RECOMMENDED FRUIT, NUT AND BERRY CULTIVARS
FOR NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS
Prepared by:
Drs. Nancy Roe, Calvin Lyons and Larry Stein
Extension Horticulturists, Texas Cooperative Extension
Cultivar selection is one of the most important steps in successful fruit
growing. A cultivar may perform very well in one area of Texas yet be a
complete failure in another area. For this reason, the Texas Agricultural
Extension Service has prepared this list (based on 800-900 hours of chilling)
to identify those cultivars which have demonstrated outstanding performance
in this area of the state for several years.
It is a good idea, if space allows, to include at least two cultivars of
each crop in the home fruit planting as one may do better than another in
certain years. In other words, put your eggs into more than one basket
as one cultivar may survive a late freeze better than another, etc.
Remember, fruit trees do not grow "true" from seed. Instead,
the desired fruit-bearing cultivar is budded or grafted onto a particular
rootstock which is well adapted to the soils of our area. Example: buds
of the peach cultivar known as 'Ranger', an outstanding fruit producer,
should, if planting in an acid sandy soil, be purchased already grafted
onto a 'Nemaguard' rootstock which has built-in resistance to certain nematodes.
The correct rootstock is just as important as the recommended fruit-bearing
cultivar.
Although fruit trees are traditionally planted during their dormant season,
healthy, well-rooted trees (except figs) grown in containers can be planted
all year.
APPLES (Malus pumila):
Cultivars: Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Gala, Holland, Jerseymac,
Mollie's Delicious, Fuji, Granny Smith
Rootstocks: mature tree size of any of the above cultivars can be regulated
by grafting onto one of the following:
dwarf tree: M-9 or M-26 rootstock
semi-dwarf tree: MM-111 or M-7 rootstock
full-sized tree: seedling rootstock
Cross-pollination: to ensure adequate cross-pollination and thus good fruit
production, plant at least 2 cultivars
Planting dates:
bare root: January 1 - February 15
containerized: January 1 - March 31
APRICOTS (Prunus armeniaca)
Note: Due to their early bloom date, most apricots are subject to spring
freezes. Many apricot trees produce fruit as infrequently as one of every
3-5 years.
Cultivars: Bryan, Hungarian, Moorpark
Rootstock to request: 'Lovell' for alkaline clay soils, 'Nemaguard' for
acid sandy soils
Planting dates:
bare root: January 1 - February 15
containerized: January 1 - March 31
BLACKBERRIES (Rubus sp.)
Cultivars whose canes are thorny:
Brazos, Womack, Shawnee, Rosborough
Planting dates:
root cuttings: January 1 - February 15
plants: January 1 - February 28
Cultivars whose canes are thornless:
Navajo, Arapaho
Planting dates:
plants: January 1 - February 28
CHERRIES, SOUR (Prunus cerasus)
Cultivar: Montmorency
Planting dates:
bare root: January 1 - February 15
containerized: January 1 - March 31
CITRUS, SATSUMA (Citrus reticulata)
Note: satsumas are not winter hardy in north central Texas. Thus, they
should be grown as patio or terrace container plants, in containers of 20
gallon capacity or greater. Move plants into a sunny location indoors when
temperatures drop below 26 F. When temperatures exceed 26 F., move plants
back outside into full sun.
Planting dates:
containerized: March 1 - April 15
FIGS (Ficus carica)
Cultivars: Texas Everbearing, Celeste
Planting dates:
bare root: February 15-March 15
containerized: January 1- March 31
GRAPES, AMERICAN (Vitis sp.)
Cultivars: Black Spanish, Champanel, Golden Muscat (These are resistant
to Pierce's Disease)
Planting dates:
cuttings (non-rooted): January 1 - February 28
rooted cuttings (1 year old, bare root): January 1 - February 28
containerized: January 1 - March 31
GRAPES, HYBRID (Vitis sp. - French x American hybrids)
Cultivars: Seibel 9110, S.V. 12-375, Aurelia, S.V. 12-309
(These cultivars are susceptible to Pierce's Disease; however, they have
lived for several years in many areas of the state where occurrence of this
disease is quite common)
Blanc Du Bois (resistant to Pierce's Disease)
Planting dates:
cuttings (non-rooted): January 1 - February 28
rooted cuttings (1 year old, bare root): January 1 - February 28
containerized: January 1 - March 31
GRAPES, HYBRID SEEDLESS TABLE (Vitis sp.)
