All Zone 4 (or hardier) Plants

History: Major dates back to potentially before the nineteenth century and was commonly grown on farms in Devon and Somerset in England. It remains a traditional English cider variety.

Why We Grow It: Major produces a lovely bittersweet juice that is good both in blends or on its own. It ripens relatively early so it is a nice apple for extending the cider pressing season.

History: Luscious was developed at South Dakota State University as a cross between Ewark and South Dakota 31 in 1954. This goal was to create trees suitable for areas like the Northern Great Plains. Luscious was introduced in 1973, likely selected for its cold-hardiness and excellent flavour. 

Why We Grow It: Luscious produces small to medium yellow fruits with an attractive red blush. The fruit is quite sweet, great for fresh eating and cooking/baking! This is an excellent option for fans of Bartlett who are looking for a versatile and cold hardy variety! Luscious also has value as an ornamental tree, producing white blooms and glossy green leaves that turn a nice red in the fall. 

History: The origins and history of this variety are unknown based on our current research.

Why We Grow It: This variety produces a medium-sized freestone plum with purple-pink skin and yellow flesh that is sweet and juicy. It is one of the hardiest European plums around, making it a good choice for our colder climate! 

Species: Rubus sp

History: Hardy Black originated in Nova Scotia. As the name implies, the variety was selected for its hardiness along with excellent fruit. 

Why We Grow It: This hardy variety produces large, dark berries that are sweet and juicy. To make it even better, they bear fruit over a long period of time which gives you that much more of an opportunity to enjoy these lovely berries.

Species: Rubus idaeus

History: Tulameen was bred at the Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre in 1980 and released in 1990. It was selected for its disease resistance, long ripening period, large fruit, and excellent flavour and quality. The name likely comes from either the Tulameen River or the town of Tulameen in BC, although it also means 'red earth' in Nlakaʼpamuctsin.

Why We Grow It: Tulameen is a summer-bearing variety that is known for producing large crops of huge red raspberries that are very sweet! The exceptionally tall canes may require some trellising but have very few thorns which makes handling them much easier than other varieties. 

History: The origins of Pomme Gris (translated as 'gray apple' from French) are a bit of a mystery. It may have originated in France in the 1600s as either a seedling or sport of the variety Reinette Gris which was then brought to Quebec by French or Swiss colonizers. Alternatively, it may have its origins in Quebec, perhaps being grown and propagated in Canada from the start. The first instance of this variety's documentation was by a William Forsyth in 1803 who believed the apple originated in Canada and made its way to Europe sometime in the 1700s. Regardless, this variety was grown in Quebec for centuries. 

Why We Grow It: Pomme Gris is an excellent all-purpose apple! Although not the prettiest apple in the world, it is crisp, juicy, and aromatic with a nutty flavour and hints of vanilla. It was really a standout when our tree first produced fruit a couple years ago! The fruit can also be used for cooking and the apple would likely be a good addition to cider blends. 

History: Golden Sentinel was developed at the Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre in Summerland, BC. It was first bred in 1986 as part of a breeding program to create high quality columnar apples. It underwent further testing until 1997, after which it was eventually released.  

Why We Grow It: Golden Sentinel is wonderful for a variety of reasons! It produces attractive, large yellow apples with a sweet flavour reminiscent of Golden Delicious. The fruit can be eaten fresh or used for baking. Its columnar growth habit means it stays quite thin, making it a great option for container growing and/or those with limited space. This variety is also quite disease resistant. 

History: Mindemoya was discovered growing along the shores of Lake Mindemoya on Manitoulin Island along with Mindemoya Maroon. Wayne Kuntze happened upon these trees in 2020 while vacationing with his family. The good size and pinkish striping on the fruit caught his eye, and the sweet flavour sealed the deal! Now in 2023, we are happy to introduce this variety to the world!

Why We Grow It: Always on the search for new varieties, we are happy to grow and offer something that Wayne discovered! Mindemoya is an attractive whitish apple with pinkish-red stripes. It has a pleasantly sweet flavour and plenty of juice, along with a soft texture that may make it good for applesauce along with fresh eating.

