TOP TEN Unusual Edibles The plants in this catalogue are available at Phoenix Perennials this year with many also available by mail order. Phoenix Perennials and Specialty Plants Ltd. 3380 No. 6 Rd. Richmond, BC V6V 1P5 604-270-4133 info@phoenixperennials.com www.phoenixperennials.com
p. 1 Asimina triloba 'Allegheny' Paw Paw Annonaceae (The Custard Apple Family) 5-9 'Allegheny' is an early ripener, very productive, great flavour with 1/2 pound fruits. Paw paw is an intriguing eastern North American (including southern Ontario) understorey tree with large, beautiful, subtropical foliage, red flowers and sweet, custardy fruits with a unique flavour like banana, mango and cantaloupe! All plants will produce fruit but you need two different plants for cross pollination. Red H 25-40' W 10' and Spring Asimina triloba 'Mango' Paw Paw Annonaceae (The Custard Apple Family) 5-9 Asimina 'Mango' is one of the most vigorous of all paw paws quickly becoming a small tree with large, tasty fruit with orange-yellow fruit. Paw paw is an intriguing eastern North American (including southern Ontario) understorey tree with large, beautiful, subtropical foliage, red flowers and sweet, custardy fruits with a unique flavour like banana, mango and cantaloupe! All plants will produce fruit but you need two different seedlings or cultivars for cross pollination. Red H 10-15' W 5-8' Spring Asimina triloba 'NC-1' Paw Paw Annonaceae (The Custard Apple Family) 5-9 'NC-1' is a Canadian selection that is early ripening producing abundant crops of large, flavourful fruit. Paw paw is an intriguing eastern North American (including southern Ontario) understorey tree with large, beautiful, subtropical foliage, red flowers and sweet, custardy fruits with a unique flavour like banana, mango and cantaloupe! All plants will produce fruit but you need two different seedlings or cultivars for cross pollination. Red H 10-15' W 5-8' Spring
Asimina triloba 'Potomac' Annonaceae (The Custard Apple Family) One of the largest fruits weighing 3/4 lbs. Delicious, sweet and richly flavoured. Paw paw is an intriguing eastern North American (including southern Ontario) understorey tree with large, beautiful, subtropical foliage, red flowers and sweet, custardy fruits with a unique flavour like banana, mango and cantaloupe! All plants will produce fruit but you need two different seedlings or cultivars for cross pollination. 5-9 p. 2 Paw Paw Red H 25-40' W 10' and Spring Asimina triloba 'Prolific' Paw Paw Annonaceae (The Custard Apple Family) 5-9 Asimina 'Prolific' is a precocious tree often bearing fruit just two years after planting! It is early ripening and produces abundant crops of medium to large, sweet, tasty fruit. Paw paw is an intriguing eastern North American (including southern Ontario) understorey tree with large, beautiful, subtropical foliage, red flowers and sweet, custardy fruits with a unique flavour like banana, mango and cantaloupe! All plants will produce fruit but you need two different seedlings or cultivars for cross pollination. Red H 10-15' W 5-8' Spring Asimina triloba 'Shenandoah' Paw Paw Annonaceae (The Custard Apple Family) 5-9 One of the largest, sweetest and most flavourful cultivars with one pound fruits. Paw paw is an intriguing eastern North American (including southern Ontario) understorey tree with large, beautiful, subtropical foliage, red flowers and sweet, custardy fruits with a unique flavour like banana, mango and cantaloupe! All plants will produce fruit but you need two different seedlings or cultivars for cross pollination. Red H 25-40' W 10' and Spring
