McIntosh x Longfield. University of Minnesota, 1943. Large, red-striped fruit with a sweet, pleasant flavor. Excellent flavor, good for eating. Good storage life. One of the most popular apples in Minnesota. Resistant to cedar-apple rust. Unsuitable pollinator for Connell Red.
The Frostbite apple packs a punch. It’s almost tangy, very sweet and juicy. Biting into it is almost like biting into a piece of sugarcane. Savoring its juice tastes almost like molasses melting in your mouth. By its late harvest season the fruit is only about 2 1/2 inches in diameter. At maturity, it has a striped, maroon-red skin over a gold-yellow background. Its firm and juicy, cream colored flesh, delivers small, intensely sweet bites. This apple is great for making cider.
Frostbite apple is extremely cold hardy. It has performed for decades in USDA Zone 3b (-30 to -35°F). This durability allows Frostbite to thrive in northern climates where very few good quality apples can grow. Frostbite has been a key apple in the U of M’s breeding program since the 1920’s. Its extreme cold hardiness and unique flavor make it an excellent apple to cross with other varieties. Frostbite is a parent to Keepsake and Sweet 16, and a grandparent to Honeycrisp.
A Bailey Nurseries introduction, this red selection of Haralson apple was discovered by Louis Lautz, an orchardist from La Crescent, MN. The fruit is redder and earlier than the standard Haralson, yet retains all the good qualities of Haralson: juicy, tart, firm, good keeper, extremely hardy, and fireblight resistant. This is an excellent variety for northern United States and Canada. Unsuitable pollinator for Haralson.
Malinda x Wealthy. University of Minnesota, 1923. Named after Charles Haralson, superintendent of the U of MN Fruit Breeding Farm. A natural, semi-dwarf tree that produces medium-sized red fruit. Hard, crisp, and tart. Good dual purpose apple. One of the most popular apples in Minnesota. Often bears fruit the first year. Prone to biennial bearing. Keeps well, will store until March. Fine hardy, winter variety. Unsuitable pollinator for Haralred®.
Keepsake x unnamed seedling. University of Minnesota, 1991. An exciting apple that is exceptionally crisp and juicy. Flavor is sweet but well-balanced. Excellent storage life, up to 7 months. Has been rated equal to or higher in overall quality than Haralson, Honeygold, or Keepsake in winter storage trials. Ripens in late September in Minnesota and stores like a late season variety. Has become an outstanding commercial and home orchard variety because of its explosive crispness, flavor, and storage life.
Exceptional flavor and crisp texture, much like its parent Honeycrisp, this early ripening variety features much smaller fruit. Perfect size for snacking or kids’ lunches, with a good balance of sweet flavors and a crisp, juicy bite. Outstanding variety for homeowners, flowering early in the season and ripening in late August, the fruit is best fresh from the tree, hanging on for an extended period.
Fameuse x Detroit Red. Ontario, Canada, 1870. A well-known, older apple that has a sprightly flavor and a medium storage life. Nearly solid, bright red skin. Heavy bearer. Good for eating and baking. Fruit tends to drop when ripe.
Rescue x Melba. Saskatchewan, Canada, 1979. One of the earliest summer apples to ripen. Well suited to very cold regions. A natural, semi-dwarf tree that is precocious and productive. Attractive color, small to medium fruit. Good cooking or eating apple. Very hardy. Keeps about 16 weeks in cold storage. Fruit must be picked before full maturity for storage or use.
Goodland x Mantet. From Manitoba, this apple stands out because of its superior cold hardiness. The flesh is white, crisp, and sweeter than Goodland. Delicious eaten out of hand and may also be used for cooking. Introduced by Jeffries Nurseries Ltd.
Sharon x Connell Red. Another example of the University of Minnesota’s expertise in the development of cold-hardy apple varieties. A cross between Sharon and Connell Red, SnowSweet® has a deliciously sweet, slightly tart taste. Slow to oxidize when exposed to air. Honeycrisp is a good pollinator. Above-average resistance to scab and fireblight.
Mantet x Oriole. University of Minnesota, 1978. Medium-sized, red-striped fruit. Flavor is sprightly tart and good for eating and baking. Good texture, semi-acid to sweet. All-purpose apple. One of the better early apples for northern locations. Short storage life.
MN447 x Northern Spy. University of Minnesota, 1978. Medium-sized, red-striped apple with crisp, juicy texture. Excellent sweet, unusual flavor, like cherry candy. Outstanding dessert apple. Fireblight resistant. Can be slow to come into bearing. Good success in Zone 3B.
