All Zone 4 (or Hardier) Plants

Species: Ribes x nidigrolaria, a cross between Ribes nigrum (black currants), Ribes divaracitum (black gooseberries), and Ribes uva-crispa (European gooseberries)

History: Jostaberries were created in West Germany in 1955 by Dr. Rudolph Bauer, although attempts to cross these three plants had begun as early as 1883 without success. They were eventually released to the public in 1977.

Why We Grow It: Jostaberries are a unique cross between three plants: black currants, black gooseberries, and European gooseberries. The berries taste like gooseberries at first and transition to a black currant taste as they ripen and darken. 

Species: Caragana arborescens

History: As the name implies, Siberian pea shrubs are native to Siberia but also parts of China, Mongolia, and Kazakhstan. They came to the US with Eurasian immigrants who used the pods as a source of food while traveling. It has been planted ornamentally and as bonsai, and can be used as erosion control. It is also unfortunately invasive in some parts of the US.

Why We Grow It: A classic permaculture plant! Siberian pea shrubs are nitrogen fixing, very hardy, disease and drought resistant, and, above all, edible. The flowers and young pods can be eaten fresh while the older pods are cooked. The plants are also attractive to pollinators.

Species: Vaccinium angustifolium

History: Brunswick lowbush blueberry is the second lowbush variety developed at the AAFC Kentville Research and Development Centre in Nova Scotia. It was discovered growing wild on a blueberry farm owned by Shepoddy Blueberry and Lumber Co. in New Brunswick and was selected in 1965 for further testing. Proving to be an excellent variety that grows well and is relatively disease-resistant, it was named for its province of origin and released in 1977.

Why We Grow It: Brunswick produces firm, medium-sized dark blue berries, bursting with sweet flavour. These lowbush blueberries grow into a compact bush, with glossy dark green foliage that turns a lovely red in autumn. Blueberries are great for baking, for example Steph made some wonderful black currant and blueberry tarts that are pictured here!

History: Prima is one the apples developed from the collaborative PRI disease-resistant breeding program run by Purdue University, Rutgers University, and the University of Illinois. It was introduced in 1958 but unfortunately is no longer fully scab resistant due to the fungus evolving to overcome the resistance since then.

Why We Grow It: Another great apple for organic production and excellent for the backyard or farmer’s market sales! This apple is sweet, juicy, and flavourful and boasts good disease resistance..

Species: Rubus occidentalis

History: Jewel black raspberries were bred by Cornell University in New York in an effort to create productive and vigorous black raspberry varieties. It was bred in 1954 as a cross between Bristol and Dundee black raspberries.

Why We Grow It: Black raspberries are a special treat with less tang than red raspberries, and more of that musky sweetness that black berries (mulberries, blackberries, etc.) have. Steph eats these berries by the handful - delicious! This variety produces nice clusters of sweet juicy berries. The plant itself reaches about a meter high and wide. It can spread over the years, creating a most delicious fence line if you let it!

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

History: Sapa (translated as 'black' from Lakota) was developed at the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station in the US by renowned plant breeder N. E. Hansen and released in 1908. His goal was to create plants hardy enough to grow in the harsh, northern prairies and was one of the first people to start breeding chums. Hansen had a tendency to name his native plant crosses after words from indigenous cultures of the area, choosing the Lakota word for 'black' in this case due to the dark colour of the fruit. 

Why We Grow It: This small, hardy shrub produces purplish fruit with mauve flesh that has a sweet flavour with some tartness. It is good for fresh eating along with a variety of other uses such as cooking, baking, and preserving. It is also quite productive and tends to start bearing fruit at a young age! 

History: Little is known about this particular variety aside from that it's a Damson plum that originated in Sweden. 'Krikon' is the Swedish word for 'damson.'

Why We Grow It: Although its history is a bit of a mystery, we can certainly tell you that this is the best plum variety for very cold regions. It produces small round deep purple fruit that are good for cooking, preserving, and making jam. The flesh has a spicy, sweet flavour although some do not find it that great for fresh eating. Compared to regular Damson's Krikon Damson is a bit smaller, and more flavourful.