Cultivars: Flame, Reliance, Himrod, Glenora, Venus (seed remnants)
Note: these cultivars susceptible to Pierce's Disease
Planting dates:
cuttings (non-rooted): January 1 - February 28
rooted cuttings (1 year old, bare root): January 1 - February 28
containerized: January 1 - March 31
JUJUBES (Zizyphus jujuba)
Cultivars: Li, Lang
Planting dates:
bare root: January 1 - February 28
containerized: January 1 - March 31
PEACHES (Prunus persica)
Cultivars categorized by period of the growing season in which they ripen:
very early: Bicentennial
early: Sentinel, Ranger, Harvester
mid-season: Redglobe, Milam, Majestic, Denman, Loring, Belle of Georgia
(white flesh)
late: Dixiland, Redskin, Jefferson
very late: Frank, Fayette, Ouachita Gold
Rootstock to request: 'Lovell' for alkaline clay soils, 'Nemaguard' for
acid sandy soils
Planting dates:
bare root: January 1 - February 15
containerized: January 1 - March 31
PEACHES, DWARF (Prunus persica)
Note: these are genetic dwarfs; they produce full-sized fruit on very dwarf
plants
Cultivars: Bonanza II, Early Golden Glory
Planting dates:
bare root: January 1 - February 15
containerized: January 1 - March 31
PEARS (Pyrus sp.)
Cultivars: Orient, Moonglow, Kieffer, LeConte, Ayres, Garber, Maxine, Warren
Rootstocks to request: 'Calleryana', 'Old Home'
Planting dates:
bare root: January 1 - February 15
containerized: January 1 - March 31
PEARS, ASIAN (Pyrus pyrifolia)
Note: Asian pears are susceptible to fire blight.
Cultivars: Shinseiki, 20th Century, Hosui
Rootstocks to request: 'Calleryana', 'Old Home'
Cross-pollination: to ensure adequate cross-pollination, plant at least
2 cultivars; or one Asian plus one regular pear cultivar
Planting dates:
bare root: January 1 - February 15
containerized: January 1 - March 31
PECANS (Carya illinoensis)
Cultivars: Moderate to intensive management situations:
Sioux, Pawnee, Desirable, Choctaw, Kiowa, Caddo, Cape Fear
Low management situation: seedling (ungrafted)
Planting dates:
bare root: January 1 - March 10
containerized: January 1 - April 15
PERSIMMONS, ORIENTAL (Diospyros kaki)
Cultivars with astringent fruit: Eureka, Hachiya, Tane-nashi, Tamopan
Cultivar with non-astringent fruit: Fuyu (Fuyugaki) Note: this cultivar
is more susceptible to cold; top of tree may sustain freeze injury during
some winters in north central Texas
Planting dates:
bare root: January 1 - February 15
containerized: January 1 - March 31
PLUMS (Prunus salicina)
Cultivars: Morris, Methley, Ozark Premier, Bruce
Rootstock to request: 'Lovell' for alkaline clay soils, 'Nemaguard' for
acid sandy soils
Note: 'Bruce' requires cross-pollination
Planting dates:
bare root: January 1 - February 15
containerized: January 1 - March 31
RASPBERRIES (Rubus idaeus)
Cultivars: Dorman Red
Planting dates:
root cuttings: January 1 - February 15
plants: January 1 - February 28
STRAWBERRIES (Fragaria x ananassa)
Note: plants must be completely covered with mulch (straw, dry leaves, etc.)
when temperatures drop below 15 F. When, in a few days, temperatures exceed
15 F., pull back mulch to again expose foliage.
Annual system (replant each fall):
Cultivars: Chandler, Douglas, Sequoia
Planting dates:
plants: September 20 - October 15
Perennial system (matted row):
Cultivars: Sunrise, Cardinal, Allstar (all of these cultivars are everbearing)
Planting dates:
plants: February 15 - March 15