A Triumph over apple scab! Created by crossing ‘Honeycrisp’ and ‘Liberty’, it has excellent scab tolerance with two different genetic forms of resistance. Taste-wise, Triumph™ is a pleasantly tart and well-balanced red apple with good storage life. Excellent for fresh eating. Blooming mid-season, the fruit will be ready to harvest in late September, similar to or slightly later than its parent ‘Honeycrisp’ and is hardy to USDA zone 4.
Russia, 1880. Skin is clear yellow and the flesh is white. Precocious and productive tree. Best used for cooking. Heavy producer. Pick before maturity for better storage life. Scab resistant.
State Fair x Minnesota selection. University of Minnesota, 1998. A wonderful new apple cultivar from the University of MN. At last, an early apple that is crisp and juicy! Best known for its excellent sweet-tart flavor. Has a much longer storage life than other early apples. Excellent for fresh eating and cooking. Ripens in late August in Minnesota.
Pyrus ‘Tawara Oriental’
This Asian pear, grown mainly for its edible fruit, has an upright oval form with glossy green foliage which looks great all season long. White flowers in spring make way to the unusual dark tan to light brown fruit, tasting like a cross between apple and pear, with crisp texture. Asian pear cultivars are partially self-fruitful, but better crops are set where two or more cultivars are planted together. Excellent for fresh eating or canning.
Baby Cakes® is a dwarf, thornless blackberry perfect for container gardening with its compact habit. Spring and early summer bring bright white flowers. In summer, large, sweet berries present on top of the plant in a fireworks-like spray of fruit. The plant has a somewhat round shape with upright growth reaching 3-4 feet in height. In most regions, this blackberry will produce twice with a mid-summer floricane crop and a mid-fall primocane crop.
A mid-season blueberry. Considered by many to be the best all around variety for consistent yields, disease resistance, and high quality. It has an upright, open growing habit. One of the best garden blueberry varieties on the market today.
Vaccinium corymbosum ‘Blueray’
Mid-season blueberry. A heavy producer of high quality large, powder-blue berries with outstanding dessert flavor. The beautiful rose-pink flowers turn bright white in full bloom. Foliage turns a burgundy color in the fall. Does particularly well in areas with hot summer or very cold winters. Upright and open growing habit.
Introduced in 1996. Related to St. Cloud with fruit that ripens a week earlier than Northblue. A sweeter berry and more upright in growth habit than Northblue but with yields as high. A good plant for the home gardener with large dark blue fruit and good blueberry flavor. Glossy, dark green leaves turn bright red in the fall. Shown to be a reliable choice for home use in Zone 3, but will produce larger yields in higher zones.
Vaccinium corymbosum ‘Jersey’
This variety is a favorite for home gardeners wanting an easy to grow, heavy producing late season variety. The fruit is dark blue, small to medium in size, and very sweet in flavor. Excellent for baking. A reliable producer every year.
Introduced in 1983. Fruit is dark blue, large, and attractive with a good blueberry flavor and a pleasing sugar to acid ratio. Glossy, dark green leaves turn to a deep, bright red in fall. A good plant for the home gardener with winter climates similar to Minneapolis-St. Paul. Makes an ideal shrub for the home landscape. Shown to be a reliable choice for home use in Zone 3, but will produce larger yields in higher zones.
A sibling of Northsky introduced in 1988. Plants larger and more productive than Northsky. Recommended for commercial plantings and home gardens. Fruit 1/2 in diameter with an attractive sky blue color. Flavor sweet and mild. Mature plants 18-24″ high, 30-40″ in diameter. Fruits approximately 5 days earlier than Northblue and extends for 2-3 weeks. Partially self-fruitful. Shown to be a reliable choice for home use in Zone 3, but will produce larger yields in higher zones.
This cultivar was hybridized to adapt to northern Michigan. Fruit size is small, dark blue, and has a wild berry flavor. Mature plants are 3-4 feet. Northland has limber branches which do not break under heavy snow loads and adapt well to the sub-zero climate. Great for ornamental use. Low stature and spreading growth habit make it an attractive landscape plant. Foliage is beautiful throughout the growing season.
Introduced in 1996. A very aromatic, firm berry with excellent flavor. Fruit will store up to 6-8 weeks. Fruit is slightly smaller than Northblue with yields of 80-90% of it. Shown to be a reliable choice for home use in Zone 3, but will produce larger yields in higher zones.
