Unusual Fruits

Named cultivars of many fruiting species exist which are little-known in Britain. They have often been developed for specific climatic conditions, or have simply not caught on much outside their country of origin. At Gawmless End we are trying out some of these, because the exposed conditions tend to be difficult for better-known fruit species or cultivars which will nevertheless grow quite happily not far away at lower altitudes in the Rossendale Valley. Eventually these pages will include reports on hardier cultivars of common fruiting species which we have trialled. Meanwhile, we describe below some of the more unusual fruit trees which, while often as yet too young to have borne fruit, are growing well here.
See also descriptions of other unusual species grown here.

Trazel

Chinese Hawthorn

Mulberry

Sorbocrataegus

TRAZEL Corylus x colurnoides

A trazel is a cross between the Turkish tree hazel and the European hazel. Ours came from Clive Simms, who describe it thus:

(The Trazel) combines the best points of both parents to produce an imposing tree that bears good crops of quality hazel nuts which fall freely from the husk when ripe. Our plants are grafted onto seedling Corylus colurna rootstock which makes them drought resistant and non-suckering. They are productive and precocious bearers, but require cross-pollination. The cultivars we offer were all developed in British Columbia in the 1960s.

It is planted in a tree tube with common hazels and a Turkish tree hazel nearby.

CHINESE HAWTHORN Crataegus pinnatifida major 'Big Golden Star'

Ours came from Clive Simms, who describe it thus:

A very attractive species of hawthorn from northern China. The leaves turn bright red in autumn, and, unlike the common hawthorn, this tree has no thorns. The cultivar 'Big Golden Star' has been grown in China for many years specifically for its red edible fruits which are the size of small crab apples. The fruits can be made into syrups or preserves, or candied.

x Sorbocrataegus 'Ivan's Belle'

Another one from Clive Simms:

An interesting and unusual hybrid between Sorbus aucuparia (Mountain Ash) and a Crataegus (Hawthorn) made by the Russian plant breeder Ivan Michurin. The foliage is similar to the common mountain ash and turns an attractive red in autumn. The wine-red berries are about the size of a small cherry and are best used to make juice, preserves and sauces.

MULBERRY Morus alba x rubra 'Illinois Everbearing'

Another one from Clive Simms:

'Illinois Everbearing' is one of America's premier mulberry varieties. It originated as a chance seedling found in Illinois in 1958 and is thought to be a hybrid between Morus alba (white mulberry) and Morus rubra, (American red mulberry). It is fast growing and comes into bearing at a very early age. The sweet red/black fruits ... ripen over several weeks, hence the name. We imported the plant many years ago and have been impressed with its performance. Avoid planting near a patio, washing line or car parking space as the fruit is very staining.