All Zone 4 (or Hardier) Plants

History: John Downie was raised by Edward Holmes, a nursery worker in England, in the 1870s. The variety was named after another nursery worker and friend of Holmes, John Downie. John Downie crabapples remain one of the most popular of the English crabapples.

Why We Grow It: This crabapple sports bright orangey-red fruit, often used to create some of the best jelly around. With its sweet-tart flavour, this crabapple can be pressed into a cheery orange juice that is a great addition to cider blends.

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

History: Stampede apparently originated on a reserve in northern Ontario where indigenous peoples had been cross-breeding the earliest flowering sunchokes they could find. They succeeded with Stampede which is an early flowering and ripening variety. In 1978, only two tubers were sent to Johnny's Selected Seeds in Maine, producing enough tubers by the end of the year that the nursery was able to introduce the new variety commercially in 1979.

Why We Grow It: Stampede is an extremely productive variety and produces relatively large, if somewhat knobby, white tubers. Like other sunchokes, Stampede can be prepared and eaten in a variety of ways, similar to the many ways you can use a potato! The early flowering and ripening time of this variety is great for anyone with a limited growing season.

Species: Inula helenium

History: Elecampane is native from Spain all the way to parts of China and has become naturalized in parts of North America. It has traditionally served a variety of purposes including being used to treat snake and spider bites by the Ancient Greeks, to test if honey has spoiled by the Ancient Romans, as a candied snack in Medieval Europe, and to make absinthe. Throughout its long history it has provided various medicinal uses as well. It also has quite the storied past, with the species name referring to the myth that the plant sprung up from the tears of Helen of Troy while the Celts associated it with fairies and elves.

Why We Grow It: Although not commonly used medicinally today, it still provides some novelty to the garden. The small, yellow flowers resemble those of asters to which it is related. The flowers attract pollinators and the roots, like comfrey, are good at mining nutrients from deeper in the soil.

History: Maypole was developed in 1976 by Plant Breeding International at the East Malling Research Station in the UK as a cross between Wijcik Spur McIntosh and Baskatong. Wijcik Spur McIntosh originated as a mutation discovered on a McIntosh tree in 1962 in the Wijcik Orchards in British Columbia, the branch growing oddly straight with little branching. Several varieties were deliberately bred to have this mutation and now Maypole, released in 1986, is one of six columnar varieties developed at the station. This series of trees is known as Ballerina in the UK but due to that name being unavailable in the US, they are known as Colonnade in North America. 

Why We Grow It: Not only is Maypole unique as a columnar apple, this crabapple also boasts lovely red flesh, bronze coloured leaves, and pretty pink blossoms in the spring. This makes it overall a lovely ornamental tree to have, whether planted in the yard or in a pot. The fruit is also excellent for jelly, apple butter, and cider, adding a red hue to each. It can also be eaten fresh although it tends to be quite acidic with a touch of sweetness.

History: Brookgold was developed at the Crop Diversification Centre South in Brooks, Alberta and was named for the town and its golden colour. It was introduced in 1979.

Why We Grow It: Brookgold, like other fruit varieties developed in the prairies, is very cold hardy! Although there is sometimes a trade-off between cold hardiness and fruit quality, this variety still produces small yellow freestone plums that are very sweet, making them great for fresh eating and good for canning and preserving. 

Species: Salix babylonica 'Tortuosa' syn. S. matsudana

History: Corkscrew willows are a variant of the Chinese Willow which are native to parts of northern China. Willow trees have been cultivated for millennia in Asia and this variety was likely selected for its unique twisting branches. 

Why We Grow It: Corkscrew willows are an attractive ornamental tree year-round, sporting delicate leaves most of the year and then fully displaying their twisted branches and trunks once they have dropped their leaves. The flowers they produce in the spring are attractive to a variety of pollinators. Just be mindful of where you plant the trees, the vigorous roots can be a problem near buildings and pipes!

Species: Platanus occidentalis

History: American sycamores (aka American planetree, buttonwood, and water beech) are native to the United States, the most northern parts of Mexico, and the most southern parts of Canada. The bark has traditionally been used by indigenous peoples to make bowls for gathering berries and the wood has been used to make butcher blocks. The tree itself was common as a street tree but its susceptibility to anthracnose made it visually unappealing and it was replaced by the London planetree. The Buttonwood Agreement, the founding document of the New York Stock Exchange, is named for this tree because it was signed under an American sycamore in 1792.

Why We Grow It: American sycamores are an attractive tree with visually unique camo-like bark and curious brown little seed balls that hang on through the winter. They can get quite tall and are a good wildlife tree. Just be mindful that the roots are good at clogging drain pipes so be mindful where you plant it!

History: Glowing Heart was bred in Toronto by Fred Jansen, one of the founders of the North American Fruit Explorers (NAFEX). This unique apple is still in its early years.

Why We Grow It: This variety has a unique pink and white flesh and is quite acidic. One bite will make you pucker! Although not the best option for fresh eating, this apple creates an aromatic jelly with rich flavour and can be used in ciders as well. It does well in organic orchards.

Species: Hippophae rhamnoides

History: Sunny (known originally in Russian as Botanicheskaya Ljubitelskaya) was first developed in Russia and was further tested and introduced by Latvian agronomists who gave it the name Sunny (aka Solnechnaya with 'solnech' meaning 'sunny' and 'naya' being a female suffix). It was selected for its large berries and high juice content, making it a good option for commercial growing for comestible products. Commercially, it is the most widely grown sea buckthorn variety in central and eastern Europe.

Why We Grow It: Sunny produces large berries that are lower in acidity than most other varieties, giving them a comparatively sweeter (but still sour!) taste. They also have a higher juice content than other sea buckthorn berries, making them a great option for those looking to process them into juice or other sea buckthorn products. 

