All Zone 3 (or Hardier) Plants

Species: Prunus americana

History: American plums are native from Saskatchewan to Quebec and down to Florida. They are a food source for many species. Indigenous peoples living in the tree's range have planted stands of them. The Cheyenne use the branches in the Sun Dance and the Navajo use the roots to produce a red dye. American plums have also been planted as ornamental plants, windbreaks, and for erosion control.

Why We Grow It: American plums produce small, firm, red plums that are sweet and tangy. They are good for fresh eating but shine when used in jellies and preserves. These cold hardy, adaptable trees produce a profusion of lovely white blooms which are great for pollinating hybrid plum varieties. They sucker heavily and produce thick stands, making them excellent for windbreaks and erosion control.

History: Cutie Pie was developed at the University of Saskatchewan using Mongolian cherry material donated by plant breeder Les Kerr who first created the dwarf sour cherry bushes. It was selected for its compact size, good flavour, and extreme cold hardiness and released as part of the university's 100 Years of Horticulture Celebrations in 2021. 

Why We Grow It: Cutie Pie is a compact plant, even compared to the other dwarf sour cherry bushes. Only reaching about 4ft tall once mature, this is a great option for those with limited space. The small, red cherries have a more balanced sweet/tart flavour so they are great for eating fresh and using in baking or cooking! It is a reliable and productive variety.

Check our our blog post with some tasty sour cherry recipes!

Species: Crataegus chrysocarpa syn. C. rotundifolia

History: Round-Leaved Hawthorn (aka Fireberry Hawthorn) is native to much of Canada and the US. The berries are a source of food for various birds and rodents. Traditionally, the leaves, haws (berries), and flowers have been used as a heart medicine.

Why We Grow It: Round-Leaved Hawthorns are a great wildlife plant and make a lovely ornamental shrub as well. Although not great for eating fresh, the bright red haws can be used to make jam or jelly and can be made into tea along with the leaves and/or flowers. This adaptable, hardy shrub can tolerate a wide range of conditions.

History: D'Artagnan was developed by the University of Saskatchewan and shares the same parents as several varieties in the Romance series. It was bred for and selected due to its suckering habit which makes it suitable to form a cold-hardy fruit-bearing hedge. D'Artagnan is the fourth variety released in the Musketeer series and was named for the fourth musketeer in The Three Musketeers. It was released in 2021 as part of the university's 100 Years of Horticulture Celebrations. 

Why We Grow It: D'Artagnan produces dark red cherries similar in flavour to Juliet. Like Juliet, it can be eaten fresh or used for cooking and baking. Its main feature, however, is its tendency to sucker heavily which makes it suitable for forming hedges. If individual d'Artagnan bushes are planted 1m apart, they will eventually fill in to form an edible hedge. For those in colder climate areas especially, this can be a unique addition to an edible landscape!

Check our our blog post with some tasty sour cherry recipes!

Species: Lonicera caerulea

History: Chito was created by Dr. Maxine Thompson who collected open-pollinated seeds from berry farms in Hokkaido, Japan in 2000. The seeds were planted in Oregon and evaluated. Chito was selected in 2014 for its open growth habit, vigour, yield, and fruit quality. 

Why We Grow It: Chito produces a large, sweet/tart, ovate berry with a milder flavour than other haskaps. Like other haskaps they are good for fresh eating, baking, and making jam/jelly. This vigorous shrub has a more open growth habit than other varieties, making the fruit easier to see and harvest. 

History: Valentine was developed at the University of Saskatchewan and released in 2002 as part of the Romance series. Valentine stands out amongst the Romance series as having the reddest fruit and the highest vigour. 

Why We Grow It: Valentine produces tart bright red cherries that are great for drying due to their colour. They are also excellent for baking, especially if you love cherry pie! If you prefer a sour flavour, pick the cherries as soon as they turn red on the bush. Otherwise, wait a week or so until the colour deepens and they will be a bit sweeter. Valentine gets taller than some of the other dwarf sour cherry bushes but has higher overall yields as a result. 

Check our our blog post with some tasty sour cherry recipes!

History: Big Red was developed by Bob Bors at the University of Saskatchewan. It was one of several varieties an American company further evaluated in the US and selected as the best amongst them. Chosen for its notable cold hardiness, large size, and unique shape along with its good flavour, Big Red is sold under the name Wowza! in the US. The variety is still considered experimental since the original tree was accidentally destroyed prematurely.

Why We Grow It: Along with having good flavour, Big Red is most notable for its large size: the fruit can be twice as big as other dwarf sour cherries! The fruit is also uniquely elongated with a lobed end, giving it an appearance akin to Red Delicious apples. In trials at the University of Saskatchewan, the variety suffered no winterkill so it appears to be extremely cold hardy even in comparison to other dwarf sour cherries. The only downside to this variety is that it has lower yields than other varieties, perhaps as a tradeoff for its other traits.

Check our our blog post with some tasty sour cherry recipes!

