Landscape Horticulture • HO-190-W Department of Horticulture Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service • West Lafayette, IN Fruits and Nuts for Edible Landscaping Michael N. Dana* Landscaping with plants which are both attractive and Figure 1. Fruit plants classified according to approximate food producing is gaining in popularity. However, select­ size. ing fruit- and nut-producing plants for an “edible land­ • Vine: Grape scape” is complicated by the added concern for produc­ • Low-ground cover: Strawberry tivity. Characteristics of size, form, and site suitability are no less important than ever, but in addition the designer • Shrub or bush from 3-8 feet in height: Blackberry must consider total potential yield and its sustainability, (erect), Blueberry, Currant, Elderberry, Gooseberry, Quince, Raspberry (all), Serviceberry fruit set, pest resistance or control, microclimate adapta­ tion, and fruit quality. As with any landscape design • Large shrub or small tree 8-15 feet: Apples (on process, the ultimate goals should be the definition of selected rootstocks, Apricot, Cherry (tart), Filbert, space and the enhancement of land for human use. Pawpaw, Peach, Plum (European), Quince, Service- berry Using productive plants to reach these goals is no small challenge. • Tree 15-30 feet: Apple, Cherry, Crabapple, Pear, Serviceberry Landscape Characteristics • Tree over 30 feet in height: Butternut, Chestnut (Chinese), Hickory, Persimmon, Walnut (Black), Walnut (Persian) Productive plants are no different from their ornamental counterparts in that they may be classified by size, notable visual characteristics, and potential function in landscape planting. Available fruit plants range in size Figure 2. Fruit plants classified according to interesting from the 12-inch tall strawberry to the 60-foot tall black landscape value. walnut and shagbark hickory. Their growth habits range • Attractive blossom display: Apple, Apricot, Cherries from the ground covering of the strawberry to the climb­ (all), Crabapple, Peach, Pear, Plums (all), Quince, ing of the grape, from the compact shrubbiness of the Serviceberry gooseberry to the picturesque irregular form of the • Attractive fall foliage display: Blueberry, Crabapple, gnarled old apple. Interesting winter bark texture is found Persimmon, Serviceberry on hickory, persimmon, and some cherries. Figures 1, 2, and 3 classify productive plants according to size, • Food source for wildlife: Blueberry, Cherries (all), landscape value, and potential use for special landscape Crabapple, Raspberry (Black), Serviceberry, Straw­ effects. berry, nut trees Potential Yield Figure 3. Fruit plants classified according to their potential A truly productive landscape yields quantities of produce for special uses. appropriate to meet the needs of the consumer continu­ • ously throughout the growing season. Factors involved in Covering arbors, pergolas, or other garden struc­ achieving this goal include potential yield of the various tures: Grapes (all) crops and the season of production. • Training into special forms or espaliers (candela­ bras, Belgian fences, etc.): Apple (dwarf), Crabapple, Annual yield or production in each year must be consid­ Peach, Pear (dwarf) ered. Table 1 indicates average expectable yields from • Growing in containers for patios and decks (Winter fruit and nut crops in addition to life span and typical time protection is necessary for container to avoid root to bearing age. Also, production over a period of years freezing.): Apple (dwarf), Blueberry, Crabapple, should be considered. For instance, some cultivars Currant, Gooseberry, Peach (dwarf), Pear (dwarf), (varieties) of tree fruits bear well only in alternate Strawberry Revised 5/01 Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service Page 1 of 4 Landscape Horticulture • HO-190-W years and thus provide a feast or famine situation. Fruit Set (Pollination) Golden Delicious and York Imperial apples are two classic examples of alternate bearers. When growing landscape plants for fruit or nut produc­ tion, it is important to recognize that for most fruit crops Continuity of production throughout the season is the pollination and fertilization are essential to the develop­ other critical factor in determining success of a productive ment of fruit on the plant. Certain fruit plants are self- landscape. In central Indiana, strawberries begin to fruitful, i.e. self-pollinating and fertilizing. Thus, a single mature in late May, and they are followed by cherries, plant or several plants of the same cultivar can produce currants, raspberries, gooseberries, peaches, and on fruit. Other kinds of fruit or nuts, e.g., apples, sweet through the season to the apples and nuts that may be cherries, hickories, are self-unfruitful, or