Introduced in 1990. Plants have a more upright growth habit than Northblue, Northsky, and Northcountry. St. Cloud grows to about 4 feet tall and 3-4 feet in diameter. Mature plants have averaged 7 pounds of fruit over the last 6 years in south-central Minnesota. St. Cloud ripens 4-6 days earlier than Northblue. The fruit size is about 3/4 as large as that of Northblue. Flavor and firmness is superior to Northblue and similar to Northcountry. Shown to be a reliable choice for home use in Zone 3, but will produce larger yields in higher zones.
Superior is a most productive cultivar with firm berries that are light to medium blue, having flavor that is balanced and pleasant. Superior matures the majority of its fruit about 1 week later than other blueberry varieties.
Deep, dark red fruit 1″ in diameter and excellent for baking and fresh eating. The fruit is much sweeter than other sour cherries. Extremely hardy buds.
From Wisconsin orchardist Bill Eubank, this new sour pie cherry has the sweetest tasting cherries we’ve ever sampled. Although, not quite for fresh eating like a ‘Bing’, they are fantastic for jams, jellies, and pies. With its compact size, this is a great tree for the home garden or small orchard.
Long-stemmed, red-fleshed fruits with sugar content halfway between pie cherries and Bing cherries. Pyramidal tree grows to a height of 12 feet. Fruit resembles Meteor but pit is smaller. Blooms in early May.
A Chicagoland Grows introduction with excellent form and a good growth rate. Redwing® has something for every season: the new spring foliage is tinted a nice red color, white flowers appear in mid to late May followed by ornamental clusters of persistent bright red fruit from late fall through early winter. The fall color is a stunning brilliant red. Here at the nursery we have been especially impressed with the berry display. A true V. trilobum, not a hybrid as many other cultivars are in the trade.
Sambucus canadensis ‘Adams’
White flowers in late June. Fruits, blue to black, in large clusters. Excellent for pies, jam and elderberry wine. Hardy native plant. Use in background and wildlife plantings. A clone of S. canadensis selected for its large fruit by William W. Adams of Union Springs, New York. Fruit set is normally improved when more than one cultivar is used, such as ‘York’.
1932. NDSU. Very productive. Pale green fruit becoming pink when ripe. Few thorns. Produces fruit on 2-3 year old wood.
Developed by the University of Minnesota and released in 1978. This is the most disease-resistant grape we carry. Vigorous. Green-white with high sugar content, good grape taste. Dessert and wine grape.
A red wine grape developed by the University of MN fruit breeding program. Hardy to -30°F and produces a very good quality juice for wine making. A vigorous grower with good disease resistance to downy and powdery mildew.
A fine hardy white grape suited for table use and wine making. Medium to large berries are produced in small clusters on very productive vines. Matures in Minnesota the 1st week in September. Originator, Swenson/Smith.
A red wine variety that combines cold hardiness (withstood temperatures as low as -36° F) and disease resistance with excellent wine quality. Open and orderly growth habit is highly desirable for efficient vineyard management. Typically produces two clusters per shoot, eliminating the need for cluster thinning. Tasters noted an attractive, deep red color, with desirable aromas of cherry, black pepper and spice.
SDSU. A blue grape, attractive, well-filled clusters average 4″ in length. Very productive, annual bearer. Berries are round, up to 1/2″ in diameter. Free of astringency, skin does not adhere to flesh. Most appropriate for the Dakotas and points further west.
Large blueberry-like tasting fruits are great for fresh eating, making jams and jellies, or baked into pies. This vigorous variety is perfect for backyard gardeners or for a full orchard. Use as a pollinator for Tundra, Borealis and Indigo Gem. Hardy and drought tolerant.
Honeyberry’s taste has been compared to blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and black currants. You can eat them fresh, bake into pies, or make into jams or jellies. Borealis is an excellent source of antioxidants and Vitamin C. Needs Berry Blue or Cinderella for fruit set.
Perfect for any backyard or for full orchard, honeyberries are tasty fresh, on ice cream, baked into pies or made into jams or jellies. The flavor is reminicent of blueberries, blackberries, raspberries or black currents. Excellent source of antioxidants and Vitamin C. Pollinator for Borealis, Tundra or Indigo Gem for fruit set.
Tundra bushes are smaller, but the fruit is larger. Berries taste like wild blueberries with a hint of black currant. Great for fresh eating or making jams and jellies. Perfect for a backyard or full orchard. Use Berry Blue or Cinderella for fruit set.
Glossy round berries are firm, plump, and just loaded with vitamin C. The rich, berry taste is a blend of black currant and gooseberry flavor, sweet and satisfying. Fruits are abundant starting early July, usually the second year. Resistant to white pine blister rust.
