Seeds for Fruit, Nut and Spice Plants
Check out our Papaya Seed Page for
Papaya ( carica ) varieties from around the world
Check out our
Complete Fruit and Nut Plant Growing Guide
Hops produce rich, heavily scented, green-golden fruit that is harvested in autumn. The flowers of Humulus lupulus contain the chemicals myrcene, myrcenol, resin, linalool, humulene and tannins, all used extensively in the pharmaceutical industy. Also, another common usage is flavoring for the beer industry.
Hops seeds can be slow to germinate. Use a process called "cold scarification" to encourage hop seed germination. A good method is to put seeds in an equal amount of moist sand and refrigerate from one to three months at about 41 degrees F. After that, plant the seeds at 68 degrees F. for one to two months. If the hops seeds have not germinated, put them back in the refrigerator and repeat the cycle. Decorative fast
growing vine, excellent for porches and screens.
And what is highly unusual for fruits, they are rich in essential fatty acids. This combination of protective, healing and nutritive constituents help explain the many benefits of this plant. It is traditionally used to treat diabetes, anemia, heart disease, impotency, abnormal menstuation, menopause and problems of the liver and kidneys. It reduces cholesterol, helps regulate blood pressure, and improves circulation. Black gojiberry is a spiny shrub found in dry areas from Turkey and Armenia to Tibet and northwestern China. It does well in dry, well-drained soils, and requires full sun. The seeds germinate readily but the seedlings are susceptible to damping off and control of damping off is necessary for best results.
Firethorn is a large, evergreen shrub that is cherished for its spectacular fall and winter display of scarlet fruits and ability to withstand dry and droughty conditions. Shooting long lanky stems in all directions, firethorn typically grows into a tangled mound up to 10 feet in height and 12 feet wide. It is armed with sharp thorns that hide among the dark,glossy green leaves. Clusters (corymbs) of small white flowers appear in spring. These are up to 2 inches across and are borne close together creating the appearance of nearly solid surface of flowers. In fall the 1/4 inch berries begin to ripen, their color mellowing from green to shades of red, orange, or yellow. These persist through winter and into early spring depending on climate and appetite of the local bird population. Under bright sunny conditions the berries are plentiful but expect smaller crops in shadier situations. The color of both leaves and berries tends to be darker in cooler climates. Culture: Not particular about soil and requires little or no supplemental fertilization. Landscapers love the firethorns for their fast rate of growth and ability to withstand drought and neglect. The shrubs ruggedness and disease and pest resistance makes this plant a very popular item in commercial landscapes.
This plant is suitable for growing up tall fences, arbors, and sturdy supports.A splendid and vigorous climber with reddish flossy shoots, when there young. The leaves are broad, ovate and large (3 or 5-lobed), up to 10 in. across (15-25 cm). In autumn the rather fine foliage turns a rich crimson and purple. This plant climbs by means of tendrils. This plant is attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds.
The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by insects. They bloom from May to July, and the seeds ripen from September to October. After the flowers the fruits appear, they are small (1-1.5 cm) colored purple to black, and they taste very good, making wonderful jelly.
Hardiness zones: 4-9. Even if it has small soil requirements, this plant prefers a deep rich moist well-drained moderately fertile loam. The plant does best in calcium rich fertile loamy evenly moist soils for best production and flavorful fruit. Vitis Amurensis succeeds in sun or partial shade; though a warm sunny position is required for the fruit to ripen. This vine is very hardy, tolerating temperatures down to about -40 degrees.
Note: These seeds need to be cold statified before
sowing.
We recommend using the Seedman's Cold Stratification
Kits for cold stratification.
This plant is recommended for covering tall fences and various supports as well as concealing unsightly buildings. It can suppress the growth of other plants. The growth form is that of a woody vine. There are well-developed tendrils that wrap around nearby plants or other objects to help the vine climb.
Mature vines have loose, fissured bark, and may attain several inches in diameter. Leaves are alternate, and lobed (there can be dramatic differences in the lobbing pattern from one leaf to the next). The lobes are generally sharp-pointed and there are also large sharp teeth along the margin. The leaves often have opposite tendrils or inflorescences; they are about 2-10 inches long and 2-8 inches broad, sometimes with sparse hairs on the underside of veins, and are glossy green on both surfaces.
The vine has large panicles of delightfully Mignonette scented flowers, a most unusual feature, in early summer. The inflorescence is 6 inches long and is loose, and the flowers are small, fragrant, dioecious, and white or greenish in color. V. riparia blooms in May or June and produces a small 6-15 mm blue-black berry (grape) with a bloom, seeded, juicy, edible, vinous-herbaceous in flavor (not foxy), but usually sour.
Hardiness zones: 2-9. The vine is extremely cold hardy and easily survives temperatures as low as 40 degrees below zero. The riparia vine prefers a deep rich moist well-drained moderately fertile loam. This vine does best in calcium rich fertile loamy evenly moist soils for best production and flavorful fruit. It will grow best in a calcareous soil. It will succeed in sun or partial shade though a warm sunny position is required for the fruit to ripen. This is an undemanding, drought tolerant and fully hardy species.
Note: These seeds need to be cold statified before
sowing.
We recommend using the Seedman's Cold Stratification
Kits for cold stratification.
Contact Us | Privacy Policy | About Us
Kiwis require special training and pruning to produce good
crops. When planted, the vines should be pruned back to 4 or 5
buds. From these a main stem should be selected and staked to
grow to the top of the arbor or trellis, usually 6-7’
high. The trellis should be strong to support the heavy future
fruit loads.
Kiwis are beautiful vines. Their vigorous spring growth is a
spectacular sight. Excellent for a privacy screen, they will
rapidly cover a fence and with support will cover a wall or
steep slope. Kiwis grow in a manner similar to grapes but more
rapidly. They are very high in Vitamin C. (Ten times as much as
lemons.) They are excellent for eating fresh and are a tasty
addition to salads and desserts. Ice cream, pies, jam and wine
are other ways to use kiwis.
Very interesting edible fruits, resembling a sausage in shape and reaching 4-5" long. May be grown in full sun or partial shade. All Akebia species retain their attractive leaves through most of the winter, are excellent for growing on walls, fences, trellis.
Best planted in a sheltered position. It can be trained up various kinds of garden supports, or alternatively, allowed to climb up a tree. Hardy to 24 degrees.
Sancoya is an edible fruit and medicinal plant in the Annonaceae family. It is native to Mexico, Central America, and parts of South America. Its common names include soncoya, ilama, and cabeza de negro. It has hairy leaves and large, strong-scented flowers. The fruit is rounded and 15 to 20 centimeters wide, and is covered with a felt-textured brown skin. The surface of the fruit has hook like projections. The pulp is similar in scent, appearance, and taste to that of the mango. It has many seeds.
The custard-apple fruit varies from heart-shaped to cylindrical or spherical, is beige to brownish red when ripe, and may weigh 2 pounds or more. The flesh is white and creamy, and is used to make beverages, juice, and ice cream.
Unripe fruit and leaves are anthelmintic (kills intestinal worms and parasites), and the seeds and leaves have insecticidal properties and may be somewhat toxic if consumed. Various parts of the plant are used in traditional medicine: a poultice from crushed leaves is used to treat boils, abscesses and ulcers; dried unripe fruit and bark are used as a remedy for diarrhea and dysentery. The bark is very astringent and the decoction is taken as a tonic and also as a remedy for diarrhea and dysentery; root bark fragments may be placed on gums for toothaches; and a tea made from roots is used to treat fevers (Morton 1987).
