Great New Fruits

Each year the list of mouth-watering summer fruits grows longer with new hybrids introduced and sometimes antique varieties making a come back. Home grown fruit is becoming increasingly popular among those who have memories of that delectable plum they tasted many years ago. “They just don’t sell them like that anymore.”

So here are some new varieties you may want to “discover” for yourself. “Sunburst” Cherry has extra large, sweet fruit of excellent flavor. Black when ripe, this tree produces heavy yields and is self-fertile.

“Double Delight” Nectarine has sensational fruit plus magnificent, double pink flowers. This dark red-skinned freestone is consistently rated as the best-flavored yellow nectarine with a sweet, rich flavor.

Just the word peach starts my mouth watering. But how about “Strawberry Free” Peach. This old favorite is very sweet, aromatic and juicy with superb, delicate flavor. The light cream-colored flesh has a strawberry blush and separates easily from the pit.

“Arctic Supreme” Peach is a two-time taste test winner. White inside with red-over-cream colored skin, the flavor is sweet with just a hint of tanginess. The large, clingstone fruit reaches peak quality shortly after picking in late August.

“Nubiana” Plum is a fruit stand favorite with its purplish-black skin and amber flesh. The sweet, flavorful fruit has very little tartness at either the skin or the pit. It is an excellent addition to the home orchard.

“Flavor Queen” Pluot is an exquisite new plum-apricot hybrid. With candy-like sweetness and a wonderfully pleasing flavor, this pluot looks almost like an apricot with its greenish-yellow skin and amber-orange flesh. You’ll have better luck in our climate with pluots than with apricots.

Who can resist a name like “Coffee Cake” Persimmon? The unique spicy-sweet flavor of this non-astringent persimmon evokes images of cinnamon pastries and hot coffee. Plant it near a “Fuyu” Persimmon tree for cross-pollination and an extended harvest.

Winter is the time to plant fruit trees of all kinds from bare-root trees available at local nurseries.

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