I tried Prok this season from a friends orchard and I wasn't impressed by the flavor as it lacked over all character and sweetness. However the texture was nice compared to some of the other american persimmons i've tried, as well as the size. It was definitely more firm than others. I have heard from some sources that Prok has some asian in it, but I don't know if this is true. Here is a picture of one: http://www.flickr.com/photos/25212487@N04/6224647515/in/photostream I also tried a claypool selection from another friends farm and again, compared to some of the other persimmons I've tried(which I'll explain next), it lacked over all flavor complexity. However it was sweeter than Prok. Here is a picture of that...unfortunately I don't remember the cultivar name, probably because it consisted of a few numbers and was easy to forget. Anyways, it was a claypool selection: http://www.flickr.com/photos/25212487@N04/6271281968/in/photostream My best american persimmon experiences were all at Oikos Tree Crops in southwest, MI where I spent several months examining the american persimmons trees planted there. All of which are seedlings from good selections, i.e. yates, morris burton, etc. Ken Asmus has wonderful seedling planting with over 500 mature trees. There is incredible variation in fruit size, color, texture, flavor, and ripening time. Some don't even ripen in some years. We are working on developing a selection of cultivars from this planting that will be grafted and hopefully available in the nursery trade. These will be some of the northernmost american perisimmon selections, which is great for folks like me in MI where ripening can be a problem. One tree in particular was a seedling of Morris Burton and had AMAZINGLY delicious fruit with very high sugar content and a delectable flavor with butter scotchy notes..by far the sweetest I have ever tried. The flesh on this variety was a rich reddish color...very beautiful. Here is short video of it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iofe3u5pruY&list=UUsSu_6ip07ywsY37D35Cm8w&index=10&feature=plcp Out of the seedling population we also found a tree that produces blue skinned fruit. And not just a touch of blue but very blue! Here is a nice picture of it: http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4083/5167939059_56e3a070e3_z.jpg If you're in Michigan or a similar climate where ripening can be an issue I would consider planting some seedlings from Oikos Tree Crops if you have the space. Sorry I don't have more info about specific cultivars, will have more to come. Cheers!

The fuzzy thing is a fuzzy kiwi, actinidia deliciosa. I prefer fuzzy kiwis, they produce more, larger, and tastier fruit, and fruit sooner. They should be hardy in your zone. The problem with it being unknown is it could be a male. Also the deliciosa and the arguta may not pollinate each other since the bloom may not overlap. Willis is not a highly rated nursery so its not surprising that so many died. Avoid them. You need to remove all that grass competition and put down some mulch to minimize weeds. It makes a big difference for small young plants. Don't over-fertilize, once kiwis get going they grow like crazy. In the first few years use a cup of 10-10-10 per plant, or similar. I use a handful of organic 5-5-5 on each of my plants. In terms of varieties, I like Ken's Red a lot. You already have that one. Make sure you get two males if you have that many kiwis, if one dies you don't want to miss fruit for 4-5 years waiting for the new male to get going. Arguta can take many years to fruit, my Myers Cordifolia has not fruited in 10 years. Kens Red took eight years for me. I would recommend getting a Saanichton fuzzy and a fuzzy male, and keep your other fuzzy and it can either be another female or a backup male. Saanichton has been my most reliable fuzzy kiwi, every year I get many fruits. Harvest them in November and put them in the fridge until February. Scott

I grow lots of salvias here, and am always on the lookout for new ones. My top two favorites (can't choose just one) are Guaranitica, Black and Blue, and Mystic Spires. Mystic Spires is much much showier. The spikes are big and fat and still navy blue after the blooms die. They began blooming by late May and will go until frost. They're a perfect size too: about two and half feet tall in full bloom. No staking required. They'd be perfect if they were hardy. But, on the flip side, they are ridicuously easy to start from cuttings, so I overwinter them under lights with probably 95% success. Black and Blue blooms almost as long as Mystic. It's drawback is it's almost too vigorous. I dig up clumps and give away or discard every year. The blooms are smaller than Mystic too, but the shade of blue they are is incomparable, and it makes such a wonderful contrast with the yellow-hued green foliage. Both are great. I am growing Purple Rain, Caradonna, and the one called germander (how I miss my mind!) this year. So far, I am very impressed with Purple Rain. It's starting to clump up and hasn't been out of bloom since I planted it. The germander has lovely silver foliage and the few blooms I have seen thus far are a beautiful blue. I have read it can be aggressive, so I am keeping an eye on it. Should have a stronger opinion next year. Caradonna has yet to bloom, but the plants were small. The very best salvia I grow, though, without exception, is Salvia farinacea, Victoria (and all her lovely sisters). It's an annual, but it never has a bad day, is never out of bloom, is never diseased, or insect eaten. It is pure joy from spring all the way to hard freeze. If it were hardy, it would be total perfection. I'm going to try overwintering cuttings of it this year, because it was dreadfully hard to find locally this year.

Cityncountry, I'm glad you're going to go ahead and try a tree peony. I believe that, like me, you'll be hooked on them in no time. I picked up a 'Feng Dan' on impulse at HD late one season and have been very pleased with it. It is not, so far as I know, a fancy variety, but the blossoms are lovely in early spring and it seems hardy as can be ... with leaf buds often just beginning to unfurl as early as February here along the New Jersey shore. I used to panic and protect it with a tipi of clear solar pool cover (which I'd have to remove during the day, of course, then replace at night) ... even putting some jugs of water in there to help with the temperature. This year that tipi was just too far back in the shed for me to access, so it was do or die for Dan ... and it's fine. Aside from having provided an ever-increasing number of blossoms every spring, this plant, for a small investment, has given me the courage to one day try a more expensive variety. FYI, our soil is very sandy, amended with homemade compost, shredded leaves and mushroom compost. Light conditions are mostly dappled shade with periods of full sun. Good luck and please keep us posted!