Baking & Cooking Favourites

Species: Armoracia rusticana

History: Horseradish originated somewhere in the Mediterranean and has been well known since ancient history, appearing in writings from Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, and the Renaissance. It has historically been used for both culinary and medicinal purposes in Europe and was introduced to North America by European colonizers where indigenous peoples also adopted it for medicinal use. Today, horseradish is commonly grown around the world and used in cooking or to make sauces. An enzyme in horseradish also has applications in molecular biology and biochemistry! 

Why We Grow it: Horseradish is a root vegetable with a distinctly pungent and sharp taste. As a result, it is most often used in cooking and making sauces/condiments. It is a hardy vegetable and has a tendency to spread through the garden so extra care should be taken to keep it contained when planting it.

History: Idared apples were developed at the University of Idaho Agricultural Experiment Station in 1942. Although its flavour is generally considered average, its excellent storage qualities have made it one of the most popular apple varieties in North America.

Why We Grow It: Idared's best quality is its ability to easily last six months when stored in a fridge, potentially until June under optimal storage conditions. The flesh tends to be softer and is white with some tinges of green. The flavour is described as sprightly, moderately acidic, and tangy, and this apple boasts a high Vitamin C content. It is great for baking and making applesauce. The tree's naturally somewhat smaller size makes Idared easier to prune and train.

Species: Rubus sp.

History: Illini Hardy was developed as a cold hardy variety by the University of Illinois and released in 1988. It is a cross between Chester Thornless and NY 95.

Why We Grow It: This variety produces very large and abundant berries late in the summer. The dark berries are sweet with some tartness, resembling the flavour of wild blackberries. Its cold hardy nature makes it hard to turn down for Canadian growers.

Pictured on the left: top: Chester, bottom: Illini Hardy

Species: Morus rubra x M. alba

History: Illinois Everbearing was discovered in Illinois, US by the Wabash River and is a natural cross between red mulberries (M. rubra) and white mulberries (M. alba). It was discovered by Peter Glaser in 1947 and likely selected for its excellent fruit quality and everbearing nature. Named for its State of origin and long harvest window, Illinois Everbearing was released in 1958 by Burgess Seed and Plant Co. in Michigan and has since become one of the most popular mulberries in North America.

Why We Grow It: Illinois Everbearing produces large, almost seedless mulberries with an excellent flavour. They are great for eating fresh, baking, or making into jams. Better yet, these excellent mulberries ripen from July into September, providing a wide window to enjoy these tasty treats. The tree itself is hardy and vigorous but is relatively easy to keep pruned to a smaller size. 

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: 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!

History: This McIntosh type apple was developed in New Jersey at the Rutgers Agricultural Experiment Station in 1956. It was released commercially in 1971.

Why We Grow It: For McIntosh lovers this is a great apple to grow since it ripens before actual McIntosh apples. It is a bit more tart than McIntosh which makes it great for cooking, baking, and applesauce. It is recommended to use a thickener when baking pies since the flesh cooks down quickly. This tree is also a good cropper.

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!

History: Jonagold, a cross between Golden Delicious and Jonathan, was developed in 1953 at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station at Cornell University. With its large size and sweet flavour, it has become one of the most popular apples in North America and is especially popular in Belgium.

Why We Grow It: The fruit is attractive with a red blush over yellow skin. It has a pleasant sweet-sour flavour that makes it a great multi-purpose apple. 

History: Jonathan has an interesting history since there are two potential origins. One story says that Rachel Higley collected apple seeds from the local cider mill which she later grew on her new property in Ohio in 1796. She named one of the new varieties Jonathan after a young boy who often visited her orchard. The second, and more likely story, is that it was grown by farmer Philip Rick in the 1820s in New York. Originally named Rick, the apple was renamed Jonathan after the man who brought it to the attention of the Albany Horticultural Society.  

Why We Grow It: These cheery red apples are crisp, juicy, and sweet. They are good for fresh eating as well as turning into pies and sauce. The fruit also stores quite well, lasting until January/February under optimal conditions.

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. 

History: Juliet dwarf sour cherries are one of several dwarf sour cherries developed and released by the University of Saskatchewan with the goal of creating sour cherries that were cold hardy, shorter in stature, and produced good quality fruit. This initiative began in the 1940s and Juliet was released as part of the Romance series in 2004.

Why We Grow It: With good yield and deep red medium-sized fruit, Juliet is a favourite for those that enjoy the sweet-tart flavour! This is an excellent variety for the fresh market or processing. For anyone short on garden space, these cherry bushes reach 6-8 feet at maturity.

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

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: Kandil Sinap* originated in the early 1800s around the Black Sea, although it is debated whether it originally came from the Crimean Peninsula in the Ukraine or the Sinop Peninsula in Turkey. It was at one time commonly exported into Russia.

