spring fruit ‘festival’. They have a lot of Gabe on hand right now in multiple sizes. and it was fruiting season for Nanking, so I think I sampled at least six different bushes, all of which made my tummy happy. Lots of other ripe cherries to try as well.
It was a perfect day for a visit, and they had lots of stock. If you are in the area, it’ll still be a 20% discount on purchases on most things. There are a few items that are already marked down better than that.
I’m not sure when the next celebration type day is, probably in the fall for those fruits, but everyone giving tours and presenting topics that I attended brought their A-game today. And of course we threw questions at them that were not related and they gave good answers for those too.