Easily grown container plant,
or zone 10 outside.
A small (2-4"), knobby fruit with soft, creamy white flesh often having a minty or custardy flavor. The sugar apple is extremely popular throughout the tropics, especially in climates where the cherimoya can not be grown.
Sugar Apple is relatively carefree. Being a tropical fruit tree, it'll reward you handsomely if properly watered and provided with enough light, warmth and humidity, together with a monthly feed. After harvesting of fruits, prune back long branches and thin its center of unsightly twigs. Check occasionally for mealy bugs and caterpillars.
Easily grown container plant, or zone 10 outside. 
The strawberry tree produces masses of beautiful white flowers followed by small fruits. Since the fruit takes 12 months to ripen, the tree carries both mature fruit and flowers at the same time and is then incredibly beautiful. This is a superb plant to grow as a specimen in a lawn, and it also grows very well on the sunny edges of a woodland garden.
Best grown in a rich, well draining soil for best results, though it will grow to some degree in most type soils, except for water-logged soils. Does well in full sun or partial shade.
The small strawberry shaped fruits ( hence the name )have gritty skin and must be fully ripe to be eaten. It has a sweet, delicate flavor that some people love, and others do not care for. The fruit can also be made into wine and is used to make delicious jams and preserves.
Grow this shrub in USDA Zones 7-10. It originally comes from western Europe and the Mediterranean region.
It is higher in protein, fiber, and carbohydrate. It has a much
higher content of amino acids in a good balance. It has mainly
unsaturated fatty acids, and is a good source of linoleic and
linolenic acids. It is a small tree, seldom taller than 25
feet. Grown in full sun, the pawpaw tree develops a narrowly
pyramidal shape with dense, drooping foliage down to the ground
level. In the shade it has a more open branching habit with few
lower limbs and horizontally held leaves. Pawpaw trees require
warm to hot summers, mild to cold winters, and a minimum of 32
inches (81 cm) of rainfall spread rather evenly throughout the
year, with the majority falling in spring and summer.
It can be grown successfully in USDA plant
hardiness zones 5 (-15 F/-26 C min. temp.) through 8 (15 F/-9 C
min. temp.)
Shading for the first year, and sometimes the second, is
normally required outside, and it is for this reason that
pawpaws are almost always found in nature as an understory
tree. Although the pawpaw is capable of fruiting in the shade,
optimum fruit yields are obtained in open exposure, with some
protection from wind (on account of the large leaves). Plant at
least two trees for fruit production, to ensure
cross-pollination. The soil should be slightly acid (pH 5.5-7),
deep, fertile, and well-drained. Good drainage is essential to
success. Pawpaws will not thrive in heavy soil or waterlogged
soil. In its native habitat the pawpaw has few pests of any
importance.
This is the tea produced commercially around the world. The tender, young leaves are used in the process of tea production.
Can be grown in tubs inside, or in cool greenhouses, outdoors in warm climates. Prefers moist, well drained, humus rich,
slightly acidic ( 5.5-6.5 )soil. We recommend maintaining a 2-3 inch deep mulch of shredded bark or leaves around base of plant.
Hardy to zone 8, can be grown in zone 7 with protection. To make green tea, pick only the top 3 leaves from new growing tips, spread and dry in the shade for 6-8
hours, then in an open pot, heat ( simmer ) the leaves, stirring frequently for about an hour.
Click here for an informative site on growing and making your own tea.
For black tea, you must ferment the leaves. USDA Zones 8 to 11.
Hardy to Zone 10 and higher for outdoors.
Full sun, grows to 8' in container, minimum temperature 50°F, blooms in spring. Germination about 75%.
Compound, odd-pinnate, dark yellowish-green leaves (each to 6-12" long) have 5-7, toothed, ovate-lanceolate leaflets. Leaflets grow 3-6" long. Leaflet undersides are downy and glandular. Rachis and petiole are pubescent. Leaflets are aromatic when cut or bruised. Leaves turn an attractive yellow in fall. Thin dark gray bark develops furrows and flattened ridging as it matures. Non-showy, monoecious, yellowish-green flowers bloom in April-May, with the male flowers in drooping catkins (to 6" long) and the female flowers on short spikes.
Female flowers give way to fruits (rounded nuts), but only after the tree reaches about 25 years old. Each nut is encased in a thick, four-grooved husk which splits open in fall when ripe. Nuts are edible for humans but can be very difficult to extract from the husks, hence the common name of mockernut.
Nuts are eaten by a variety of mammals including squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits, raccoons and black bears. Light colored sap wood of this tree gives rise to a sometimes used common name of white hickory. Genus name is a Greek name for walnut. Specific epithet means with short hairs in reference to the leaflet undersides.
The nuts are edible, with a sweet and delicious taste, making them an excellent staple food. Chinese Chestnuts are also a great source of nutrition, containing protein, vitamins, and minerals. What’s unique about this species is its resistance to chestnut blight, making it a better option than other species of chestnut. The tree also provides a significant food source for wildlife.
The Chinese Chestnut is easy to cultivate and prefers full sun and acidic, loamy soil. Get your hands on this highly valued tree and enjoy the delicious nuts it produces.
USDA Hardiness Zones 4 through 8, tolerating a broad range from cooler northern areas to hot, humid summers.
It is widely cultivated for its edible pods, and as an ornamental tree in gardens. The ripe, dried pod is often ground to carob powder, which is used to replace cocoa powder. Carob bars, an alternative to chocolate bars, are often available in health-food stores.
Carob consumed by humans is the dried (and sometimes roasted) pod. The pod consists of two main parts: the pulp accounts for 90% and the seeds for 10% of the pod weight.
Carob is mildly sweet and is used in powdered, chip or syrup form as an ingredient in cakes and cookies, and as a substitute for chocolate. Carob bars are widely available in health food stores. A traditional sweet, eaten during Lent and Good Friday, is also made from carob pods in Malta. Dried carob fruit is traditionally eaten on the Jewish holiday of Tu Bishvat.
While chocolate contains levels of theobromine which are toxic to some mammals, carob contains significantly less caffeine and theobromine, and is therefore used to make chocolate-flavored treats for dogs.
Carob pod meal is used as an energy-rich feed for livestock, particularly for ruminants, though its high tannin content may limit its use. Carob pods were mainly used as animal fodder in the Maltese Islands, apart from times of famine or war when they formed part of the diet of many Maltese. In the Iberian Peninsula, carob pods were used to feed donkeys.
The carob tree is native to the Mediterranean region, including Southern Europe, Northern Africa, the larger Mediterranean islands; to the Levant and Middle-East of Western Asia into Iran; and to the Canary Islands and Macaronesia.
Carob trees may be grown in USDA zones 9-11.
Very nice for a shrub border, hedge, screen, barrier or espaliered to wall. Cut branches with swollen flower buds may be forced indoors, making a welcomed winter flower arrangement.
Japanese Flowering Quince is a dense, broad-rounded, deciduous fruiting shrub or small tree. It typically grows to 5 to 10 feet tall and as wide. The leaves are finely-toothed, oval to oblong, glossy dark green to 3.5 inches long. Leaves may emerge in spring with a bronzy cast. 2 inch, scarlet to red and sometimes pink or white five-petaled flowers bloom before the leaves fully unfold in an often showy early spring bloom.