Species: Prunus tomentosa

History: Nanking cherry is native to parts of China, Tibet, Korea, and Mongolia, and possibly northern India. It has long been cultivated in Asia for its tart fruit which is used in pickling, making wine, juice, and jam, and as an ornamental plant. It was introduced to Britain in 1870 and the US in 1892 where it is also planted in hedgerows as a windbreak. Breeding programs in the US, Canada, and Russia began in the 1920s to make the fruit more palatable fresh but by the 1940s interest had unfortunately waned. 

Why We Grow It: Although more closely related to plums than cherries, Nanking cherry is great for a variety of uses including wine, juice, jam, and as an ornamental plant thanks to their attractive pinkish-white blossoms. Some enjoy eating the tart fruit fresh as well and they are also popular with birds and wildlife. Nanking cherries are hardy and tolerant of quite cold weather, making them an excellent option for most parts of Canada. 

Species: Aronia melanocarpa

History: McKenzie was created by the USDA who, in 1976, planted several seedlings of the variety to evaluate its performance. It was named 'McKenzie' in honour of its first planting site in North Dakota, possibly named after McKenzie County specifically. The variety was officially released in 2008.

Why We Grow It: McKenzie boasts vigorous growth and good production, reliably producing firm blue-black fruit that is tart with an earthy taste. The berry clusters are easy to pick and have a wide range of uses! While the berries ripen in August, they can hang onto the bush for a couple months and tend to sweeten over time.

Species: Aronia melanocarpa

History: Galicjanka was developed in Poland where Aronia berries are a common agricultural crop. It is one of the most popular varieties grown there due to its suitability for commercial plantations.

Why We Grow It: This variety produces large berries with good flavour. While the berries ripen in August, they can hang onto the bush for a couple months and tend to sweeten over time. Despite its popularity in Poland, it is unfortunately not very common in North America. 

History: Brown Snout was discovered on a farm in the UK in the mid-1800s. Its name comes from the brown russet around its calyx. H.P. Bulmer, a cider-making company, further propagated and spread this apple in the UK where it is still used today.

Why We Grow It: This medium bittersweet cider apple has small, uniquely coloured fruit that are sweet, slightly astringent, medium-tannin, and have low acidity. 

Species: Hippophae rhamnoides

History: Sea buckthorn is native to parts of Europe and Asia where it has been a source of food, medicine, and fodder for centuries. These seedlings were grown by us so it will be a bit of a surprise to see what the mature plants are like!

Why We Grow It: If you're looking for a dense, fruiting bush, look no further! These cold-hardy plants are grown from seed, and unlike cultivated varieties it is uncertain whether each seedling is male or female. The nodules on their roots help fix nitrogen into the soil, and the resilient plants are salt tolerant. They can withstand the juglones from walnuts and will reach up to 6 meters tall, forming virtually impermeable thickets if left to their own devices. The berries have a wide range of uses and the leaves can be enjoyed in tea.

Species: Vaccinium corymbosum

History: Duke was developed in Maryland by Arlen Draper, a blueberry breeder working for the USDA, in collaboration with the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station. After ten years of testing it was released in 1987 thanks to its early ripening time, general disease resistance, reliable crops, and suitability for commercial sale. It was named Duke after S. Arthur "Duke" Galetta of the Atlantic Blueberry Company in honour of his support for blueberry breeding efforts over the years.  

Why We Grow It: Duke produces good-sized crops of large, firm berries that are a good balance of sweet and tart. This is one of the earlier ripening blueberries and it has received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. Duke is an extremely reliable producer thanks to it's later bloom time that allows it avoid late spring frosts. Like other blueberries, it is great for a variety of uses including fresh eating, baking, and preserving! 

Species: Robinia pseudoacacia

History: Native to small portion of the United States, the tree first became known to Western science in 1607 when British colonists in Jamestown used it to build houses. It was introduced to Britain in 1636 and has since been used as a landscaping tree in many countries around the world. It is unfortunately considered invasive in many places due to its intense suckering habit and ability to fix nitrogen, allowing it to thrive even in poor soils. However, its hard wood has many uses and the flowers are eaten in numerous European countries and Japan, and it is used medicinally in India.