This is a brand new variety and we're still learning about it! For any avid apple growers who decide to plant these out, feel free to keep us updated on how it grows, what you use the fruit for, etc, so we can provide as much information as possible!

History: Blakeney Red (aka Circus pear, Red pear, and Painted Lady) is believed to have originated in the English village of Blakeney, its birthplace and the prominent red blush on the fruit earning it its name. It may have been originally planted sometime in the 1700s but became better known starting around 1830 and was the most widely planted perry pear. It is still popular in the UK today and is gaining attention in North America as well. A yellow dye can also be made from this variety and it was used to dye khakis for British soldiers during WW1. 

Why We Grow It: This perry pear produces small to medium yellow fruit with red blush and some russet. For those interested in perry, it's hard to ignore this variety's long history, although its quality can vary based on growing conditions. 

History: Paula Red (sometimes written Paulared) was discovered in Michigan in 1960 by Lewis Arends near a ravine where apples were dumped. It was one of several wild apple seedlings that had sprouted up from the discarded seeds. Likely pleased by its attractive red skin and flavour, Arends named it 'Paula Red' in honour of his wife Pauline. It is a cross between Duchess and McIntosh.

Why We Grow It: Paula Red produces medium to large red apples with small yellow/green patches that are juicy and firm with a nice sweet/tart flavour. The flavour has strong vinous and strawberry notes. It is also slower to brown. This early-ripening variety tends to soften relatively quickly which means it does not store very long, but it is great for making applesauce. The tree produces heavy crops although tends to bear every other year as a result. 

Species: Cryptotaenia japonica

History: Mitsuba is native to Japan, China, and Korea where it is used as a garnish, seasoning, and as a root vegetable. Mitsuba translates from Japanese as 'three leaves', referring to the way the plant grows leaves in groups of three. In Japan, it is also traditionally used at weddings where the stems of the plant are tied in knots to bring luck and symbolize the lasting relationship. It is also used in Japanese flower arrangement.  

Why We Grow It: Mitsuba has a light, refreshing, vegetal flavour that is reminiscent of parsley and celery. It is also high in calcium and vitamin C. This variety boasts attractive purplish foliage (more green in shade and purple in full sun, see photos) and produces small, pinkish-white star-shaped flowers which add a nice ornamental touch to the garden.  

Species: Cornus mas

History: Cornelian Cherry (aka Cornel) is a dogwood species native to parts of Europe and Asia. The berries were traditionally used mainly in cooking and to make jams and alcohol and have also been used in traditional Chinese medicine along with the leaves. The wood is quite dense (it sinks in water!) and has been used to make tool handles, machine parts, weapons in Ancient Greece, and the sticks traditionally carried by the mounted herdsman in the Maremma region. In the UK there was some interest in its use as a garden plant starting in the mid 1500s but interest has mainly grown in the last century or so. 

Why We Grow It: A novelty among the dogwoods, Cornelian Cherries produce small, red fruits that resemble cherries. The acidic fruit can be eaten fresh when they're quite ripe but are primarily used for cooking and preserves, similar to cranberries. They are also attractive ornamental plants, producing clusters of bright yellow flowers very early in the season. 

History: Whitney crabapples were grown from seed by nurseryman A.R. Whitney around 1865 at Whitney Nursery in Illinois, US. It became popular for its excellent cold hardiness and productivity and in the 1900s the state of Montana recommended it as one of the best crabapple varieties to grow. 

Why We Grow It: These large (for a crabapple) yellow and red apples boast a sweet-sharp flavour with some astringency and juicy, crispy flesh. They are a truly multipurpose fruit and can be eaten fresh (if you like some astringency to your apple) or used for cooking, sauce, cider, and jelly. The trees are very cold hardy and boast good disease resistance as well.

History: Brown's Apple was discovered in Devon, UK, in the early 1900s and is considered a traditional English cider apple. It remains quite popular in the area.

Why We Grow It: This traditional variety boasts cold-hardiness and a resistance to scab. It is great for making cider thanks to being simultaneously high in both acid and sugar, an uncommon feature in most apples. Brown's Apple presses to a fragrant, vintage quality juice.