Flowers are followed by hard, dot-speckled, yellowish-greenapple shaped fruits (2.5 inch Quinces) that may acquire red tinges as they mature in autumn. The fruit is called Karin in Japanese and is very hard and astringent and very unpleasant to eat raw, though they do soften and become less astringent after frost (when they are said to be "bletted"), much like persimmons.
They are suitable for making liqueurs, as well as marmalade and preserves, as they contain more pectin than apples and true quinces. The fruit also contain more vitamin C than lemons.
Zones 5-9.
Considered to be among the easiest and hardiest of houseplants, coffee plant is great for both experienced and beginner gardeners. Not only is coffee plant care easy, but the plant itself is lovely and makes a wonderful addition to the home. Coffee plants prefer bright, but indirect, light. This means that they should be placed near a window but not directly in the window itself. They also cannot take temperatures below freezing and will not do well in temperatures that stay consistently below 65 degrees. Keep them away from drafts in the winter. When growing coffee plants, the soil needs to stay moist, but not soaking wet.
Also, make sure that both the soil and the pot your coffee plant is growing in has good drainage. The humidity around the plant will need to stay high as well. Setting your coffee plant on a water-filled pebble tray will help with humidity. Like many houseplants, a coffee plant will need less water in the winter than in the summer.
Plant coffee plants in a rich, peat-based potting soil with excellent drainage. Coffee plants prefer acidic soil, so if your plant is not thriving add organic matter such as sphagnum peat moss to increase soil pH. Coffee plants can grow in soil with a pH range of 4 to 7 but the ideal pH range is closer to 6 to 6.5.
Best suited for zones 8-9.
Kousa dogwood is an excellent small specimen tree for small lawns. Two outstanding characteristics are the four-petaled, white flowers that appear above the foliage in June and reddish-purple fall color. In the Midwest, this is a hardier substitute for the acid-loving flowering dogwood. The shallow root system will benefit with a layer of mulch to maintain a cool root environment.
Kousa Dogwoods are very showy for a long period of time as the flower bracts are showy longer than most flowers. They'll give you up to a month of display. The flowers precede the red fruit, which looks like a raspberry. Some people make jellies, jams and wine from the round red berries, or, leave the red colored fruit for birds! They'll be happy to snap them up for you without any fuss or muss.
best suited for zones 5-8.
Its ornamental appeal is highlighted by vibrant yellow blooms that appear in early spring, just before the leaves unfurl. These dense clusters of flowers herald the arrival of vibrant red, cherry-like fruits by mid-summer, which are both showy and edible, ideal for making syrups and preserves.
Cornus mas prefers moist, organically rich soils and can tolerate clay soil and deer exposure, making it a practical choice for gardens. With excellent resistance to common dogwood ailments and low maintenance requirements, it's perfect for hedges, screens, or as a standout specimen in shrub borders.
Its scaly, exfoliating bark adds character and texture, while its leaf display transitions through subtle shades from green to occasional hints of reddish-purple in fall. Historically cultivated in southeastern Europe for its nutritious fruits, Cornus mas is a hardy, appealing addition to any garden, offering ecological benefits and year-round interest.
American hazelnut is a thicket-forming native shrub, excellent for naturalizing, woodland gardens and shade areas. Showy male flowers (catkins) add early spring interest, dark green leaves turn a beautiful kaleidoscope of colors in the fall. The nuts mature from September to October, attracting seed-eating birds, such as blue jays and woodpeckers.
Also known as American Hazelnut. Good for Zones 4-9. Multi stemmed, branching shrub to about 10 ft. tall. Attractive,
pointed, toothed, dark green leaves. Bears loads of edible nuts in fall. Native to Eastern
US.
Can easily be grown in the garden, on a fence or trellis. It is an annual plant. One of the most interesting aspects of the plants is that when ripe, the fruits become spring-loaded missile devices, splitting and turning themselves inside-out to launch their seeds up to 5-6 feet away into the garden. This is quite the conversation plant.
While some quince can be eaten raw, its true beauty is in the delicious fragrance and rosy-red color unlocked by poaching or cooking them. Quince jelly is a natural, because of the natural supplies of pectin in quinces. Quince is also delicious added to apple or pear tarts and pastries and quince paste is an elegant accompaniment to cheeses such as manchego.
The fruit ripens in mid-fall and contain high levels of pectin, so are ideal for using in jams and preserves. The trees are attractive while in bloom and grow to about 15' tall at maturity. Hardy in USDA zones 4-9.
It is a deciduous tree that is native to Middle East and South Asia, especially from China and Japan. This tree can reach up to 90 ft (30 m) tall in warm areas, but will generally be smaller. (Up to about 30 ft -10 m- tall) it bears edible small fruits in autumn.
The leaves of the date plum are deciduous, and are about up to 4-5 in (10 - 12.5 cm) long.
Flowers - Flowers are small and yellow-green, and are dioecious. At least both a male and female plant will be required to get viable seeds. A pack of 10 seeds will usually produce both male and female plants, can be pollinated by other persimmons.
The date plum is a close relative to the persimmon. However, the date plum is a smaller fruit, as it is about 0.75 in (2 cm) wide. It is a globose yellow fruit that turns purple-brown when fully ripe. Like the persimmon, the date plum looses its astringency when fully ripe. The flesh is then very soft and rich in flavour.
This tree is frost hardy down to -15°F (-25°C) and less. It can easily be grown in USDA zones 5 and warmer. The date plum needs a fairly well-drained and deep ground.
The bark on older trunks is black and broken up into distinctive, regular square blocks. The female flowers develop into showy orange fruits, up to 2 inches in diameter, that are very astringent during maturation, but deliciously sweet when fully ripe.
Persimmon is native to eastern North America from New England, west to Kansas, and south to Texas and Florida. It is one of the most widely-adapted of trees, growing naturally in bottomland swamps, along stream banks, in upland forests, in fields, piney woods, and even dry scrub lands.
Prefers full sun, but also does well in partial sun. Highly adaptable, tolerates drought and even brief flooding. Hardiness: USDA Zones 6-10.
Wild persimmons and their seedlings vary greatly in fruit quality and size. Plant persimmon trees in the natural area of your landscape where their fruit will can be shared with wildlife as well as children.
When you gently shake a persimmon tree, the ripe fruits fall to the ground. If you have to pull the fruit off the tree, it will surely pucker your mouth inside out! Ripe persimmons are delicious out of hand, and can be made into puddings and cakes. Frozen, they satisfy like ice cream, while dried persimmons are like dates. Persimmon wood is prized for its beauty and extreme density, and used for golf club heads and pool cues.
Although its fruits are used in drinks and to make preserves,
it is more sought after for its white shoots and
silver undersides of leaves which give them an ornamental
appeal.
The pinkish flowers have prominent red stamens and are followed by plum-sized, yellowish green fruits that are amazingly delicious, highly aromatic, lightly acidic and remind of pineapple and strawberries. They are eaten raw or used in jams, juices or sauces.
Hardy to zone 8.
The fig is a picturesque tropical looking tree or shrub with a dramatic spreading habit. The breadth is often wider than the height of 15 to 30 ft (4.6-9 m) with equal spread. This deciduous, low-branching tree is usually single trunked, with pale, silvery gray smooth bark. In colder regions, figs are grown as bushes with multiple stems and branches close to the ground that are laid down and buried before winter. The Ficus makes an especially attractive specimen in the landscape. Plant one on an expanse of lawn, where it's graceful spreading shape and smooth twisting branches command attention in all seasons.