Why We Grow It: While this tree is considered invasive to southern Ontario as it grows quickly and aggressively, we feel when it is grown with control and awareness, it can be a powerful ally for the following reasons:

• it is a great pioneer species in ecologically disturbed spaces thanks to its resilience and ability to grow and produce nitrogen
• even in poor soil it provides erosion control with its spreading, shallow root system
• it's a fast growing hardwood
• it is preferred for firewood and furniture (60x more rot resistant than cedar)
• bees appreciate it's showy blooms, which are edible and can be enjoyed in salads, jams, cooking and baking, check out Fiddlehead Nursery's locust-flower patty recipe! 
• On a farm/tended space, they provide valuable shade for livestock, thicken fencerows, provide habitat for wildlife, increase soil health, and add nitrogen, etc. and are easily managed.

However it is strongly advised not to plant in untended bushland due to its quick and aggressive spread, and resilience once it is established in an area making it quite difficult to remove.

Species: Ribes uva-crispa

History: Sébastien was developed in Ottawa.

Why We Grow It: This nearly thornless variety excellent red gooseberries that are good for fresh eating or making into pies and jellies. 

History: As the name suggests, Mount Royal plums originated in the Montreal area where it was either found by French colonizers as a wild chance seedling or intentionally bred by Jesuit missionaries and French colonizers using plums brought over from Europe. Either way, the result is a lovely plum hardy enough to survive Canadian winters.

Why We Grow It: This European plum is a Canadian classic of excellent flavour and good cold-hardiness. The fruit is blue-skinned with jammy yellow flesh that is both sweet and spicy. The tree produces heavy crops. 

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

History: Manor was developed at the Morden Research Station in Manitoba and released in 1945.

Why We Grow It: Manor produces a small plum with skin that is nearly black when ripe and purplish-red flesh. When ripe, the fruit is quite sweet and good for fresh eating! Some prefer to pick it when it is still a little unripe and a bit firmer since it is more astringent and lends itself well to uses such as baking, preserving, and making wine. The shrub stays smaller than other chums but starts bearing fruit at a young age and is known for being quite productive.

For the most up-to-date information see Claude Jolicoeur's website here!

History: Douce de Charlevoix (translated from French as 'sweet Charlevoix') was discovered by Claude Jolicoeur in a Quebecois village in the county of Charlevoix in the 1990s. He has since dubbed it a 'first class early cider apple' and in 2015 a cider blend using 40% Douce de Charlevoix won a bronze medal at the GLINTCAP competition. 

Why We Grow It: This apple is quite attractive with orange-red stripes across green skin and makes an excellent juice with a notable bitter taste. In general this apple has medium tannins, some sweetness, and very little acidity. The tree itself is also quite vigorous and hardy.

History: Haralson apples were developed at the University of Minnesota in 1922 and named after Charles Haralson who was superintendent of the university's fruit breeding farm. It is one of almost 30 apple varieties the university has developed in its breeding program since it began in 1888.

Why We Grow It: The skin of this variety is striped red with russet dots and the flesh is white, juicy, and of pleasant albeit mild flavour. Haralson boasts excellent cold hardiness and general disease resistance.

History: Antonovka was discovered near Kursk, Russia in 1826 and then developed by renowned Russian plant breeder I.V. Michurin. It was released in 1888 and became a popular variety in Russia, Poland, and Belarus due to its good flavour and quality for cooking/baking. In Russia, Antonovka was given the name 'The People's Apple' and in 2008 a monument to it was unveiled in Kursk. Although this hardy variety is less popular outside of its homeland, it has been commonly used as rootstock due to its ability to grow a strong, deep root system that makes it hardier and more drought tolerant. 

Why We Grow It: This tree produces a refreshing, juicy, tart yellow apple that cooks down well. It is also quite cold hardy which is a great feature in our Canadian environment.

History: Maiden's Blush was first described in New Jersey in 1817 although it had already been popular in Philadelphia markets for some time. It likely originated around New Jersey in the late 1700s. Maiden's Blush continued to be commonly grown in the southern US through the early 1800s. 

Why We Grow It: Maiden's Blush's uniqueness is still worthy of attention today, its flavour being an interesting mix of citrus-like acidity and sweetness that stand out among other apples. While it is good for fresh eating, particularly after a few weeks off the tree, it is most well known for cooking, baking, and drying due to its non-browning qualities.

History: This English cider apple originated in and was named after Rodney Stoke, a small village in Somerset, England. It was discovered around 1920 and has been popular in England since. 

Why We Grow It: Stoke Red produces a great bittersharp juice that is well-regarded for cider making. As an added bonus, it is a heavy cropper and resistant to scab.

