nanners, I placed one order with those folks, well over 12 years ago, and vowed 'never again'. I did not get any of your aforementioned varieties, however. I did get 'Black Giant' mulberry, which is nothing more than a non-descript row-run M.alba seedling, producing bitter little fruits that are anything but giant - but they do ripen from red to black. It worked well as a diversion crop to draw birds away from the cherries and strawberries, but it's going bye-bye this year. I do have a buddy in NV who bought a number of figs from 'em and actually got some decent plants, though I don't know if he got Patrick's Supergiant - I know he had 'Mystery X', which he sent wood from one time. Another buddy, in NJ, bought one of the 'Cannonball' black walnut seedlings. Still hasn't borne nuts yet, so who knows - will seedlings of the Cannonball tree produce nuts that are as big - and are the nuts themselves really big, or do they just have a really thick husk on them? Then, even if the nuts are big, what's the kernel %? He sent me some scionwood from it a couple of years back, but who wants to graft an unproven seedling BW - especially one from an outfit who's just as likely to have sent you just a run-of-the-mill BW seedling as one that actually descended from the 'Cannonball' tree(if such an entity even exists!)? Cold-hardy bananas? I suspect they're just Musa basjoo. Hey, I've got one growing here that was sent to me by a friend who's got it growing in MI!

fabaceae_native, I was really stumped by your post. I had never even heard of a pawpaw (except in Jungle Book, which of course is ridiculous b/c pawpaws would never grow where jungle animals are found). I did a search of GW and found a post that has a lot of information about local nurseries, but alas, only the serviceberry is to be found from your list. You should make a stop at Timberline if you are in the area. I'm headed there tomorrow to explore their fruiting, cold-hardy cactus. (http://coldhardycactus.com). His nursery is Timberline at http://www.timberlinegardens.com. Your post really stumped me because it had never even occurred to me to look locally for the plants on your list. Of your list I have or have had: - jujube - Am persimmon - goumi - mulberry - serviceberry - pawpaw Here is a link that might be useful: Your favorite seed and plant sources

I have and tasted the following fruits from the list: Aronia: Productive, bit too tart to eat fresh. wonderful to add it into juice. Plant is easy to grow. Chinese Haw: Sweet ,but not too sweet. little tart and sour. The source tasted like cranberry source we use in the Christman dinner. Very popular in China, although the fruit size is a lot bigger. Street vendors string a dozens of them on a long wooden or bamboo stick and coat them with sugar to sale to the kids as snack. Goumi: sweet-tart. My has small fruit, about pea size. Can be eaten fresh. The flower is sweet, pleasant. The plants is easy to grow. Japanese Raisin Tree: Tree itself can grow very tallll. The fruit is very sweet, but not pure sweet like sugar. Its sweetness has some other taste in it. I can't descrip the undertone taste . When we talk about the sweetness of the plants, for example, Stevia's leaves is very sweet but many people do not like the undertone taste. I vote mulberry the #1 favorite minor berry. The tree is easy to grow, the fruit is abundant, and fruit is sweet and juicy. It tastes better than raspberry, backberry or, other commercially grow berries. For people who are lucky in the south, Loquat is a good choice too. The tree is about 10-15' tall, the fruit is a bit smaller in a size of pingpong ball. When it is ripe, it is sweet and juicy. I have current grow in my yard. balck, red, and white. They can be eaten fresh but not particular good taste. It is better to juice them and mix them with other sweeter fruit juice. Another minor berry I like to grow is gooseberry. Pick Poorman. The fruit is balanced sweet and tart, very flavorful. It definately can be eaten fresh.

Bill, grafted Loquats (named varieties) are an excellent choice. The fruit from my Golden Nugget tree was superb. But they are prone to fireblight, which eventually killed my tree. They taste a lot like juicy Apricots, with a kick! Birds, unfortunately, love them! I probably will buy another one. It is a nice-looking tree. I grew mine in a half whiskey barrel, and it fruited very well. Isn't that book awesome? I carry it with me all the time and read it whenever I have a few free moments. It is endlessly fascinating! I have a Fuyo Persimmon, newly purchased. It is attractive and healthy, and supposedly the fruit is very good. I have not ever eaten a Persimmon though.. I also have a Guthrie Plum, but it is a regular Plum, (low-chill). It produced small, yellow fruits last year, nothing this year. My 7 Plum trees simply cannot bloom together to cross-pollinate! Lisa