The alternate, long petioled, dark green leaves are broad-ovate to nearly orbicular in outline and may become 20cm(10 in) long and 10-20 cm (4-10 in) wide with 3-5 lobes. The upper surface is thick and ribbed while the underneath is finely haired .The leaves texture is rough and they can irritate skin.
The Genus Ficus is unique for bearing its flowers inside a nearly closed receptacle, or branch, which ripens into a fleshy fruit called a fig. The small flowers are produced twice in the season. The first ones (the breba crop) are produced near the ends of the shoots of the preceding flush of growth, whereas the second crop (the main crop) is produced in the axils of the leaves on the new growth.
The mature fruit is pear shaped and variable in size and range in color from a greenish-yellow to purple. The edible fruit is a hollow succulent receptacle with many ovaries on the inner surface, which may or may not produce seeds, depending on the variety.
Figs usually begin bearing fruit within two years and may bear twice per year. Figs grow nicely and will bear fruit when grown in containers where they can be artfully pruned to create a living sculpture to decorate deck or patio. This is convenient for two reasons: cold climate growers can move their figs indoors in winter and the plants can be removed from the patio when the fruit begins to (over)ripen. The edible fruit are extremely attractive to birds.
Hardy for zones 7-10. Note that with winter protection, it can be grown as far north as Zone 5. The Ficus Carica likes reflected sun, full sun, or part shade. Fig trees are tolerant of poorly drained soils and grow well in relatively infertile soils. When fully dormant, fig trees can tolerate temperatures as low as 10 to 15°F (-9°C). Even if frozen, figs often will restart from the roots and produce a crop the following summer. They are drought tolerant, once established. Figs responds well to pruning and can be espaliered or pruned heavily in the dormant season for size control and to increase the main crop. Water the tree every month or two while it is growing, and once or twice per year when fully grown. They grow much better with a monthly fertilizing program and deep watering twice a month in summer. 
Impressive large Ficus species which can easy be recognized by the myriad of fruits that are hanging from its branches almost the whole year round.
Popularly known as the Cluster Fig Tree or Goolar (Gular) Fig, this is native to Australasia, South-East Asia and the Indian Subcontinent. it is unusual in that its figs grow on or close to the tree trunk.In India the tree and its fruit are called gular in the north and atti in the south.The fruits are a favorite staple of the common Indian macaque. In Vietnam, it is called sung.
In the flowering season, the beautiful sweet-scented star-shaped yellow flowers can be found growing on the angles where the leaves grow on the branches. These in turn make way for the berry-like fruit that starts showing from December to April. The berry fruit is reddish brown in colour when ripe and ready to eat, is sweetish in flavour and has a fairly high sugar content.
A recent seed addition from Africa, we do not yet know zone requirements for this plant, so grow at your own risk!
Yellow Dragon fruit have an oblong shape and are slightly smaller in size than the more common red varieties. Their thick yellow skin is covered in small knobby protrusions, which when immature displays small spines that will naturally fall off as the fruit matures. Beneath the skin is a dense white flesh containing numerous petite, edible black seeds. Yellow Dragon fruit has a crisp, juicy texture and very sweet, tropical flavor with floral hints and no acidity.
Yellow Dragon fruit is typically eaten raw, either straight out of the skin or scooped out and cubed, balled or sliced. For the best flavor, refrigerate the fruit for 2 hours before preparing raw. Add to tropical fruit salads or serve alone as dessert. Yellow Dragon fruit flesh can be pureed and made into a sauce or syrup or added to smoothies and cocktails. Freeze the pureed pulp for sorbet or a granitas. Use the flesh to flavor pastries or other baked goods. Yellow Dragon fruit can be kept at room temperature for a few days and will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week.
The Yellow Dragon fruit has been used for centuries by the native people of northern South America. It was used for both medicinal and culinary purposes. It has only been since the early 2000s that Yellow Dragon fruit was approved for export to North America and Europe.
It is native to the northern region of South America, what is now Colombia and Ecuador. The fruits are still cultivated there, with Colombia being the largest producer, and are exported all over the world. They are also grown in Bolivia, Peru, and Mexico and in California and Florida in the United States. Growers specializing in rare fruits in the United States, specifically in southern California and Florida, grow Yellow Dragon fruit on a smaller scale. The Yellow Dragon fruit cactus has long extending stems that can grow up to 20 feet long and require some form of trellising or support to grow on. The cactus prefers arid tropical and subtropical climates and is fairly heat resistant and somewhat cold-hardy. Yellow Dragon fruits can be spotted at most markets and specialty stores and at farmer’s markets in Southern California and Florida.
Zones 10 and higer outside, can be grown inside in cooler zones if good light provided.
Hylocereus undatus is a vine-like cactus that is often grown as a night-flowering ornamental plant and as a fruit crop. The fruit is highly decorative, with a bright red skin, studded with green scales. The flesh is white, juicy and delicious in flavour, with tiny black seeds. Its exact native range is uncertain but is considered to be in Central America. Since the late twentieth century it has been widely planted on a commercial scale as a fruit crop in many tropical regions, particularly in Vietnam and other South-East Asian countries.
Hylocereus undatus is one of the most unruly species in the entire cactus family. It is a hemi-epiphyte, its fleshy, three-angled, jointed stems clamber over other plants and produce fibrous, aerial roots that cling to any available surface. In their natural habitat support is provided by trees, shrubs and rocks in the dry, open woodland of Central America and northern South America, where the species is thought to have originated.
Zones 10 and higer outside, can be grown inside in cooler zones if good light provided.
The leaves are small, leathery and bright green and are not prickly like other hollies. The flowers attract bees and butterflies. This holly can rapidly reach 10 to 20 feet tall and 8 to 12 feet wide, so allow proper spacing when planting multiples. It will form thickets unless the suckers are removed.
Though occasionally used for hedging, it is primarily used for landscaping. The wood of the Ilex vomitoria is heavy and hard, making it useful for turnery, inlay work, and other woodenware. The plant is also culturally significant: Native Americans used the leaves and stems to make a tea containing caffeine, a unique quality in a North American plant. Rediscovered in modern times, yaupon tea made from dried leaves is now commercially available. Add this picturesque and useful plant to your garden today!
Grow as a container plant or outside in zones 7-9.
With its purple flowers, attractive foliage and bright berries, Goji berry plants make a wonderful addition to your perennial garden.
Plant prefers full sun and fast-drying soils. High desert conditions are quite conducive. Goji plants are drought-tolerant.
A graceful shrub that bears large edible berries. The leaves are also edible when fresh and used in salads. A wine is made from the fruit that is said to prolong life. A perennial for zones 5-9.
It also improves vision problems and dizziness. In Kashmir it is used to treat blindness in camels. Studies have shown that black gojiberry protects against radiation and may help reduce the side-effects of radiation therapy. As well, the berries boost the immune system and help prevent or slow the growth of cancer.
Best sown in spring, kept in pots the first season, and then planted in the garden the following spring. Depending on conditions, plant will grow from 16-36 inches tall.
Based on its natural range we believe it is hardy to at least zones 4 to 7. It can be grown in warmer zones if provided with partial shade during the day.
Beyond their delectable taste, the plant offers numerous health benefits. For instance, the wood is perfect for an infusion that treats sore or weak eyes. The inner bark and wood treat ailments like malaria, debility, and menorrhagia. The root stimulates milk production, treats amenorrhea, and exhibits galactagogue properties. Moreover, the plant is famous for its ability to combat blood stasis, increase blood circulation, and alleviate conditions like cancer, especially in the alimentary system, lungs, and blood.
