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!

All the congregation is North American Indians? There are hundreds of Ilex opaca cultivars but no dwarf one springs to mind as prominent. Presumably there are some but since other American species (I. vomitoria, I. densa) do have familiar dwarf cultivars (or are comparatively small-growing to begin with) maybe that would be the direction to go in. You don't say what State you are in. There may be web sites or even a book (or pamphlet) that talks about native shrubs for landscaping in your State. If the committee wants to be really Catholic--so to speak--about it they will trying to limit the landscaping to kinds native to your State.

The dwarf Yaupon Holly is a selection of the native species, Ilex vomitoria and is usually identified by a cultivar name, such as 'Nana' (female), 'Stoke's Dwarf' or 'Shillings' (male). It is not recognized as a hybrid with any other species. Below is a link to the UARK description of the species and cultivars. When purchasing Dwarf Yaupon's, be sure the native species name is listed on the tags/markers and that it came from a reputable grower. A nearly identical dwarf Japanese Holly, Ilex crenata cultivar is sometimes labeled and sold as Yaupon Holly. The native Yaupon is more heat tolerant, but less cold tolerant, than the Japanese species Rb Here is a link that might be useful: Yaupon Holly, Ilex vomitoria

Many cultivars are simply natural variations that have been chosen because someone liked the variations better - ie. bigger flower, smaller plant, disease resistance, unusual color, etc. This selection IS the native species - pure as the driven snow. The selection is then named and propagated. Sometimes the variation carries through to it's seed descentdents. (White flowered forms are frequently like this.) Sometimes it doesnt and then the variation must be maintained by asexual propagation like cuttings or divisions of the original plant. The results are still pure native species. There is only one concern in planting that named selection, and that is a narrowing of the genetic database. For example, one author I know recommends Acer rubrum Red Sunset as being the best selection for our growing area. However, in the interests of genetic variety, he plants some of the other selections also. All of the above ONLY applies to naturally occuring variations. If a hortorculturalist made several selections based on, say, larger flowers, and then crossed those plants with each other other and continued to make selections and breed for flower size, the result of this breeding program is still PURE native species, genetically. But, but, but I might not call it native anymore. The form and grace of the wild plant may have been lost. Other traits may have been so neglected in the breeding program that it cannot survive in the wild (double flowers are frequently sterile). But genetically, it is still a native plant as long as no other species was introduced in the breeding program. The monarda selections are an interesting question - apparently SOME of the cultivars are not straight species. However, others are - they have been selected for disease resistance as well as color. I think disease resistance is an excellent quality, So I fudge. I include my monarda cvs on my native plant list, but they have an asterisk.