thanks. I'm not a fruit tree enthusiast, and know hardly anything about them. I am just trying to help out a friend who had mentioned possibly ordering one from TyTy, and naturally I'm trying to steer him away from those phoneys. I was hoping someone could recommend a top-notch, reliable fruit tree source. I've done a google search too, and checked out reviews on Gardenwatchdog & they all seem to have as many negative reviews as good ones. Does such a nursery exist?

Chills, here is Roger's list as of I think three years ago. I figure he wouldn't mind it being posted. I emailed him not too long ago asking for his latest list but have not heard back. Scott Li: Beautiful Chinese introduction by Frank Meyer. Large round fruit up 3 ounces in mid-August. May be picked at the yellow-green stage. Best eaten fresh. Best single tree to have. Early fruiting. Li 2: NEW! This came to me as Li, but the fruit and the tree itself are obviously different from the Li above. The fruit is very large and ripens several weeks later than the Li. Tree has one hooked spine and one dagger spine. LANG: Large, pear-shaped fruit - late ripening and must be fully red to be best. Some fruit may split and soften before ripening. Leave these on the tree to dry. This is the best for dried fruit. The tree is very upright and virtually thornless. SHERWOOD: A seedling plant from Louisiana. Fruit is very dense and excellent. The tree is very narrow and upright with leaves that are a weeping habit. Very late ripening fruit. SHUI MEN: From the TVA project in Tennessee. Fruit is elongated and excellent fresh or dried. SO: A tree of most beautiful shape. At each node of the stem the branch decides to go off in a different direction. Hence, very zig zag branching. Tree seems to be somewhat dwarfed. Fruit is early. SILVERHILL: An elongated fruit from Georgia. Very late fruit to ripen. Crops well even in northern Florida. GA866: One of the selections from the breeding program at Chico. Outstandingly sweet fruit with sugar levels approaching 45%! Large, elongated fruit. Excellent! SUGAR CANE: Small to medium sized fruit which are round to somewhat elongated. Extremely sweet and crunchy fruit but on a very spiny plant. The fruit is worth the spines! TSAO: From Pennsylvania with the fruit pointed at both ends. Tsao is the Chinese name for the jujube (actually "date" or "apple"). Excellent, sweet mid-season variety. GI 7-62: From the Chico Research Program. Fruit is round but flattened to an unusual shape. Excellent, sweet taste. A real surprise! It was named "Chico" by Paul Thompson of the California Rare Fruit Growers. GI-1183: Also from the research program. Excellent fruit of medium to large size. Late harvest. THORNLESS: Fruit similar to Lang but may not be identical to it. It is virtually thornless. ADMIRAL WILKES: From the Capitol grounds in Washington D.C. This plant is one of the progeny from the Wilkes expedition to the South Seas in 1842. Elongated like Silverhill and the very last to ripen. TEXAS TART: A high acid, tart fruit from the campus of Texas Tech University, Lubbock. Small, very sweet, raisin-like fruit when dried. TOPEKA: Collected from Mellinger's Clinic in Kansas. Very nice, crispy sweet fruit. Late harvest. ED HEGARD: From Alabama. Fruit similar to Lang and also virtually thornless. REDLANDS #4: Collected from an old homestead in Redlands, Ca. Very large, sweet, round fruit. Mid season. YU: One of the original introductions by Frank Meyer. Claimed to be one of the best eating jujube. FITZGERALD: From Georgia. Small, round fruit which are almost black when fully ripe. ABBEVILLE: From Louisiana. An elongated fruit on a very prolific plant. Loads of small to medium fruit. JIN: Excellent either fresh or dried. Mid season. PORTERVILLE: An unknown seedling from Porterville, CA. Fruit perhaps in the year 2000. HONEY JAR: A new Chinese cultivar with small but absolutely unique, sweet taste for use fresh or dried. ANT ADMIRE: Another Chinese cultivar with elongated fruit eaten fresh. Late season harvest. Excellent. SEPTEMBER LATE: Used fresh or dried--mid to late harvest. GLOBE: Very large, round fruit which are best dried. SIHONG: Excellent, large, round fruit--mid season. SHANXI LI: NEW! First time offered in US. Extremely lasrge fruit with great flavor. Plants only in 2004 MU: NEW! Introduced into the US by Frank Meyer nearly 80 years ago, then lost. Recently found in an obscure botanical garden. DON POLENSKI: NEW! Similar to Lang but a better, crisper flavor. 6 NEW RUSSIAN CULTIVARS: 1) Kitaiski 2, 2) Kitaiski 60, 3) Oo Sene Hun, 4) 29-16 TOC, 5) Sovietski, and 6) Ta Yan Tsao (probably Lang)

Freezing is probably the best method of preservation for all yardlong beans... I have done so for years, with great results. Blanching times can vary, depending upon several factors... so when you first begin freezing yardlongs (as with any new vegetable) you might want to do a test batch before freezing large quantities, and adjust the blanching time accordingly. Pre-measuring batches by weight will give the most consistent results. For me, to freeze 1 pound of cut yardlong beans, I blanch them for 3 minutes, then throw them immediately into cold water to cool them. Rapid transfer after blanching & quick cooling are especially important for yardlongs, to preserve their delicate texture. The strainer baskets in large pasta kettles are very useful for this purpose. Normally, my well water is cold enough that I just use cold running water (into a large kettle) for cooling. But for yardlong beans, ice water would not be a bad idea, to get the best quality. Stir the beans constantly for at least the first minute of cooling. Yardlong beans are very susceptible to freezer burn, so it is best to vacuum seal them for long-term storage. I first freeze them in boxes (with enough moisture left after draining for them to hold together) then vacuum seal the frozen block. I've used vacuum sealed "Red Noodle" beans that were two years old, and they still had most of their original quality.

Hello Peter- I believe Melia toosendan is a syn. for Melia azederach if so I can send you seed when it is ready or probably can find some small plants arouond. Robyn Have sent you an email about the others.