Native to East Asia, it grows up to six meters in height and can be cultivated for fruit. Try the myriad benefits Maclura tricuspidata Che offers.
USDA zones 5-9.
Location: Oregon grape holly is native from the northwestern United States on into Canada. It is widely grown as an ornamental.
Culture: Light: Needs shady conditions, hot direct sun will burn leaves. Moisture: Likes moist soil high in organic material, but adaptable. Hardiness: USDA Zones 5-9.
Propagation: Clumps can be divided.
Usage: This plant thrives in shady areas where selection of plants is limited. Can be used in entry ways and under roof eaves if adequate moisture is maintained. Looks great under a canopy of pine along with azaleas and camellias. Can also be used as an outdoor container plant.
Features: The bright yellow flowers are beautiful against the lustrous blue green leaves. The bright blue berries on dark red stems are even more striking. The grape like berries can be made into jelly.
Oregon Grape Jelly Recipe.
The Paradise Apple is more than just a sweet treat; it is a nutritional powerhouse. These fruits are noted for having some of the highest antioxidant levels of any apple species. High in soluble fiber, they are excellent for naturally managing cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
Historically, infusions from the bark and fruit have been used to treat fevers and digestive issues. Whether you have a sprawling backyard or a compact urban space, the Paradise Apple fits perfectly. Typically growing between 15–25 feet, these trees are easy to prune and maintain. Enjoy a stunning display of fragrant pink-tinged white blossoms in the spring and golden-to-red fruits in the autumn.
Thriving in USDA Zones 3–9, it is tough enough to handle cold winters and diverse soil conditions. The fruit is celebrated for its versatility in the kitchen: Perfect for Processing: Its lower juiciness makes it the premier choice for smooth, clean applesauces, pastes, and jellies.
Artisanal Ciders: With an "ancient heritage" profile, these apples add complex, traditional depth to home-brewed ciders.
Self-Cleaning: The fruit is naturally lower in astringency after the first frost, making late-season harvests a delight.
Planting a Paradise Apple is a gift to your local environment. Its profuse blossoms are a vital early-season nectar source for bees and butterflies.
The fruit provides essential food for birds and small mammals well into the late fall.
The fruit is a round or oval berry with a rough, brown, "scurfy" skin. When ripe, its flesh is yellowish to earthy brown with a grainy texture similar to a pear and a flavor often compared to brown sugar, caramel, or a malted milkshake.
Most commonly eaten fresh by scooping out the pulp. It is also used in smoothies, ice creams, jams, and syrups. Unripe fruit is highly astringent due to tannins and should not be eaten.
All parts of the tree exude a sticky white latex when injured. Historically, "chicleros" harvested this sap by making diagonal slashes in the bark to produce commercial chewing gum.
Medicinal: Traditionally used to treat various ailments. Leaf decoctions are used for coughs and diarrhea, while the bark is used as a febrifuge (to reduce fever).
Nutritional: The fruit is calorie-dense and rich in dietary fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and minerals like potassium, copper, and iron.
Timber: The wood is incredibly hard, dense, and durable. It was famously used by the ancient Maya for temple lintels and beams that have survived for centuries.
A slow-growing tree that typically reaches 30–60 feet in cultivation but can soar to 100 feet in the wild. It features a dense, rounded crown and glossy, elliptical leaves clustered at the tips of branches. Easily grown in tubs in cooler zones. Best suited for USDA Hardiness Zones 9–11. It thrives in warm, frost-free climates and can tolerate temperatures down to roughly 26–28 degrees for brief periods, although mature trees can survive short, light frosts.
Mespilus germanica, commonly known as medlar, is a small, coarse, rounded tree or large shrub with spiny twisted branching that typically grows to 20 feet tall. It is native primarily to woodland and scrub areas from southeastern Europe to central Asia. Five-petaled, white to pink-tinged flowers (to 2" diameter) appear singly in June. Fruit is a brown pome (1" diameter) with an open end that is crowned by persistant calyces. Immature fruits are hard and inedible.
For zones 5-8. Here is a YouTube video on Medlar Harvest and Bletting.
Medium sized spreading tree with a weeping habit, excellent shade tree. Birds love them too so make sure you cover them if you don't want to share.
The Himalayan Mulberry is fairly similar in growth habits and climatic requirements to the black mulberry.
Plants normally grow about 25 feet tall, but have been known to grow as tall as 70 feet, but that is rare. Trees are hardy to about 18-25F. Grows well in zones 6-10.
Its dense, round-domed structure filled with shiny dark green leaves offers a windbreak, while its young leaves and sweet fruits, varying from white, pinkish to purple violet, tantalize taste buds and make it an avian favorite. Not only does it offer great beauty and delicious fruits, but its inner bark has commercial use in paper and rope making.
Besides, this species, originally imported as food for silkworms, has deep roots in cultivation, dating back over 4000 years in China. Despite its wide naturalization, it still maintains its luster. In the world of botany, the White Mulberry is famous for the rapid plant movement of the pollen release from its catkins – the fastest in the plant kingdom. Grow this hardy, multipurpose tree to add value, function, and charm to your environment.
Trees are hardy to about 18-25F. Grows well in zones 6-10.
Yuriy75, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
It's said that if you like blackberries, then you will love mulberries. No thorns and it is easy to grow your own tree! Each tree produces succulent mulberries that are both delicious and nutritious and offer even more juicy flavor than blackberries.
The fruit grows in abundance from June to August. The berries ripen over an extended period of time, providing a delicious snack all summer.
These tress grow quickly, and in few short years uou can pick baskets full of large, black mulberries so sweet there’s no need for sugar, and mulberry lovers know this fruit is to be prized because its intense flavor is like no other. A lovely specimen tree whose fruit will keep you in jam and wine all winter long. Berries also freeze very well. One of the few trees that actually prefers heavy soil to achieve its lifespan of a hundred years or more.
Grows about 15 feet tall and spreads about 12 feet, does well in zones 4-10.
They are also referred to as Chinese bayberry, Japanese bayberry, Yangmei, or Chinese strawberry trees. The fruit is about 1 inch in diameter, with a round, knobby surface that varies form red to purple. The pulp is similar in color with a sweet and tart flavor. Each fruit has a single seed is about 10% of the fruit much like a cherry. The Chinese have been using the seeds, leaves and roots for medicinal purposes for centuries. The bark has also been used as a yellow dye.
The fruit can also be canned, dried, juiced and made into wine. Also known as Yumberry. This fruit has seen a dramatic increase in popularity over the last decade especially in Australia.
Hardy for zones 8 and higher. Does well in subtropical climates but can stand mild freezes.
Native Americans ate them, made tea of the bark, and chewed its twigs to use as a mild anesthetic and aphrodisiac. For zones 6-10.
The Olive is the king of "set it and forget it" landscaping. Once established, it is one of the hardiest trees on the planet. Evolution has polished this tree to thrive on neglect and minimal water.
Evergreen Elegance: Unlike deciduous trees, the Olive keeps its shimmering, silvery-green foliage all year round, providing a consistent "high-end" look.
Fire Resistant: Its dense wood and unique biology make it a naturally fire-wise choice for regions prone to wildfires.
Why plant a tree that only looks good when you can plant one that feeds you?