Species: Rubus sp.

History: Anne is the product of quite the combined efforts between the University of Maryland, Rutgers University, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Southern Piedmont Agricultural Research and Education Center, and University of Wisconsin. Through their cooperative breeding program, the cross that created Anne was originally made in 1989 and the variety was released in the 1990s. It remains one of the more popular yellow raspberries today. 

Why We Grow It: Anne produces large, firm raspberries that are quite sweet with a flavour some liken to apricots or bananas. Most uniquely: the berries are yellow, turning a warm orangey-yellow at their ripest! The berries are good for eating fresh, baking, freezing, or adding to salads and their yellow colour helps them to stand out. This is an everbearing variety so you can cut down the canes in the winter for a large fall crop, or enjoy a more spread out crop from August to September. Anne also sports relatively few thorns, making harvesting a little easier. 

History: Parkland apples were variety created at the Morden Research and Development Centre in Manitoba and released in 1979. Like other varieties developed there, Parkland was designed to withstand the harsh prairie winters and is especially cold hardy. It has become the most commonly grown apple in Alaska after it was brought over in 1985 in an effort to determine which Canadian varieties could survive in the northern state.

Why We Grow It: Parkland is a very satisfying early season apple - sweet and crunchy. It's excellent snacking or applesauce although the fruit is small (about 2" diameter) with creamy flesh and red skin. The tree is quite hardy. 

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

History: Convoy was released by Boughen Nurseries in Manitoba in 1941. Like other chums, it was bred to produce a fruit with the hardiness of the western sandcherry but the fruit quality of a Japanese plum. Convoy was likely selected for being sweeter than most other chums. 

Why We Grow It: Always on the lookout for unique trees, we are happy to offer chums! Convoy is a hardy shrub that produces a clingstone red fruit with yellow flesh. It has a mild sweet flavour that is good for fresh eating but it can also be used for baking, preserving, and canning. The shrub is generally resistant to plum diseases.

Species: Hippophae rhamnoides

History: Aside from the fact that Klavdija sea buckthorn originated in Russia, little can be found about the origins of this variety in English. 

Why We Grow It: Klavdija, like other Russian-bred sea buckthorns, is noted for its excellent flavour that is on the sweeter side. The bush produces good crops and, unlike other Russian varieties, boasts moderate drought resistance.  

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

History: Dura was developed at the Morden Research Station in Manitoba and was released in 1942. 

Why We Grow It: Dura produces small red fruit with sweet mauve flesh. They are good for eating fresh along with cooking/baking, preserving, and juice! This hardy shrub is generally disease resistant and is naturally dwarfing. 

Special Note: We take special care to grade out (remove) any of these seedlings that are showing visible thorns when we dig them in the fall. This increases the likelihood (although we cannot make any guarantees) that you will not have thorns develop on your Thornless Honey Locust Seedling. If you don't mind thorns on your Honey Locust, the ones we grade out are available here at a lower pricepoint.

Species: Gleditsia triacanthos

History: Thanks to its ability to tolerate a host of adverse conditions that would hinder or kill other trees, Honey Locusts have been cultivated for us as ornamental, urban trees. As a result, several thornless varieties have been developed including the mother tree for these seedlings.

Why We Grow It: Honey Locust has many benefits for permaculture and now growers do not need to worry about popping tires with thorns thanks to these thornless trees - though they are seedling so some may develop thorns though most will not; these can be top grafted with a thornless type if needed. Reaching 30 meters tall, this native nitrogen fixing tree benefits many including bees, wildlife, and even humans: we can use the sweet (honey flavoured) pulp inside their pods in baking, tea or for brewing beer. The durable, rot-resistant wood has a variety of uses. 

Species: Amelanchier x wiegandii (likely a hybrid of A. arborea and A. sanguinea)

History: There is little information on the origin of Isaac although it is believed to be a cross between the Common Serviceberry (A. arborea) and the Roundleaf Serviceberry (A. sanguinea). It was likely selected for its large, sweet berries.  

Why We Grow It: Isaac produces very large berries with a lovely sweet flavour. Like other serviceberries they are great for fresh eating, cooking, baking, and preserving. Isaac makes a nice ornamental shrub with its rounded shape and white blooms in the spring. It is generally an adaptable and cold hardy plant as well!