City Fruit | Grow: Selecting Fruit Varieties

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This article is written by John Reardon, Seattle Tree Fruit Society

Pick fruit that will ripen here in the Pacific Northwest. This is not Eastern Washington, which is a sunny desert with “added water”. Don’t select the latest ripening apple, grape, or pear-apple varieties or exotic fruit from hot climates.

Almost anything will “grow” here in the Pacific Northwest, but because of our cooler summers, not all will be successfully pollinated or ripen well. Some varieties flower too early, and because pollinators won’t fly in the rain, the fruit doesn’t set. Other fruits, such as peaches, have severe fungal problems.

You must be willing to experiment and remove what is unsuccessful in your microclimate in order to find the few that do best. Ask the nursery for advice. Raintree, Burnt Ridge and Hartman’s are three local and experienced nurseries where you can speak to the enthusiasts who own them. Raintree has a comprehensive catalog with information on pollination, cultural, soil and sun requirements and on pruning, ripening and planting specifications.

Fruit varieties popular in greater King County

Apples

Akane, Chehalis, Corail, Elstar, Empire, Fiesta, Jonagold, Gravenstein, Honeycrisp, Karmijn De Sonneville (unusually scab prone, but delicious), Liberty, Rubinette, Sansa, Spitzenburg, Sweet Sixteen, and Williams Pride all have had good comments. They have different flavors and characteristics. Taste them. Apples and Asian Pear-apples are subject to the Apple maggot and codling moth pests.

Asian Pear-Apples

These have varying flavors and textures. Except for the late-ripening varieties, they do well here. Plant what tastes good or try the Chojuro and Shinseiki.

Blueberries

If you have wet boggy soil, blueberries are for you. Visit blueberry farms in the Bellevue area using these links. The blueberry variety Olympia has great reports, and there are many other varieties to choose. Blueberries are nutritious, easy to eat and able to be included in any landscape. Try planting some of the natives such as Vaccinium ovatum, ovalifolium or deliciousum.

European Plums

The variety Italian Prune Plum leads the pack with many good reports, and yes, that is a variety name. Plant one for sure. They are good fresh or dried and are easy to care for, but may get a bit large.

Figs

Try Brown Turkey. Although these figs will not dry well, they are appreciated by those who like fresh figs. They need absolute maximum sun and heat exposure.

Grapes

Try Canadice and Interlaken. Most other grapes have trouble ripening here, but taste your neighbor’s.

Tips & Tricks

Select fruit that you have tasted and like. You can taste locally grown fruit at fruit tasting shows sponsored by various chapters of the Western Cascade Fruit Society including the Seattle Tree Fruit Society. The Home Orchard Society puts on a stupendous tasting opportunity each fall in the greater Portland, Oregon area. (It’s not to be missed and well worth renting a room and making it a two day event!) There are hundreds of fruit to sample, mostly apples and pears, all grown in the Willamette valley.

Consider pollination requirements. Read this review on fruit tree pollination. You need to be sure that your variety is self-pollinating or that two or more varieties are close enough (~ 50 feet) so the bees can transport pollen—otherwise you will get no fruit. Blueberries and grapes are exceptions. Some apple varieties are “pollen sterile” and won’t pollinate another variety.

Consider fruit pests. Apples attract the most pests. (Also, I hear that apples are sprayed with more pesticides, fungicides and herbicides than any other food crop worldwide. You are not the only critter who likes apples!) For a general introduction to problems in the northwest, click here: http://fruit.wsu.edu/. Funguses affect all plants but can generally be tolerated, or you can plant the more resistant or immune varieties of apples. I ignore apple scab, a fungal disease, to learn more click here.