Edible landscape

[Karen Bovio 3]

I am interested in growing filbers and/or hazlenuts (Corylus), and Serviceberry (Amelanchier) in southeast/central Michigan. Possibly Hardy Kiwi as well.

 

I know that Filberts (Corylus avellana) may not be totally hardy here, and see that hybrids of Corylus avellana and the native Corylus americana have been developed, and are prehaps better suited to the Midwest compared to the commercial Filberts commonly grown on the West Coast. Does anyone have experience with these? I am looking for a hazlenut or hazelbert that grows as a shrub, not a tree.

 

Anyone have experience in choosing an Amelanchier for its fruit rather than ornamental qualities? Again, I want a shrub-like form, and not tree form. I see that St. Lawrence Nurseries in Potsdam N.Y. (zone 3) offers many varieties. Some are A. canadensis and others are A. alnifolia. Can anyone shed any light on which are preferable for fruit and the shrub-like habit I am looking for?

 

Has anyone grown the Hardy Kiwis and actually gotten a lot of fruit from them? I know the variety 'Arctic Beauty' is widely available and a gorgeous variegated vine, but I am more interested in fruit production.

[Janet Macunovich 32]

We have emailed Bill Nash at Nash Orchards in Owosso (center of the Michigan mitten) to see if he has input and might post it here. Wonderful nut crops there. (Update: Bill's trying to reply.. anyone else having problems connecting?)

 

Or, wonder if Ken Asmus at Oikos Tree Crops has your serviceberry? Saskatoon serviceberry fruits even if small, and is more shrubby than tree-ish... Will email him too.

[gonative 1]

I have the C. americana, the species as opposed to cultivar, and am still waiting patiently for it to produce nuts. Granted, it started out as a very small specimen (maybe a two stick stand of 2 feet at most) and more dead then alive. My old boss used to sell native shrubs and this one was a throw away. That's how I acquired some of my native specimens, as stuff we couldn't sell to a client because of damage or tiny size.

 

It has been in good quality soil in light shade and heavily mulched with Silver Maple leaves for about 7 years but only in the last r two seasons has it really put on tremendous growth including the suckering that it is known for. It has a beautiful leaf and a lovely fall color. Now I just have to wait for it to fruit! I am also patiently waiting for my Clove Currant to fruit as well.

[kasmus-oikostreecrops 2]

There are two native species of hazels that grow really well here that fruit good under cultivation. In full sun the American hazel is very productive and produces thick shelled small nuts encased in a husk. The beaked hazel is not as productive under cultivation at least in southern Michigan but the nuts are easier to crack. It is just that the nuts are deeply wrapped in a long husk hard to get out. Corylus avellana is completely hardy here but it suffers from a disease that destroys the plants completely within 2-3 years. The same disease on the American hazels has little or no effect. Corylus avellana is found all the way into zone 2 in Europe. The hybrids are many. These usually have much larger nuts are much easier to fruit and use for eating. There are seedling types and newer types from Oregon that are immune to that disease. You will see them listed Gamma, Theta and Jefferson are a few. For me I have enjoyed growing the many seedlings of these crosses and they make a nice hedgerow.

 

On serviceberries-suprisingly there are many good ones in Michigan that can be found. We seem to have an infinite variety here. Of the named varieties, Success, Regent, and Kurath have been the most productive here. They are the smaller shrub types and produce in 2-4 years from seed. The majority of the saskatoon types are not as easy to produce as the yields fluctuate year to year. Part of this is the disease and insect problem they have. I think if I were to raise these for eating I would try a neem spray 3 times after petal fall up to harvest. This seems to prevent black spot on the fruit and lowers the bug population including those stinky stink bugs. (Nature seems to have a sense of humor, if you accidently bite into one of these along with a handful of saskatoons.) Everywhere I went on vacation in Michigan, I would collect Amelanchier and then made plantings of them at my farm. Most of the time those trees were very clean with few problems. But growing them in groups at my farm, it did not turn out that way every year. You really need to do some light protective spraying to really get the fruit to come out clean although some years it does not seem to matter and you will have a lot of fruit in a small area. I like to make sauce out of them.

[Karen Bovio 3]

Thanks for the advice on the different types of hazels and Juneberries! It's also been fun exploring the Oikos Tree Crops website!

I am learning a lot!

[seroubal@hotmail.com 0]

I have been practicing "edible landscaping" in our yard for several years now, and I include food for us and for the critters--just depends which side of the fence you're on!  I live in Marquette with a zone that was just recently upped to 5, but I have a feeling this COLD winter will bring the reality of zone 4 back to most of us. 

 

I have about seven seedlings of hazelnut shrubs potted up going into their second year.  I got the slips through the Arbor Day Foundation(arborday.org); they have a hazelnut project ongoing, offering very inexpensive American Hazelnut (Corylus americana) seedlings.  Mine were tiny- barely 1 to 1 1/2 feet tall, but they are very attractive and are bushing out.  No nuts yet, of course.  This summer I will plant them in their permanent sites (inside the fence!).

 

Asparagus put in four years ago should yield well this spring and also  is quite attractive.  Raspberries round out the fenceline, with several rows of thornless blackberries, which yield berries,but not nearly as heavily as when we lived downstate in Grosse Pointe Park!  Those two bushes I started with in GPP have become full heavy bearing patches in three other yards and in our new home here in the UP!  The strawberries are moving to a new home along a side garden with a S and W exposure.

 

I still love my perennials and flowers, but I love the idea of the landscape being useful as a food!

[Margaret Thele 16]

I grow Amelanchier stolonifera (I think I got it from  http://www.forestfarm.com ) and it only grows 4-6' high and forms a thicket - great for birds but a nice height for picking too - Have great crops every year.

[jkudywoods 0]

Great Information.