*There are different thoughts on what Kandil Sinap translates to, some say it is 'candle of Sinop,' others 'sweet apple of Sinap,' and it translates directly from Turkish as 'oil lamp' 

Why We Grow It: Kandil Sinap's most prominent feature is the odd shape of the fruit, strangely oblong and conical, almost resembling a candle in appearance. The odd green fruit have a sweet, sprightly flavour and are quite aromatic, although they do bruise easily. The tree naturally stays smaller but produces heavy crops and is great for backyard orchards.

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: Gymnocladus dioicus

History: Kentucky Coffeetrees are native to the southernmost parts of Ontario and the midwestern United States. Despite its fairly large range, it is relatively rare today likely due to evolutionary anachronism. It is believed Kentucky Coffeetrees co-evolved with megafauna that are now extinct, so previously beneficial traits like the thick leathery pod around its seeds now hinder seed dispersal. Indigenous peoples have used the tree as a source of food by roasting the seeds and making a coffee-like drink, and the seeds have also been used as pieces in games and to make jewellery. Nowadays, the tree is planted ornamentally in urban areas.

Why We Grow It: This nitrogen-fixing, Carolinian tree produces seeds that may be roasted and used as a coffee substitute, but be aware the raw seeds are toxic! This tree boasts the largest leaves of any native tree, and it's considered a threatened species. 

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!

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 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.

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.

History: Lady apples are one of, if not the oldest, apple varieties in existence with a verifiable history. It is said to have originated in the Brittany region of France before 1628 and was grown during the reign of King Louis XIII. This apple goes by several other names as well. It is also known as Api or Pomme d'Api, named after the Forest of Api in France where it is believed this apple may have been discovered. This particular name is similar to Appia, an apple variety popular in Ancient Rome, which some believe is the same apple as Lady. Lady apples are also known as Christmas apples due to their use in adorning Christmas wreaths and trees. 

Why We Grow It: It's hard not to be interested in an apple with such a long history as this one. The fruit is small but attractive: red flushed over yellow. The crisp, sweet fruit maintains its good quality all winter in storage.

History: Lapins (aka Cherokee) was developed at the Summerland Research Station in British Columbia by Latvian agronomist Karlis Lapins, an important figure in the development of self-pollinating sweet cherry varieties. He created Lapins by crossing Stella and Van sweet cherries, and although the variety was released in 1983 after he retired, it was named in his honour. The variety was also awarded the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. Although quite popular when it was first released, Lapins have since been supplanted by other cherry varieties due to their popularity and its inconsistent quality when shipped.

Why We Grow It: These lovely deep purple cherries are quite similar to Bing. They have a pleasant, mild flavour and can be used for fresh eating, cooking, and canning. The fruit is resistant to cracking and the tree grows well and begins bearing fruit a little earlier than other varieties.

Species: Prunus sp

History: These seedlings are grown from Late Italian plum seeds collected from our orchard. Late Italian is a traditional prune variety and is still commonly grown in Europe and North America today.

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, Late Italian, produces an all-purpose plum that is excellent for drying and great eaten fresh, canned, or incorporated into baking, desserts, or salads. For a more detailed description, see the Late Italian 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.

History: Late Italian plums originated in the coastal Mediterranean areas of Italy, although little is known about their history aside from that. They are still grown in Europe and North America today. 

Why We Grow It: This European variety produces a large-sized blue plum with sweet yellow flesh. It is an all-purpose plum that is excellent for drying and great eaten fresh, canned, or incorporated into baking, desserts, or salads. 

History: Liberty was developed by the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, NY, in 1955 and released in 1978. It is a cross between Macoun and a Japanese crabapple (Malus floribunda), bred in hopes of achieving the disease resistance of the Japanese crabapple. 

Why We Grow It: The creators of Liberty were highly successful in their goal, creating one of the most disease-resistant varieties. Liberty is a favourite for organic production as a result. The fruit is bright red with sweet, creamy flesh and it stores well.

History: Lodi is a cross between Yellow Transparent and Montgomery Sweet created at the New York Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, NY, and released in 1924. Although it is not suitable for commercial production due to its poor keeping qualities and tendency for the flesh to crack in storage, it is still commonly grown by homeowners in the southern US today.

Why We Grow It: If you're looking for an early apple to get started on making applesauce, Lodi is the way to go! These large yellow-green apples are ready to harvest by the end of July and do not bruise as easily as their Yellow Transparent parent.

Species: Prunus sp

History: These seedlings are grown from Lombard plum seeds. The parent variety, Lombard, originated in the US in the 1800s.

Why We Grow It: Seedling fruit trees are a great way to add some diversity and mystery to your garden or orchard! Lombard is decent for fresh eating and good for canning and cooking. 

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.

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: 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.