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

History: Beaver Valley Purple was introduced by heirloom vegetable gardener William Woys Weaver in the latter half of the 1900s. When he visited Sarah Morgan, a cook and gardener, at her home in Beaver Valley, Pennsylvania, she showed him the unique purple sunchokes growing in her garden. According to Morgan, the purple sunchokes had been growing on the property when her husband purchased it in 1920 and locals already considered it an heirloom variety at that time. Weaver, a fan of heritage vegetables, named the variety and began to offer it through the Seed Savers Exchange. 

Why We Grow It: Beaver Valley Purple produces a unique reddish-purple tuber that is visually quite distinct from other sunchokes. Sunchokes, similar to a potato, can be prepared and eaten in a variety of ways!

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.

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. 

Species: Vaccinium corymbosum

History:  Toro is a cross between Earliblue and Ivanhoe bred by USDA blueberry breeder Arlen Draper in Maryland. It was selected for its productivity, firmness, and flavour and introduced in 1987.  It was named Toro ('bull' in Spanish) due to its strong and stocky structure, however this dense canopy structure prevented Toro from achieving true commercial success due to the added difficulty of pruning and harvesting it at a commercial level. 

Why We Grow It: Toro produces large blueberries that are quite sweet and firm. They tend to produce heavy crops that ripen all at once, making mechanical picking easier. Like other blueberries, Toro is great for eating fresh, baking, and preserving! 

History: AKA Co-op 30, Enterprise is one of the many varieties that was developed through the collaborative PRI disease-resistant breeding program run by Purdue University, Rutgers University, and the University of Illinois. It was introduced in 1993 and has proven to be a very reliable variety. Although its name does not start with 'PRI' like many of the other varieties that came from this program, they still snuck the initials into Enterprise's name.

Why We Grow It: Enterprise produces crisp fruit that it is known for its strong, rich, tart flavour that can be described as spiced. It is a very disease-resistant variety that grows quickly, produces reliable crops, and stores for a long time.  They are good for fresh eating although the skin is on the thicker side, and they can be used for cooking, baking, and sauce.

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: Shepherdia argentea

History: Silver Buffaloberries are native to the southern parts of the prairies, parts of the northern US with scattered populations further south. It is an important source of food and habitat for many species including Saskatchewan's provincial bird the sharp-trailed grouse. It is traditionally used by indigenous peoples in its range as food, seasoning, medicine, dyes, and in coming-of-age ceremonies for girls. 

Why We Grow It: Silver Buffaloberries are an excellent addition to native gardens, food forests, and hedgerows! They are tolerant of a wide array of conditions and are also nitrogen-fixing. These shrubs are some of the first to produce flowers each spring, making them good resource for pollinators. The berries, which are often red but may be orange or yellow, are a good source of food for birds later in the season. The edible berries are on the bitter/tart side but are much more enjoyable when made into jams, jellies, and pies! Just be mindful these shrubs are thorny and will spread over time.

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.

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

History: This particular iteration of Trail, previously referred to as Bilodeau, has a bit of a messy history. A Trail crabapple tree was mislabeled at a Quebec nursery in the 1980s and sold to an unknowing customer named Claude Bilodeau who thought he was purchasing a pear tree. Later on Claude Jolicoeur, well-known Quebecois cider-maker and pomologist, took a cutting from this tree and found that the fruit (definitely not a pear!) was excellent for making cider. Since it was still a mystery what the original variety was, the crabapple was named Bilodeau by Jolicoeur after the owner of the tree - only for Paul Kron from the University of Guelph to confirm that it was actually Trail via DNA testing in 2022. The Trail crab was bred at Ottawa from a cross of Northern Queen x Rideau, it was selected in 1913 and introduced in 1920.

Why We Grow It: Despite the confusion, we are regardless happy to have this apple in our catalogue! This bittersharp cider apple has excellent cider-making qualities and, unlike most crabapples, is also great when eaten fresh or made into jelly! 

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: 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: 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!

Species: xSorbopyrus irregularis (Pyrus communis x Sorbus aria), also referred to as xSorbopyrus auricularis although this name is no longer correct

History: Shipova is a unique cross between European pears and Common Whitebeam* (Sorbus aria) which readily hybridizes with many other fruiting plants in the rose family. As a surprise hybrid, the history of Shipova is a little foggy. This cross supposedly appeared, or was perhaps planted, at Bollwiller Castle in France in the 1600s and was called Bollwiller Pear. It was cultivated in gardens in the late 1700s and early 1900s. It may have also originated in Yugoslavia and is popular in Eastern Europe today. Shipova was first brought to the US in 1959 and was imported from Yugoslavia. Today, it appears to remain something of a novelty in North America.

Why We Grow It: Shipova is a truly unique fruit tree and it is a shame that it is not grown more commonly. They are quite cold hardy and relatively disease-resistant. The trees produce clusters of small, round fruit that resemble pears. They are dense and crisp with a sweet flavour reminiscent of tropical fruits. 

*Many places list Shipova as a cross between European pears and Mountain Ash. More precisely, the genus Sorbus is the Mountain Ash genus and the specific tree that is the parent of Shipova is the species Sorbus aria, commonly known as Common Whitebeam

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

History: Well-known Quebec cidermaker Claude Jolicoeur discovered this variety as a chance seedling growing on his property. The fruit is bitter with a banana-like aroma, and was therefore given the name Banane Amère (translated from French as 'bitter banana'). 

Why We Grow It: Despite its inedible nature, Banane Amère is an excellent cider apple and produces a bittersweet juice. It shares some characteristics with the popular cider variety Yarlington Mill but tends to ripen better in our climate.

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.

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.

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. 

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.