Cold hardy and wonderfully ornamental, Trader White Mulberry is an everbearing fruit tree that produces sweet purple fruit that ripens over an extended period of time from early July to early September. Maturing to roughly 35 feet tall and 30 feet wide, Trader White Mulberry can be grown as a single- or multi-stem tree with beautiful heart-shaped green leaves that age to lemon-yellow in fall. The original tree, planted over 125 years ago, still produces fruit and remains unplagued by spotted-winged drosophila fly, which plagues many fruits.
An improved seedling of Ure pear selected for its improved vigor, chlorosis resistance, and iron-clad cold hardiness. Abundant white flowers in spring produce yellow fruits on average 10 days earlier than Ure. The foliage is an attractive, glossy green. Use Ure for pollination. Selected by Dr. Wilbert Ronald at Jeffries Nurseries Ltd. in Canada.
University of Minnesota,1934. The fruits are medium-sized, green, and often develop a slight red blush on the sunny side of the fruit. While most pears need to be picked at the green/ripe stage and then slow ripened off the tree, Parker is okay when picked fully tree-ripened as it does not have many issues with core rot like other pear varieties. Picking at the green/ripe stage is best to maximize storage.
MNRC – Recognized for many years as the hardiest pear from the University of Minnesota, released in 1985. Free of fireblight. An annual bearer. Fruit is pyriform in shape, 2.5-3″ in diameter and 3-3.5″ long. Blooms early in May. The fruit should be harvested in mid-August when crisp and still green with a red blush. Fruit harvested at that time is sweet and crisp, and may be stored up to 2 months. Use either ‘Parker’ or ‘Patten’ as pollinator.
Fruit is green-yellow, very juicy, and approximately 2 in diameter. Has sturdy branching. Good for eating and canning. Developed in 1978 at Morden Research Station. Approximate ripening date is August 15. Use Golden Spice as pollinator.
Blue European Plum. Good eaten off tree. Excellent for dessert, jam, and preserves. Tender, juicy flesh. Considered the best blue cultivar in Wisconsin and Minnesota.
Good dessert plum. Yellow flesh, sweet and juicy. Large-size, pointed fruit.
Red – ‘Burbank’ x ‘Kaga’ (P. simonii) 1933. Released by the University of Minnesota. One of the best plums on the market. Large fruit with dark red skin. Good for fresh eating, jam and jelly. Flesh is yellow, sweet and juicy. Heavy bearing. Often sets fruit the first year. Use ‘Toka’ for pollination.
Red – South Dakota Experiment Station introduction, 1911. One of the best pollinators. A medium-sized, richly flavored variety with beautiful apricot color.
Very large berries with fine, mild flavor. Fruit quality is improved over Heritage, and Autumn Bliss produces fewer root suckers than Heritage.
Bears fruit after 1 year. Medium sized berries, is winter hardy, and is great for freezing and jams. Aromatic and sweet flavor.
The classic Heritage is the best fall crop selection! This ever-bearing vine produces a moderate summer crop, followed by an abundant fall harvest of sweet berries. Unlike some, the fruit will not fall to pieces if picking is delayed a day or two; it stays firm and juicy. Excellent flavor for eating fresh or in jams. Deciduous.
Bears fruit after 1 year. Medium to large size berries, great for commercial and home use. Is winter hardy.
Souris is an improved red, summer-bearing raspberry. Compared to the old standard Boyne, Souris is slightly sweeter, more productive, and has better spider mite resistance.
Make room for this prolific producer of juicy raspberries! A classic, self-fertile, floricane variety that reliably yields firm, medium-sized, dark red fruit that ripens in midsummer. The slightly tart, juicy berries are great for jams, jellies, sauces, and baking. Small white flowers precede fruit on erect canes. Deciduous.
Bright red stems are delicious for sauces and pies. One of the sweetest of the red rhubarb. Perennial.
This vigorous heirloom rhubarb stands out from other varieties with its bright red color and large stems. The thick stalks are perfect for pies, sauces, and preserves. The tart flavor is great to combine with sweet strawberries. The skin is tender, requires no peeling, and has wonderful flavor and appearance when cooked. The stalks are crimson red and shade to green on the inside. This hardy variety requires little care and yields increase every year.
Is a June bearing plant and ripens mid-season. Excellent flavor and a high yeild of berries. Bears fruit 1 year after planting, large berries. Good choice for commercial and home use.
‘Eversweet’ yields continuous harvests of large, sweet strawberries throughout spring, summer and fall. Especially tasty, bright-red cone-shaped berries can be enjoyed fresh or frozen. Well-adapted, disease-resistant plants tolerate temperatures over 100 degrees with undiminished fruit flavor and quality.