Exotic fruits grown in Georgia

Tired of the same old fruit-blueberries, raspberries, peaches, oranges, grapefruit, apples, plums, kiwi, and the like? While these are certainly worthy staples, there are other less commonly grown fruits you may find nutritious as well as fascinating. This week we take a look at two exotic fruits grown in Georgia.

The American elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) is a large deciduous shrub that produces large grape-like clusters of small, black fruit in late summer. Native to central and eastern North America, the tree is drought resistant, winter hardy, and attractive when in bloom, with scores of small white flowers. The small berries may be eaten raw when fully ripe or made into jams, jellies, pies or wine. Green berries and stems should not be eaten since they are toxic.

Elderberries grow best on well-drained soil. Plants, which grow six to eight feet tall, should be spaced at least six to eight feet apart and fertilized every spring with about one-half pound of 10-10-10. Shrubs start to bear fruit a year or two after planting.

Elderberries are easily propagated by transplanting sucker plants growing around the base of the mother plant. Varieties of elderberries include Adams, John, Hohns, Nova, New York 21 and York.

Elderberry fruit contains more vitamin C than orange or grapefruit. Foliage is glossy green and virtually free from pests.

Another interesting fruit is the Juneberry (Amelanchier lamarckii). Juneberry is the common name for more than 25 species of small fruit-bearing trees or shrubs also called serviceberry, maycherry, shadbush, sarvistree, servicetree, Pacific serviceberry, Ssaskatoon, sugar pear, running serviceberry and Allegheny serviceberry. Most domesticated varieties have developed form the Saskatoon serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia).

Juneberry has a wide range and is extremely winter hardy. It is found from Maine to Iowa, and south to northern Florida and Louisiana. Others are found as far north as Canada and as far west as the Great Plains. Indians supposedly mixed the fruit with buffalo meat and fat to make pemmican, their chief winter food.

Juneberry is common and is valued as an ornamental shrub. It forms a large shrub 15 to 25 feet tall, sometimes growing to 40 feet under ideal conditions. Late April brings small white flowers as leaves develop. Leaves emerge as purplish in spring before turning green in summer. Fall foliage is highly colorful, ranging from yellow to orange to rusty red.

Fruit vary from the size of a pea to one-third inch in diameter. The fruit of downy serviceberry (A. arborea) is round and changes from green to red to purplish-black upon maturity. The fruit ripens in June and is slightly sweet and juicy with a mild flavor which some say resembles a combination of cranberry and blueberry. Birds consider them a delicacy.

Juneberry prefers a moist, well drained acid soil. It will tolerate full sun or partial shade. Propagation can be achieved through seed, but the seed must be chilled 90 to 120 days at about 40 degrees. Root cuttings can also be made. Improved varieties include Shannon, Indian, Success, Regent, Ovalis, Grandiflora, Prince Charles and Jennybelle.

Try these exotic fruits! You might like them!

Tim Lewis is a Georgia Green Industry Association Certified Plant Professional, gardening writer, former Perry High School horticulture instructor, and former horticulturalist at Henderson Village and Houston Springs. He and his wife, Susan, own and operate Lewis Farms Nursery located on Hwy 26 two miles east of Elko, where he was born and raised. He can be reached at (478)954-1507, timlewis1@windstream.net and at LewisFarmsNursery.com.