Species: Lonicera caerulea

History: Kawai was created by Dr. Maxine Thompson who collected open-pollinated seeds from berry farms in Hokkaido, Japan in 2000. The seeds were planted in Oregon and evaluated. Kawai was selected for its fruit quality, high yields, and high vigour.

Why We Grow It: Kawai produces medium, blocky berries with an excellent, mild flavour. Like other haskaps, the fruit is well suited for fresh eating, baking, and making jelly/jam among many other uses. The cold hardy bush itself is quite vigorous and has high yields.

Species: Prunus pumila var. besseyi (Western sandcherry) x P. salicina (Japanese Plum)

History: Opata was developed by Dr. N.E. Hansen who was a professor of horticulture at South Dakota State University from 1895 to 1950. He helped pioneer chum development in an effort to create plants hardy enough to survive in the northern prairies. Opata is the Sioux word for 'bouquet', following Hansen's tradition of naming his native plant crosses after words from local indigenous cultures.  

Why We Grow It: Opata produces a red chum with yellow flesh that is freestone, firm, juicy, and considered to be one of the better tasting chums. It is pleasantly sweet with only a hint of acidity. It is good for fresh eating as well as jams, jellies, preserves, and pies. Like other chums, the shrub itself is compact, cold hardy, and relatively free of pests and disease.

History: Goodland was developed at the Morden Research Station in Manitoba as part of an effort to breed cold hardy apples for the prairies. It is a seedling of Patten Greening that was selected in 1925 and the variety was introduced commercially in 1955.

Why We Grow It: The cold hardy Goodland produces a medium to large yellow apple with red striping. This crisp, juicy apple has sweet/tart flavour that is great for fresh eating, cooking, and sauce. Unlike most early ripening varieties, Goodland will store well for several months. 

Note: Our Evans sour cherries are grown from cuttings so they will be smaller and bushier than the grafted and seedling sour cherries we offer. Please see 'Size at Purchase' below for more details!

History: Evans (aka Bali) was originally grown by a Mrs. Borward living near Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta. This was quite notable since, at the time, it was believed that it was impossible to grow any cherry trees in the prairies! She had been growing the cherries since the early 1920s and the cold hardy tree was eventually brought to the attention of horticulturalist Dr. Ieuan Evans by a friend. In 1976, her garden was slated for destruction due to the pending construction of a federal prison so she invited Dr. Evans to take suckers to propagate the tree. He gave the suckers out to a wide circle of friends and acquaintances who were all impressed and the variety was dubbed 'Evans' in his honour by another Alberta Agriculture horticulturalist. Dr. Evans tried to bring the variety to the attention of local nurseries who turned it down, refusing to believe cherries would grow in the cold prairie climate. Eventually, it was picked up by nurseries and Evans became the number one selling cherry tree in North America.

Why We Grow It: Evans produces bright red cherries that are excellent for pies, jellies, jams, and juice. This naturally dwarfing variety only reaches about 12-14ft tall compared to to a full-size tree which can reach up to 25ft. Evans tends to grow as more of a bush but can be pruned to maintain a tree form. It produces a profusion of white blooms in the spring which makes it quite attractive as an ornamental plant as well.

Check our our blog post with some tasty sour cherry recipes!

Species: Lonicera caerulea

History: Tundra was developed at the University of Saskatchewan and released in 2010. It was selected for its large size, good flavour, and, perhaps most importantly, its firmness. The large, firm berries made the variety well-suited for commercial growing and harvesting. 

Why We Grow It: Tundra produces large, elongated berries with a sweet and tangy flavour. The berries are firmer than other varieties which makes them a great option for mechanical harvesting in larger scale operations. Despite the firmness, they still have a pleasant texture and are great for all the usual haskap uses such as fresh eating, baking, or preserving. 

Species: Vitis sp. (hybrid)

History: Frontenac was bred by renowned cold hardy grape breeder Elmer Swenson at the University of Minnesota. It was released in 1996 and since then has become commonly planted in Canada and northeastern America where other wine grapes will not perform as well.

Why We Grow It: Frontenac produces a blue grape that is best used for wine-making. It is suitable for rosés, dry red wines, and fortified wines such as port. It is high in both acidity and sugar, producing a balanced wine with a nice colour.

History: Rescue was developed at Agriculture and Agri-food Canada's Scott Research Station in Scott, Saskatchewan and was released in 1933. It is an open-pollinated seedling of Blushed Calville. 

Why We Grow It: Although the fruit is on the smaller side and doesn't keep well, Rescue has a good sweet-tart flavour that is good for fresh eating and is also good for cooking and preserves. This cold hardy applecrab is an excellent pollination partner for other apple trees.

History: Makamik is one of many Rosybloom crabapples developed by Isabella Preston at the Canadian Department of Agriculture Central Experimental Farm in Ottawa. She bred them with the goal of creating cold hardy, ornamental trees for harsher Canadian climates. Like the other crabapples in the series, Makamik is named after a Canadian lake. It was released in the 1920s or 1930s and remains a popular ornamental crabapple to this day.