Asimina triloba 'Susquehanna' Annonaceae (The Custard Apple Family) The largest and latest ripening cultivar weighing over one pound. Very sweet. Paw paw is an intriguing eastern North American (including southern Ontario) understorey tree with large, beautiful, subtropical foliage, red flowers and sweet, custardy fruits with a unique flavour like banana, mango and cantaloupe! All plants will produce fruit but you need two different seedlings or cultivars for cross pollination. 5-9 p. 3 Paw Paw Red H 25-40' W 10' and Spring Diospyros virginiana x kaki Nikita's Gift Ebenaceae (The Ebony Family) This unique hybrid of Asian and American persimmon bears bountiful crops of sweet and flavourful, reddish-orange fruit followed by strikingly beautiful, orange-yellow fall foliage. 'Nikita's Gift' is ready to eat when soft and tender like a ripe tomato. 5-10 Persimmon H 10-15' W 8-10' Summer Olea europaea 'Arbequina' Oleaceae (The Olive Family) 'Arbequina' is one of the most popular Spanish olive varieties used for gourmet quality oil and olives. It forms attractive, small trees that are naturally compact. The flowers are self-fertile and the fruit is early-ripening and borne even on young plants. 8-10 Olive H 6-10' W 3-5' Spring - Summer
Olea europaea 'Universal' Oleaceae (The Olive Family) From the Nikita Botanic Garden in the Ukraine comes this valued olive prized for its large fruit and high oil content. A pollinator is likely required. 8-10 p. 4 Olive H 6-10' W 3-5' Spring - Summer
4 Camellia sinensis Blushing Maiden Theaceae (The Tea family) This hardier selection of 'Rosea' is similar to 'Tea Breeze' but with pink flowers. It is a hardy ornamental shrub or small tree with dense, glossy, dark-green leaves used for making tea. Single, pink, fragrant, nodding flowers bloom from September- November. Leaves and roots are used in traditional Chinese medicine. 6-9 Shrubs p. 5 Camellia Pink H 2-15' W 3-5' Fall Full - Part Camellia sinensis Tea Breeze Theaceae (The Tea family) 'Tea Breeze' is a selection of tea from the Kunming Botanical Garden. It is a hardy ornamental shrub or small tree with dense, glossy, dark-green leaves used for making tea. Single, white, fragrant, nodding flowers bloom from September-November. Leaves and roots are used in traditional Chinese medicine. 6-9 Camellia H 2-15' W 3-5' Fall Full - Part Camellia sinensis Sochi Tea Seedling Theaceae (The Tea family) This hardy tea plant (Camellia sinensis) is from the area around Sochi, Russia where they produce the most northerly tea in the world. Tea from these plants is very aromatic and flavourful. The plant has bright green, dense, ornamental foliage. The flowers are white to creamy white. 7-10 Tea plant H 4-6' W 3-5' Fall
Citrus 'Eureka' Rutaceae (The Citrus Family) 'Eureka' lemon is a great, tart lemon perfect for cocktails and cooking. Grow your own citrus and gain significant bragging rights over your friends. In colder climates grow as a houseplant in winter in a cool, bright room. 9-11 Shrubs p. 6 Lemon H 4-6' W 3-5' Spring - Fall Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis Rutaceae (The Citrus Family) This unique variety bears striking fruit with fingers. The thick, intensely flavorful rind of this bright orange fruit is candied like orange peel or used as a delicious seasoning. 9 Buddha's Hand Citrus reticulata 'Owari' H 4-6' W 3-5' Spring - Summer Satsuma Mandarin Rutaceae (The Citrus Family) 8-11 Citrus reticulata Owari is a satsuma mandarin orange that is hardy outdoors in coastal BC! Plants form lush, tropical-looking, evergreen shrubs to 5-8 ft tall, bloom with white, incredibly fragrant flowers, and produce excellent crops of sweet, juicy, seedless fruit just like you buy in boxes at the supermarket but these you can pick off your very own tree at Christmas time! Plant against a warm wall. Provide overhead protection for the leaves and fruit in winter. H 6-10' W 3-5' Summer
