Fruit Salad trees are grafted fruit trees in which each branch grows a different fruit. You may have heard of multi-grafted apple trees but what about a single tree that produces a full range of different stone fruits – peaches, apricots, nectarines, and plums?! That’s what we call a fruit salad tree because from one single tree you can make a whole fruit salad. Stone fruits are all closely-related members of the genus Prunus (which also includes cherries and almonds). That’s why they can all be grafted onto the same tree.
Fruit salad trees are perfect for packing as much production as possible into small space gardens. You can even grow them in large pots on decks and patios. They prefer full sun in rich, fertile, somewhat acidic soil with good drainage. Zones 5-9
You will need to pay careful attention to where you site your fruit salad tree. Keep in mind that stone fruits grow best in a climate like the Okanagan - hot, sunny, and dry. To minimize issues and improve yield you should think about what spot in your garden is most like the Okanagan with full sun, preferably all day, and good air circulation. Also keep in mind that where you live will also improve your chances as sunshine and rainfall vary greatly in the Lower Mainland and in coastal BC. Within the Lower Mainland places like Delta, Tsawwassen, Surrey, South Surrey, Richmond, and Langley will tend to be better places to grow fruit salad trees than the North Shore, Coquitlam, and Maple Ridge. Places like Vancouver and Burnaby can be fine but you need a sunny spot. Rainshadow climates like the Gulf Islands and Victoria will also be good places to grow fruit salad trees as long as you can provide the heat.
The varieties of fruit included on each fruit salad tree are:
Peach 'Redhaven' - An all-purpose, highly productive, self-fertile, freestone peach variety with a low level of fuzz on the red-blushed skin and delicious, sweet, firm, juicy yellow flesh. 'Redhaven' is the most widely planted peach variety worldwide because of its productivity and flavour. Flowers are pink and fragrant. Resistant to bacterial leaf spot.
Nectarine 'Red Gold' - An all-purpose, highly productive, self-fertile, freestone nectarine with dark red and gold skin and sweet, tangy, and juicy yellow flesh. 'Red Gold' is one of the most widely planted nectarines because of its productivity and flavour. Flowers are pink.
Apricot 'Tilton' - A productive and tasty apricot with sweet, mid-sized, golden fruit with a dark red blush on the skin. Self-fertile. All-purpose for fresh eating, freezing, drying, and canning. A classic commercial variety with great production and fruit quality.
Plum 'Peach' - Yes it's a plum but it's cultivar name is 'Peach'. This is a large, round, self-fertile, semi-freestone, European plum with yellowish red skin and sweet, yellow flesh. Very productive and great for fresh eating, jams, and jellies.
The rootstock for the Fruit Salad trees is Mustang 'Jefchum', a semi-dwarf variety bred in Manitoba hardy to zone 2. The eventual size of your fruit salad tree can be controlled with pruning but count on about 10-15 feet on average.
The Fruit Salad Trees will be about 5 feet high in 5 gallon fibre pots and cost 84.99 + GST.
Want to give a Fruit Salad Tree as a Gift? You can use this attractive form to give to that lucky person. They can also use it to pick up their own tree. Download it here.
The Fruit Salad Trees are expected to be ready for pick-up in late April 2018. We will email everyone before that date to confirm the exact time you can start picking up.
Planting Instructions: Slice some openings in the sides and bottom of the fibre pot and tear off the rim of the fibre pot. Plant fibre pot in the ground making sure that none of the fibre pot is showing above ground. Mix Sea Soil half and half with your existing soil and use this for filling in the hole. Take the excess soil and build a circular bowl around the trunk of your tree about one foot away from the trunk. Water in. Keep in mind that stone fruit require heat to break dormancy so they sometimes may not leaf out until May.
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Local Customers: You will be emailed in advance with the exact date when your order will be ready for pick-up. Pre-orders are held for 4 weeks after which time your plants are returned to general inventory and you will be given a credit at the nursery. No refunds are given.