cross-pollinating. harvested through mid-November. Thus a supply of This means that more than one cultivar must be planted if some type of fresh fruit or nuts can be available for a 6­ fruit is to be expected, unless the neighbors have a plant month period if suitable kinds are selected. Figure 7 is a of another cultivar within a few hundred feet. Figure 4 chart listing the sequence of harvest periods for fruits and indicates the pollination requirements for many fruit and nuts appropriate to Indiana. nut crops. Choosing several cultivars of a kind of fruit can also Figure 4. Fruit plants classified according to pollination provide for an extended period of seasonal production. requirements. The earliest apples are ripe in mid-July, and the latest • Self-fruitful plants (One cultivar or plant will produce ones are not mature until late fall. Likewise, blueberries fruit.): Apricot, Blackberry, Cherry (Tart), Currant, Goose­ may be harvested from July 1 until mid-August and red berry, Grape, Nectarine, Peach, Quince, Raspberry, raspberries from early July until fall freeze-up. Of course, Serviceberry, Strawberry. the freezing or other preservation of these fruits assures • Partially self-fruitful plants (Fruit production is im­ an even longer period of supply. proved by providing for cross-fertilization.): Blueberry, Elderberry, Pawpaw, Pear, Plum (European), Walnut Table 1. Yield potential of some fruit and nut plants. (Persian) • Fruit Type Annual Years to Years Self- and/or cross-unfruitful plants (Nut trees are often Yield Bearing of Useful cross-pollinated by wild trees.): Apple, Butternut, Cherry Potential Age Life Span (Sweet), Chestnut (Chinese), Crabapple, Filbert, Hickory, at Maturity w/Good Persimmon, Plum (American), Plum (Cherry), Walnut Care (Black) Apple semi dwarf 5-12 bu. 4-5 15-20 dwarf 1-2 bu. 3-4 10-15 Apricot 3-5 bu. 3-4 10-15 Pest Resistance or Control Blackberry 1.5-2 qt. 2 10-12 Blueberry 3-4 qt. 3-5 30-50 Butternut 1-3 bu. 7-10 40-50 The production of high quality fruit requires that the Cherry, developing fruit be protected from insects and disease sweet 1-2 bu. 4-7 15-20 organisms. Some of these pests can be lethal to the tart standard 1-2 bu. 3-5 15-20 dwarf .5-.75 bu. 3-4 10-15 plant, while others damage the appearance and quality of Chestnut, the fruit. One important option is the use of disease Chinese 20-50 lb. 7 40-50 resistant cultivars. For example, apple cultivars Jonafree, Crabapple .5-1 bu. 3-4 10-15 Prima, Priscilla, Redfree, and Sir Prize are all resistant to Currant 5-8 qt. 2 12-15 Elderberry 3-4 qt. 2 12-15 the disease apple scab. The cultivar recommendations in Filbert 1-6 qt. 3 30-50 Figure 8 include those cultivars which exhibit disease Gooseberry 4-6 qt. 2 12-15 resistance. Grape 20-30 lb. 3 25-30 Hickory 1-1.5 bu. 10-20 80+ Nectarine 3-5 bu. 3 10-15 The amount of effort required to maintain the plant is Peach 3-5 bu. 3 10-15 directly related to the extent of their need for pest control, Pear standard 3-5 bu. 4-5 15-20 and this is a factor that should be considered in plant dwarf 1-3 bu. 3-4 10-15 selection. Selecting cherries rather than apples as a tree Persimmon 25-30 lb. 4-6 50+ Plum standard 2-4 bu. 3-5 15-20 fruit crop, for instance, can minimize pest problems and dwarf 1-2 bu. 3-4 10-15 still result in a high yield. In general, nut crops are less Rasp- standard 1.5 qt. 2 8-10 demanding of care than fruit crops. Figure 5 gives an berry everbearing 3 qt. 2 8-10 indication of relative maintenance requirements for most Serviceberry 4-6 qt. 2-3 indefinite Straw- June bearing 1 qt. 1 3-5 of the fruit and nut crops suited for Indiana. berry everbearing .5 qt. .25 2-3 Walnut, Black 1-3 bu. 8-12 80+ Persian 2-5 bu. 6-10 40-50 Page 2 of 4 Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service Revised 5/01 Landscape Horticulture • HO-190-W Figure 5. Fruit plants classified according to degree of Figure 6. Fruit plants classified according to winter maintenance needed for fruit production. hardiness. • ° • Minimum maintenance (simple pruning, usually not Tolerate lower than –30 F: Cranberry (Highbush), more than one pest control application, adaptation to Currant, Elderberry, Gooseberry, Hickory (Shagbark), most soil conditions, may need screening to protect Plum (American), Raspberry (Red), Serviceberry, Walnut from birds): Butternut, Chestnut (Chinese), Crabapple, (Black) Currant, Elderberry, Filbert, Gooseberry, Hickory, • Tolerate –20 to –30°F: Apple, Blueberry, Butternut, Pawpaw, Persimmon, Quince, Serviceberry, Strawberry, Cherry (Tart), Chestnut (Chinese), Crabapple, Filbert, Walnut (Black), Walnut (Persian) Grape (American type), Pear, Persimmon, Plum (Cherry), • Modest maintenance (pruning, 1-5 pest control Walnut (Persian) applications, protection against rabbits and/or