Citrus x aurantifolia Shrubs p. 7 Thornless Key Lime Rutaceae (The Citrus Family) 9-11 Thornless Key lime (Citrus x aurantifolia) is a highly desirable lime - especially for pies! - that forms rounded fruits 1-2 inches across that are usually picked commercially while green but are ripe when they turn yellow. Key limes have a unique flavour with higher acidity, stronger aroma, a thinner rind, and more sweetness and bitterness than other limes. Outdoors in the warm months. Houseplant in winter where you should watch for spider mite and scale. Photo courtesty: Wikipedia. H 4-6' W 3-5' Late Spring Citrus x meyeri Improved Meyer Lemon Rutaceae (The Citrus Family) 9-11 The Meyer lemon is a cross between a true (tart) lemon and either a mandarin or an orange. The result is a fruit that resembles a lemon but is rounder with a skin that is darker yellow and fruit that is sweeter with less acidity. Basically, it's delicious. The flowers are sweetly fragrant. Meyer lemons can produce year-round. Grow outdoors in the warm months. Treat as a houseplant in winter. Watch for mites and scale indoors. H 4-6' W 2-3' Spring Ficus carica 'Black Spanish' Moraceae (The Fig Family) 'Black Spanish' is a dwarf tree that can be kept even smaller with pruning, very suitable for container culture. This selection is reliable and productive bearing abundant crops of dark mahogany fruits, very sweet, juicy, and firm that are great for fresh eating, preserves, and drying. 7-10 Black Fig H 6-10' W 5-8'
Ficus carica 'Chicago Hardy' Shrubs p. 8 Common Fig Moraceae (The Fig Family) 6-8 Ficus 'Chicago Hardy' is one of the most cold hardy figs available with a valuable early fruiting season compared with other cultivars. It produces brown, medium-sized fruit in summer with a rich, sweet flavour. It also has the unique ability to produce some fruit even when stems have been killed to the ground, though the greatest production will be from plants with over-wintered wood. A good container candidate. Also known as 'Bensonhurst Purple', this cultivar is originally from Sicily. H 6-10' W 5-8' Summer Ficus carica 'Desert King' Moraceae (The Fig Family) 'Desert King' is very productive and reliable, producing abundant, yellowish-green figs with sweet and richly flavorful, strawberry colored flesh. 7-10 Fig H 6-10' W 5-8' Ficus carica 'Little Ruby' Moraceae (The Fig Family) 'Little Ruby' is a super dwarf fig tree that happily produces in small containers or even as a bonsai! The fruit appears early, is reddish brown, sweet, and medium in size. This is the perfect fig to grow outdoors in warmer zones or to use as a winter houseplant and summer outdoor patio plant in colder zones. 6-10 Fig H 2-4' W 2-3' Summer
Ficus carica 'Petite Negra' Moraceae (The Fig Family) 'Petite Nigra' is a super dwarf fig tree that happily produces in small containers. The leaves have a unique growth habit. The fruit appears early, it is dark purple, and is medium in size. This is the perfect fig to grow outdoors in warmer zones or to use as a winter houseplant and summer outdoor patio plant in colder zones. Let's grow figs right across Canada! 7-10 Shrubs p. 9 Fig Ficus carica 'Stella' H 2-4' W 2-3' Moraceae (The Fig Family) Stella has sweet, striking, purplish-red flesh, and its ripe well in cooler climate. 7-9 Fig H 10-15' W 5-8' Olea europaea 'Leccino' Oleaceae (The Olive Family) 'Leccino' together with 'Frantoio' are the principal raw material for Italian olive oils from Tuscany. But due to 'Leccino's highly valued sweet flavour it has become increasingly popular to grow in other countries. It is one of the best cultivars adapted to cold growing conditions and is likely the hardiest of all olives. 'Leccino' requires a pollinator of another different olive. Grow in hot, sunny, sheltered positions. 8-10 Olive H 6-10' W 3-5' Spring - Summer