Home-Grown Harvest: Enjoy the unrivaled flavor of your own cured olives or cold-pressed oils—purer and fresher than anything in a store.
Ancient Health Benefits: Rich in monounsaturated fats and powerful polyphenols (oleocanthal), the fruit and leaves are pillars of the world’s healthiest diet.
Olive Leaf Tea: Even the leaves are a harvestable resource, packed with antioxidants for immune-boosting teas.
Landscape architects love the Olea europaea for its sculptural character:
Architectural Trunk: As the tree ages, the trunk becomes beautifully gnarled and twisted, turning into a natural piece of living art.
Versatile Sizing: From "Arbequina" bushes perfect for hedges to "Mission" trees for stately shade, there is a shape for every garden.
Olive trees are carbon-sequestering champions. They are exceptionally long-lived (often 500+ years), meaning the carbon they pull from the air stays locked away for centuries. By planting one, you are creating a permanent habitat for beneficial birds and pollinators.
Common Olive is generally hardy in USDA Zones 8–10, thriving in Mediterranean climates with hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. While drought-tolerant when established, they are sensitive to prolonged freezes, with severe damage occurring below 15°F (-9°C).
Passion fruit is widely grown throughout the tropics and subtropics. The fruit is produced on a woody vine from bisexual flowers. The fruit is somewhat tart, has a hard purple or yellow rind, and contains many black seeds. Passion fruit is commonly used in beverages. Grow on fences or trellises, or allow it to scramble over shrubs and trees. Can be grown in many zones as an annual plant if started inside in winter and moved outside in spring. Zones 9b and higer it is a perennial.
Flowers are greenish-white and purple, huge, up to 4-6 inches in diameter. The sepals are greenish-white, heavily speckled with purple spots inside, green outside. The petals are green white and heavily spotted with purple. The crown consists of four rows of filaments, white with purple stripes. The flowers are pendulous and very fragrant.
The fruits are oval or spherical, about 2 inches long and 2-3 inches wide. They are greenish yellow to light orange and the external shell is extremely hard. They are edible and taste of grapes.
The name maliformis name means "apple-shaped".
Vines are self-fertile, and should be grown on fences or trellises.
Fruit of the giant granadilla reach a length of up to 12 inches
and turn yellow when mature. The pulp around the seeds is used
to flavor ice cream and to make a cooling drink. In addition,
the flesh of this fruit is edible. The green fruit is boiled
and eaten as a vegetable. The fully ripe flesh is eaten alone
or in combination with such fruits as papaya and pineapple
It will easily adapt to being grown in a wide range of tropical and warm temperate climates. We think the Perfect Passionfruit has the potential to become far more popular than Passiflora edulis, which is a common sight in fruit markets worldwide.
The plants do extremely well in containers and are hardy in the landscape in USDA zone 9-11. 
It climbs by means of clinging tendrils and can be kept as an container plant. The long tendrils need lots of support for climbing. It may be grown as a houseplant in a sunny South-facing window. It has large scented flowers, from June to November, with pale lavender petals and purple filaments which are kinked at the tip. These are followed by sweet edible fruits which are yellow when ripe. The leaves are tri-lobed and 15 cm large. Pruning is a must to keep the vine healthy. Prune off less vigorous growth and occasionally prune back vigorous growth to promote flowering.
When established, and without care, the passion fruit can easily overtake other garden plants, shading them from sun. One of the easiest Passiflora to grow and has the best cold hardiness. Keep the atmosphere humid through the Summer and place in full sun, can tolerate partial shade. You may need to water your plants on a daily basis during the hottest Summer months. During the Winter the roots should be kept moist, but as growth will be much slower you will probably only need to water once a week, depending on growing temperature. It will do best in a loam based mix with a little peat moss.
Fertilize at least once every two weeks in the growing season.
If their pot is too large or if they have an unrestricted root run then the whole plant will simply get bigger and bigger but it will refuse to flower and therefore produce the fruits. By limiting the pot size you are limiting the ability to grow and this is seen as a threat, so the natural mechanism is to produce seed for the next generation. A suitably sized pot for an adult plant would generally be of 12 inches in diameter.
Hardiness zone 8-11.
The outer shell is hard and slippery, and has soft padding on the interior to protect the seeds. The seeds, which are hard and black, are surrounded by a gelatinous sphere of transparent pulp. The pulp is the edible part of the fruit and has a soft sweet taste. It is very aromatic and contains vitamins A, C, and K, phosphorus, iron, and calcium.
Winter Hardiness: 25-30° F
The Korean Pine is a popular ornamental tree in cold climates and is tolerant of severe winter cold, hardy down zone 4, possibly 3. It is also used for construction, furniture, and wood pulp. The seeds have medicinal properties and are used to promote milk flow in nursing mothers and as an analgesic and antibacterial in Korea. Invest in the versatile and unique Pinus koraiensis for your garden or for its many beneficial uses. Best for zones 4-8.
Black pepper plants make an attractive addition to your house or garden. Once grown, they develop dainty white flowers before producing fruit. The fruits will appear as clusters of round berries in a chain formation.
Conditions for growing black pepper plants require high temps, heavy and frequent rainfall, and well-draining soil, all of which are met in the countries of India, Indonesia, and Brazil where most of the commercial peppercorns are grown. Most growers in the USA grow these in containers inside the home or greenhouse. These warm loving plants will stop growing when temps drop below 65 degrees F. (18 C.) and do not tolerate frost; as such, they make great container plants. Situate in full sun with 50 percent or greater humidity, or inside the house or greenhouse if your region does not fit these criteria.
In its native habit of southern India, Black Pepper is an understory plant that climbs up trees and grows in dappled light. When grown as a houseplant, it needs moderate light in an east or west window and it should be placed directly on the windowsill or close to your light source if grown in a light garden. It does benefit from some direct sunlight but not hot noonday sun. Like other tropical plants, Black Pepper can be grown outside during the summer months and brought inside for the winter.
The flowers start growing at the leaf nodes of new growth. The small white flowers form pendulous spikes and then small, round, green peppercorns form in chains, which in time ripen to red. Growth slows down in the winter, yet it will fruit and flower year-round. The pepper plant can produce an abundance of peppercorns in a pot as small as 8-inches.
To fertilize, use a soluble or liquid fertilizer applied every two weeks when you water. Don’t over fertilize your black pepper plant, as a rule of thumb, the less light, the less often you fertilize, so outside in summer means more, inside in winter less.
The dried fruits are placed in a blender and the resulting flour is sifted and added to desserts, pastries, soups and even ice-cream. The dried pods are also nibbled on as a delightful snack. These trees are beneficial as Nitrogen fixers. They grow quickly and are extremely hardy. The variety offered here is one of the larger fruited forms from the Atacama desert in Chile.
In cultivation, Prosopis chilensis can take moderate freezes and severe droughts and can be grown in dry climates of USDA zones 8 to 10.
Seeds are easy to sprout but need to be scarified and soaked before sowing.
Prunus americana thrives in USDA hardiness planting zones 3 to 8 and prefers thicket, open field, or woody habitats which get at least 16" of rain per year and is often seen along roadsides and in pastures. It does best in well-draining soil and is a good choice for windbreaks and general landscaping beautification. Due to its bushy, slightly tangled foliage structure, this tree is a great choice to add visual interest to any yard.
They grow naturally in dry, sandy soils and, once established, need no supplemental watering.