Why We Grow It: Makamik is a very cold hardy and disease resistant crabapple valued for its ornamental appeal. Sporting pink blooms and leaves with a reddish tinge, it makes a lovely addition whether you're looking for visual appeal, a pollination partner for your other apple trees, or a food source for your local birds in the winter! 

History: Harcourt was developed by the University of Alberta and released in 1955. It was named after George Harcourt, a key player in the creation of the university's agricultural program, in honour of his legacy in shaping Albertan agriculture as a professor, civil servant, and horticulturalist. 

Why We Grow It: This cold hardy variety produces apples that are lightly waxed with prominent red striping. The fruit is crisp and juicy with a pleasant sweet-tart flavour. Harcourt apples do need to be enjoyed quickly since, like many early-ripening varieties, they do not store well. Fortunately, they are great for juice, sauce, and drying!

History: Daffodil is the common name used to refer to various species in the genus Narcissus. Native to parts of Europe and northern Africa, these flowers have been celebrated for their beauty since antiquity. They feature in many works of art and literature, have been used in traditional medicine (although parts of the plant are toxic), and are celebrated as heralds of spring. Unsurprisingly, they are an extremely popular garden plant to this day!

Why We Grow It: Add some sunshine to your orchard or garden! This beautiful mix of daffodils are a great addition to your yard or orchard & will help to deter deer, moles, voles, rabbits etc. from your trees.

Last day to add bulbs to your Fall order: Monday, October 26th

Bulbs only? They'll ship right away.

Bulbs + bareroot trees? They'll ship together over the next few weeks with your fall order.

Add some colour, biodiversity, and joy to your orchard this fall with Alliums and Daffodils from Silver Creek Nursery!

History: Papillon Blanc (translated from French as 'white butterfly') was created by plant breeder J.W.A. Lefeber in the Netherlands. It first flowered in 1940 and was introduced in 1960. Designated a classic by the American Daffodil Society, this variety remains popular for its pure white perianth and pale yellow cup.

Why We Grow It: 'White Butterflies' in your garden? Add these beautiful white Narcissus Split Cup - Papillon Blanc Daffodils and you will have added some old fashioned charm anywhere you plant them!

Bulbs are a wonderful addition to orchards and permaculture gardens. They return year after year, add diversity and beauty to your landscape, provide flowers for pollinators. The bulbs help to deter deer, pests like voles, mice and rabbits.

Species: Ribes aureum

History: Golden Currants (aka Clove Currants) are native to Canada and the central US. They are a source of nectar for many pollinators including butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds and the berries are a food source for various bird species. Indigenous peoples traditionally harvest the berries and use parts of the plant medicinally. Golden Currants are also used as landscape/ornamental plants, particularly in native plant gardens. 

Why We Grow It: Golden Currants are an excellent plant for those looking to add more native plants to their collection. This hardy and adaptable shrub produces numerous yellow blooms that smell similar to cloves (hence the other common name) and attract many pollinators including hummingbirds. Later in the summer, the small, dark berries can be harvested from the bush for use in jams, preserves, and baking or can be left to feed the birds. 

Species: Prunus sp

History: These seedlings are grown from Krikon Damson seeds collected from our orchard. Little is known about the origins of the parent variety, Krikon Damson, aside from that it's a Damson plum that originated in Sweden. 'Krikon' is the Swedish word for 'damson.'

Why We Grow It: Seedling fruit trees are a great way to add some diversity and mystery to your garden or orchard! The parent variety, Krikon Damson is very cold hardy and produces small round deep purple fruit that are good for cooking, preserving, and making jam. For a more detailed description, see the Krikon Damson page on our website here.

Please Note: Since plums tend to stay true to type more than apples, these seedlings will likely bear a strong resemblance to their parent variety. However, any specific information listed on this page should be taken with a grain of salt as there may be some variation from the parent tree.

Species: Aesculus glabra

History: Ohio Buckeye is native to Walpole Island in Ontario and some central and southern states in the United States. The Shawnee name for the tree is 'hetuck' which means 'eye of the buck' due to the nut's resemblance to a deer's eye. Indigenous peoples such as the Lenape traditionally use the nuts for medicinal uses, tanning leather, and jewellery. Ohio Buckeye is the state tree of Ohio and people from Ohio and graduates of Ohio State University are sometimes called 'buckeyes'. Unsurprisingly, the nuts have an important cultural place in Ohio. There is a candy resembling the nuts called 'buckeyes' that are popular and the nuts make numerous appearances in Calvin and Hobbes whose author is from Ohio. Its wood is too soft to be used for much and it has limited uses as a street tree since it is considered messy due to the nuts it drops.

Why We Grow It: Ohio Buckeye is an attractive ornamental tree with its large, palmate leaves and notable yellow flowers in spring. Although the tree is toxic and generally not fed on by wildlife, the large flowers are very attractive to a variety of pollinators including hummingbirds!