History: Airlie's Red Flesh originated on the farm of Lucky and Audrey Newell in Airlie, Oregon who sold the property in the 1960s. Two decades later in the 1980s, a Louis Kimzey was walking through the old orchard, bit into an apple from the tree, and was amazed at its stunning pink flesh. This was also known as Newell-Kimzey to reference those who found it and Airlie's Red Flesh as a reference to its place of origin and pink flesh. It also goes under a separate brand name. 

Why We Grow It: This small, slightly conical apple has yellow skin that belies a bright pink interior that whitens near the core. Not only is it pretty, the fruit has a very sweet flavour with some mild astringency and the flesh is slow to brown. Along with the attractive fruit, the tree boasts bright pink blossoms that gives it an extra ornamental appeal.

History: Ketchankookem Trail was discovered in 2022 by Wayne Kuntze while he was vacationing on Manitoulin Island with his family. He found it growing wild along Ketchankookem Trail, being drawn to its bright yellow fruit with a pinkish-red blush. Now we are happy to officially introduce this variety in 2023! 

Why We Grow It: This variety is worth growing for the name alone! Ketchankookem Trail shares a lot of similarities with Lodi and Yellow Transparent in terms of its early ripening time, yellow skin, and sprightly flavour. Like these other fine early-ripening varieties, it may also be good for sauce along with fresh eating.

This is a brand new variety and we're still learning about it! For any avid apple growers who decide to plant these out, feel free to keep us updated on how it grows, what you use the fruit for, etc, so we can provide as much information as possible!

History: While on vacation on Manitoulin Island in 2022, Wayne Kuntze found Manitowaning Pink Heart growing wild in the corner of the Gulyas family's yard and (with permission) brought the apples and some grafting material back to Silver Creek Nursery. The distinct pink colour and the heart shape of the fruit caught his eye, along with the pink flesh inside. Fittingly, he named it Manitowaning Pink Heart after the village where the property was located and the unique appearance of the apple. A truly unique variety, we are happy to officially introduce it in 2023!

Why We Grow It: We love unusual apple varieties and Manitowaning Pink Heart really stands out! With its attractive pink blush over yellow skin, pink flesh, and heart-shaped fruit, this is a one of a kind apple! Despite its sweet appearance, this crabapple is quite tart and tannic. Like other crabapples, this one is best suited for jelly and cider. Its pink flesh may help add a distinctive colouration. 

This is a brand new variety and we're still learning about it! For any avid apple growers who decide to plant these out, feel free to keep us updated on how it grows, what you use the fruit for, etc, so we can provide as much information as possible!

Bloom photo courtesy of Christine Gulyas

Species: Vaccinium corymbosum x V. angustifolium

History: Northblue was bred by the University of Minnesota as part of a hybrid blueberry breeding program that started in 1967. The goal of the program was to cross highbush and lowbush blueberries in order to create high-quality cold hardy varieties. Of the three varieties initially created in this program, Northblue was noted for having the largest fruit and highest productivity. Northblue was introduced to the public in 1983. 

Why We Grow It: Northblue produces nicely sized, firm blueberries that store well. The berries have a good sweet flavour akin to that of wild blueberries and are great for a variety of uses. The compact shrub is quite productive and cold hardy.

Species: Vaccinium corymbosum x V. angustifolium

History: Northcountry was bred by the University of Minnesota as part of a hybrid blueberry breeding program that started in 1967. The goal of the program was to cross highbush and lowbush blueberries in order to create high-quality cold hardy varieties. Northcountry itself was created in 1968 and was introduced in 1986.

Why We Grow It: Northcountry produces small to medium blueberries with a sweet flavour akin to that of wild blueberries. For those looking to enjoy fresh blueberries as soon as possible each year, this variety is an excellent choice since it ripens quite early. The compact bush is also quite cold hardy and productive!

Species: Lonicera caerulea

History: Borealis was created by Bob Bors at the University of Saskatchewan and was released in 2007, likely being selected for its large fruit, good flavour, and resistance to powdery mildew. 

Why We Grow It: Borealis produces large, round berries with an excellent flavour, albeit less sweet than more modern haskap varieties. The berries are excellent for baking although they are a bit softer and need to be handled more delicately when being picked. The bush itself is a little more compact than other varieties and is very resistant to powdery mildew. 