Chickasaw plum grows 12 to 20 feet tall and 15 to 20 feet wide in an irregular shape. It is "twiggy" in nature, and has a scaly, almost black bark. Its branches are reddish with a thorn-like, small side branches. In February, March, April and May, small white flowers blossom, followed with yellow to red plums, up to 1" long. The flowers have five white petals with reddish or orange anthers.
Ripe fruits are slightly tart, but can be eaten fresh and can be made into jellies, desserts and preserves. They ripen in late summer. It requires low to medium amounts of water to grow, and dry, sandy or loose soil. It grows best in areas with regular sunlight or areas of partial shade.
Zones 5-9.
Manchurian apricot is typically planted in the landscape for ornamental purposes rather than for fruit harvest. It is now being planted in a number of cold winter areas because of its excellent winter hardiness to USDA Zone 3. Fruits can be used to make flavorful jams and jellies. Flowers are ornamentally attractive in spring.
So why not add the Mandshurian Apricot tree to your yard today? With its unique fruit and delicate flowers, it is sure to be a dazzling addition to any landscape.
Best suited for zones 3-8.
Reaching heights of 15 to 30 feet, Sweet Cherry tree thrives in full sun and prefers moisture-retentive, well-drained soils, exhibiting no tolerance for wet conditions. Gardeners celebrate this tree for its stunning seasonal transformations: fragrant white blossoms in spring, luscious red or yellow fruits in summer, and striking yellow foliage in fall. Its fleshy drupes, though smaller than commercial varieties, attract birds and squirrels, helping it naturalize beyond garden confines.
Perfect for edible gardens and pollinator-friendly landscapes, Prunus avium serves as an ornamental centerpiece. While it graces gardens as a parent to popular cultivars like the bing cherry, it stands proudly on its own, offering beauty and a touch of wild charm. Let Sweet Cherry tree elevate your outdoor space with its graceful presence and seasonal splendor.
Prunus avium (Sweet Cherry) trees generally thrive in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 through 8, though some varieties and sources mention a wider range, sometimes starting from Zone 4 up to Zone 8, requiring sufficient winter chill hours (around 700-800) for fruit production, but avoiding extreme winter cold.
The leaves of the Beach Plum are alternate, elliptical, and serrated. They are colored green on top and pale below, becoming showy in the autumn. The flowers have five white petals and large yellow anthers, measuring about 1-1.5 cm in diameter. The fruit is an edible drupe that measures around 1.5-2 cm in diameter in the wild plant.
Thriving in a well-drained, moisture-retentive, loamy soil, the Beach Plum does well on limestone. It prefers some lime in the soil but is likely to become chlorotic if too much lime is present. The Beach Plum requires a sunny position, but it can tolerate maritime exposure.
The Beach Plum has become famous in the United States, with Plum Island, Massachusetts and Plum Island, New York being named after it. Additionally, Plum Cove Beach in Lanesville, Gloucester, Massachusetts, and Beach Plum Island (State Park) in Sussex County, Delaware, have also been named after this hardy and delicious fruit.
If you're looking for a hardy and delicious fruit to add to your garden, the Prunus maritima - Beach Plum - is an excellent choice. Its ability to tolerate maritime exposure and its potential commercial importance make it an ideal addition to coastal gardens.
A very hardy shrub, thriving in USDA Zones 3 through 7 (or sometimes 3-8), tolerating significant cold, salt spray, sandy soils, and drought, making it excellent for coastal erosion control and challenging garden sites, though it needs full sun and good drainage.
This deciduous plant is a great addition to any garden as it attracts birds and butterflies and can be used as a specimen, shrub border, or informal hedge. It is fairly adaptable; it can thrive in full sun or part shade and in dry to medium moisture, well-drained soils. Shubert Chokecherry is also rich in antioxidant pigment compounds and can be used to make delicious jams, jellies, or syrups. Grow the Schubert Chokecherry in your garden and enjoy its stunning beauty and tasty fruit!
Grows well in zones 2-7.
Pomegranates are adaptable to many soil types, though they grow best in loamy soil with good drainage. The ideal climate is zones 7 to 12, with short, mild winters and low humidity. They may be grown in containers in colder places, and kept indoors or in a greenhouse over winter.
It is not necessary to prune your pomegranate trees, but it can help with ease of harvest, better fruit, and for a shapelier tree. Pomegranates naturally grow in bush-form, and produce lots of suckers. This is ideal for hedges or living walls, but not for most other situations.
Birds love the fruit. They are greatly favored by Black Birds and Cedar Waxwings, which have been know to strip a tree of all its berries.
Here is a link to a great web page about Firethorn and includes a recipe for Pyracantha Jelly.
Light: Full sun preferred but will grow in partial to fairly heavy shade. Flowering and fruiting will not be as heavy.
Moisture: Moist to very dry, well drained soil. Hardiness: Zones 5 - 9.
Usage: Pyracantha is often used as an espalier. Held flat against a wall, it can be shaped quite creatively. Because of its fast growth rate, sprawling, spreading habit, and ease of care, it can be used on slopes to great advantage requiring little maintenance or care. The wide-reaching stems may be pruned back as needed during warm weather as the shrub blooms on old wood. Even consider using it as an informal hedge! This will require some trimming and shaping for the first few years but the effort will produce impressively beautiful and secure
(thorny) hedges.
Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Common Pear grows best in a cooler climate and requires some winter chilling to bear fruit. This tree is a descendant of wild pears categorized as P. communis subsp. pyraster and P. communis subsp. caucasica. It is a tree of historical significance, with archaeological evidence showing its cultivation dating back to the Neolithic and Bronze Age. Common pears are best picked before ripening, and they store well when kept cold. Fermented pear juice is called perry, and in Britain, the place name "Perry" indicates the historical presence of pear trees. The European Pear is an exceptional fruit that has played an important role in human history, used for food, drink, and more.
For zones 5-8.
It is hardy to zone 6 and is not frost tender. It is in flower in April, and the fruit ripens in September. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in heavy clay soil. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil and can tolerate drought. It can tolerate atmospheric pollution.
Asian pears are cousins to the pears that are typically seen in grocery stores, but this fruit is similar to an apple and its many names reflect that characteristic. Other names that this fruit goes by are: Chinese pear, Japanese pear, Sand, Nashi, and apple pear.
Asian pears differ from the traditional European ones. These pears are usually round, firm to touch when ripe, and are ready to eat after harvest. Asian pears reach prime quality when they ripen on the tree, like an apple and peach. These pears will be crisp, juicy, and slightly sweet with some tartness, especially near the core.
Note: These seeds will require cold stratification, you may need to purchase our Cold Stratification Kit 
This woody, evergreen shrub grows up to 8 feet tall and about 10 feet wide with leathery, grayish-green leaves. Jojoba occurs throughout the Sonora Desert where annual average rainfall exceeds 5 inches. It extends beyond the desert into the coastal mountain ranges of southern California. Use jojoba plants as a screen, barrier, hedge, or desert revegetation.
Zones 9-11 or can be container grown in cooler zones.
Oval or egg-shaped fruits, are roughly 2–4 inches long and have a unique sweet-tart or tangy taste, often described as a cross between a tomato, passion fruit, and guava.
Reaches heights of 10–15 feet outdoors, but can be easily grown in tubs and brought inside during winter in colder zones. It features large, heart-shaped leaves and fragrant lavender-pink flowers.