Species: Myrica pensylvanica

History: Northern Bayberry can be found from Ontario to Newfoundland and south to North Carolina, most frequently growing along the west coast. Its berries are a food source for several birds and small mammals. The berries also produce a waxy coating that European colonists used to make candles. 

Why We Grow It: This hardy, nitrogen-fixing shrub is a great addition to fencelines, native gardens, and areas that need erosion control. The berries are a good food source for several species and the crafty gardener can also use the berries to make clean-burning candles. They will spread over time.

Species: Prunus cerasus

History: These sour cherry seedlings are grown from Juliet seeds we've collected here at Silver Creek Nursery from our own trees! Juliet, is one of the members of the Romance Series released in 2004 from the University of Saskatchewan.

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, Juliet, has a sweet/tart flavour that some enjoy for fresh eating and is great for processing. A naturally dwarfing and bush-like variety. For a full description, see our Juliet page here. 

Please Note: Since sour cherries 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.

History: Cortland apples were first bred in 1898 by Cornell University in New York and introduced in 1915. Since then, they have become one of the top fifteen apples in the US and Canada, although the majority are still grown relatively close to the university where they originated. While there are different versions of Cortland available with features such as redder skin, we are happy to offer the original!

Why We Grow It: Especially with older, popular varieties, we are always happy to offer what is, to the best of our knowledge, the original strain. Cortland is a sweet apple with crisp, juicy flesh. It is great for applesauce or drying as the flesh is slow to brown. The fruit keeps until Christmas under home storage conditions although the crispness and flavour does fade over time. This variety crops well annually and makes a good pollinator for others. 

2025 Staff Favourite

Mavor Sunchokes are Zack's favourite this year! In his personal experience "the large tuber size of these sunchokes makes them a great potato substitute. They are great fried in beef tallow!”

All Staff Favourites are 20% off. The Staff Favourite Discount cannot be combined with other quantity discounts.

Species: Helianthus tuberosus, Sunchokes are also known as Jerusalem Artichokes or J Chokes

History: Mavor sunchokes are of unknown origin since they were kindly given to us by a local customer named A. Mavor. We were impressed with the large size and flavour of this variety and wanted to make them available to more customers, so are offering them under the name Mavor as thanks to the person who gave them to us.

Why We Grow It: Mavor sunchokes produce large, knobby tubers that are great for cooking in all the same ways you would cook a potato. At least in our soil, some of the tubers produce have a nice reddish tinge to the skin. The tubers store quite well in the fridge. It is a quick growing variety and, like other sunchokes, can spread quite aggressively if left unmanaged.

Species: Prunus cerasus

History: These Meteor seedlings are grown from seeds we've collected here at Silver Creek Nursery from our own trees! Meteor was introduced from the University of Minnesota in 1952.

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, Meteor, is a reliable, hardy variety that is great for pies. They naturally have a more compact growth habit. For a full description, see our Meteor page here.

Please Note: Since sour cherries 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: Lonicera caerulea

History: Indigo Gem was bred by Bob Bors at the University of Saskatchewan as part of the Indigo Series, a series of five varieties that all share the same parents. They were bred sometime in the mid to late 2000s and released around 2010/2011. Indigo Gem is the most productive variety of the series.

Why We Grow It: Indigo Gem produces fairly round berries that are sweeter and smaller than most haskaps, although they still have that characteristic tartness to them! It is considered one of the better options for fresh eating and like other haskaps is also great in baking, making preserves, etc. 

Species: Aronia melanocarpa

History: Nero was created in Russia by plant breeder Ivan Michurin in either the late 1800s or early 1900s. Likely selected for its large fruit and sweeter flavour, Nero is still used commercially in Russia to this day. 

Why We Grow It: Nero produces ample clusters of dark berries that are somewhat sweeter and less astringent than other aronia varieties, making it more favourable for fresh eating. Like other aronia berries, it is ideal for baking, cooking, jellies, etc. While the berries ripen in August, they can hang onto the bush for a couple months and tend to sweeten over time. The plant itself is tough and cold hardy.