The skin is tough and bitter, so the inner pulp is typically scooped out or the fruit is peeled before eating. Unripe fruits are slightly toxic. Used in both sweet and savory dishes, including juices, smoothies, jams, chutneys, sauces, and desserts. High in vitamins A, C, and E, as well as iron, potassium, and antioxidants.
In South America, leaves or fruit pulp are sometimes used as poultices for sore Thrives in subtropical to temperate climates (USDA Zones 9–11).
Requires full sun to partial shade and well-draining soil. It is sensitive to frost and should be moved indoors in colder regions.
Fast-growing but relatively short-lived (5–12 years). It typically begins fruiting within 1–2 years.
The pepino plant is a fairly hardy plant that grows at altitudes ranging from near sea level to 10,000 ft. in its native regions. However it does best in a warm, relatively frost-free climate. The plant will survive a low temperature of 27 to 28° F if the freeze is not prolonged, but may loose many of its leaves. The plant is small enough to be grown satisfactorily in a container in cooler zones.
The fruit of Pepino is often eaten ripe as a refreshing, quenching fruit after physical effort.
Its yellowish white colour, with speckles and longitudinal lines, and its purple colour in the ripe state make the fruit attractive. Its smell and taste are pleasant because of their typical mild aroma and slightly sweet flavour. Its nutritional value is low but it is recognized for its diuretic properties, probably because of its high water content (90 percent) and good iodine content, for which it is recommended for treating goitre. It also contains 7 percent of carbohydrates and 29 mg per 100 g of vitamin C.
It is grown in a manner similar to its relatives such as the tomato, though it grows naturally upright by habit and can thus be cultivated as a free-standing bush, though it is sometimes pruned on . Additionally, supports are sometimes used to keep the weight of the fruit from pulling the plant down. It has a fast growth rate and bears fruit within 4 to 6 months after planting. It is a perennial, but is usually cultivated as an annual. 
The fruit looks like a small orange but has a thick, leathery skin covered in fine, brown hairs (trichomes) that are rubbed off before eating. Inside, the pulp is bright green and juicy with a flavor often described as a refreshing, acidic blend of pineapple, lemon, and lime.
Beverages: The most popular use is for juice. In Colombia, it is the primary ingredient in lulada, a refreshing drink made with water, sugar, and ice.
Culinary: The pulp is used in jams, jellies, ice cream, and fermented fruit wines. In savory cooking, it can be added to sauces or meat stews for a tart kick.
Ornamental: Due to its massive, velvety leaves and exotic look, it is often grown as a conservatory or patio plant in cooler climates. Grows 5-10 feet tall outdoors in zones 9b and higher, but also can be grown in tubs in cooler climates.
Tamarinds are grown as ornamental shade and street trees, and
for the edible pods. The pods are fed to livestock, and the
pulp within the pods is used to make beverages, curries,
chutneys and sauces. Tamarind pulp is made into a soft drink
known as refresco de tamarindo in Latin America, and tamarinade
in Jamaica. It's also the basis of a popular drink in the
Middle East. Tamarind is used extensively in Indian and
Southeast Asian cuisine, and is an important ingredient in
Worcestershire sauce. The juice is used to pickle fish in
India. Several medicinal uses of tamarind are reported in
Grieve's A Modern Herbal. The fruit is said to improve
digestion, relieve gas, soothe sore throats, and act as a mild
laxative.
The tamarind tree is a beautiful, fine textured tree and it
makes an excellent shade tree in large landscapes. It often is
planted in public parks and as an avenue tree in tropical
cities. Best for zones 10 and up.
Highbush blueberries are widely recognized as one of the most nutrient-dense fruits you can grow.
Antioxidant Leader: They consistently rank among the highest of all common fruits and vegetables for antioxidant capacity.
Health in Every Bite: A single cup is packed with 24% of your daily Vitamin K and 14% of your Vitamin C, while remaining low in calories (only ~84 per cup).
Cognitive & Heart Support: Regular consumption is linked to improved memory, lower blood pressure, and better management of blood sugar levels.
Unlike traditional orchard trees, this shrub is beautiful enough to be the centerpiece of your front yard.
Spring: Delicate, creamy-white or pink bell-shaped blossoms cover the branches in late spring, attracting essential pollinators like bees and butterflies.
Summer: The glossy blue-green foliage provides a lush backdrop for clusters of deep blue, "sky-blue," or purple berries.
Fall: This is where the Highbush truly shines, with foliage that turns fiery shades of brilliant crimson, orange, and purple.
Winter: Its gnarled, upright structure and reddish twiggy branches create a striking silhouette against the snow.
Low Maintenance: Once you establish the preferred acidic soil (pH 4.5–5.5), these long-lived perennials can produce for decades with minimal pruning.
For zones 3-9.
Germination instructions are not on seed packets, click here for germination instructions.
Cranberries are native to North America do not need to be grown in a bog. Cranberries do require some soil preparation that is well worth the effort.
Cranberry plants can also be grown in large pots as ornamentals. These attractive, spreading plants are a unique addition to any garden.
With proper care, you can harvest berries the first year from the cranberry plants.
Zones 2-8 if grown outside.
Viburnums offer excellent support for birds and pollinators, and serve as host plants to numerous butterflies and moths. They tend to flower profusely whether or not pollination occurs. However, poor fruiting will happen if there is only one Viburnum available, so try to grow at least two somewhat close together. The edible berries can be used to make jams and jellies.
It can grow 15 to 20 feet tall and should be spaced about 15 feet apart. Hardy for zones 2-8.
The "Unkillable" Gourmet Fruit Tree: Jujubes are the ultimate "plant it and forget it" fruit tree. While apples and peaches require constant spraying and pruning, the Jujube is famously tough. It is naturally pest-free, disease-resistant, and incredibly drought-tolerant. Whether you’re dealing with scorching 40°C heat or freezing -30°C winters, this tree doesn't just survive—it thrives.
Why the Chinese Jujube is a Must-Have: The Best of Both Worlds: Eat them fresh off the tree for a refreshing, sugary crunch, or let them dry on the branch to transform into "Red Dates"—a chewy, sweet delicacy that lasts for months without refrigeration.
A Nutritional Powerhouse: Ounce for ounce, a Jujube has 20 times more Vitamin C than citrus fruits and is packed with antioxidants, making it a legendary staple for boosting immunity and promoting better sleep.
Compact & Ornamental: With its glossy, emerald-green leaves and unique, zig-zagging branches, it’s a beautiful addition to any landscape. It’s also late to leaf out in the spring, making it safe from those pesky late-season frosts.
Massive Yields: Even a young tree is a heavy producer. You’ll have more than enough to share with friends, dry for snacks, or use in gourmet desserts and teas.
The Investment That Grows With You: Unlike many fruit trees that take a decade to perform, Jujubes often start producing within just a year or two of planting. Because they are so long-lived (some trees live for over 1,000 years!), you aren't just planting a tree—you’re planting a legacy.
Stop fighting your fruit trees and start enjoying them. Plant a Chinese Jujube and taste the difference of a true "super-food."
Chinese Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba) is an exceptionally hardy deciduous tree, generally rated for USDA Zones 5–10. They are known for their ability to withstand severe winter cold and intense summer heat, making them a very resilient fruit tree.
| Returns
Serving gardeners since 1992
State of Mississippi Seedmen's Permit #C-391, Ohio 90152, Minnesota 20086777
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.JPG){kind=link}
_Lang_Cl_J_Weber_02_(23566768862).jpg){kind=link}