Punica granatum 'Salavatski' Lythraceae (The Loosestrife Family) Punica 'Salavatski' is the hardiest pomegranate cultivar. This is a multi-stemmed deciduous shrub that grows up to 10 feet but is easy to keep smaller by pruning. It blooms with trumpet-shaped, orangered flowers and produces orange-sized, globose, yellow to orange-red fruits. Shrubs p. 10 Salavatski pomegranate 6-9 Orange H 6-10' W 5-8' Spring Punica granatum 'Sochi Dwarf' Lythraceae (The Loosestrife Family) Pomegranate is a multi-stemmed deciduous shrub that grows up to 20 but it is easy to keep smaller by pruning. It blooms trumpet-shaped, orange-red flowers and produces orange-sized, globose yellow to orange-red fruits. 8-11 pomegranate Orange H 15-25' W 10' and Spring Vaccinium BrazelBerry 'Blueberry Glaze' BrazelBerry Blueberry Ericaceae (The Heath Family) 5-8 One of the hottest edible plants, BrazelBerries are dwarf fruit bushes that can be grown in containers or in the garden. 'Blueberry Glaze' is unique with a small stature and glossy, dark green leaves reminiscent of a boxwood. It can easily be sheared into an edible hedge! The white and pink spring flowers beautifully contrast the deep foliage colour. Small, dark (almost black) berries are held in little bundles in mid-summer. The small berries have an intense flavour much like wild blueberries. With their deep colour, these berries pack a healthful punch H 12-24" W 12-24" Spring Full - Part Shade
Vaccinium BrazelBerry 'Jelly Bean' Ericaceae (The Heath Family) One of the hottest edible plants, Brazelberries are dwarf fruit bushes that can be grown in containers or in the garden. 'Jelly Bean' is a prolific, dwarf blueberry producing bumper crops of large, tasty blueberries mid-summer with super sweet blueberry jelly flavour. Brilliant green new foliage emerges in spring giving way to darker greens with red hues throughout the summer and fall. Shrubs p. 11 BrazelBerry Blueberry 4-8 H 12-24" W 12-24" Spring Full - Part Shade Vaccinium BrazelBerry 'Peach Sorbet' BrazelBerry Blueberry Ericaceae (The Heath Family) 5-10 One of the hottest edible plants, Brazelberries are dwarf fruit bushes that can be grown in containers or in the garden. 'Peach Sorbet' is a four season show stopper. This exciting dwarf cultivar has big crops of large, tasty blueberries in mid-summer. The stunning foliage ranges from peach to pink to orange to emerald green. 'Peach Sorbet' is primarily evergreen in mild winter climates when it is highlighted with rich purple tones. H 12-24" W 12-24" Spring Full - Part Shade Vaccinium BrazelBerry 'Perpetua' Ericaceae (The Heath Family) 'Perpetua' is a larger BrazelBerry to 4-5 feet that is a true double cropping cultivar setting one crop of fruit in early to mid summer and then flowering and fruiting a second time producing another crop in the fall. The berries are smallish, mild and sweet, the leaves are dark green with a nice lustre, the foliage turns to deep reds and yellows in fall, and the winter stems are bright yellow and red. BrazelBerry Blueberry 4-8 H 12-24" W 12-24" Spring Full - Part Shade
Vaccinium BrazelBerry 'Pink Icing' Shrubs p. 12 BrazelBerry Blueberry Ericaceae (The Heath Family) 5-10 One of the hottest edible plants, Brazelberries are dwarf fruit bushes that can be grown in containers or in the garden. 'Pink Icing' is the fourth blueberry introduction and the biggest yet, growing to 3-4 feet. Like the smaller 'Peach Sorbet', it is a four season show stopper with new growth emerging pink, blue and green, then developing pink-flushed white flowers that become large, tasty, sweet blueberries while the foliage deepens to iridescent turquoise blue towards fall and winter when it also develops red stems. Plants may remain semi-evergreen in H 2-4' W 2-3' Spring Full - Part Shade
6 Actinidia arguta 'Dumbarton Oaks' Actinidia arguta produces fragrant greenish white flowers followed by small, grape-sized fruit with smooth skin with a taste similar to but often sweeter than the large, fuzzy kiwis found in grocery stores of Actinidia deliciosa. 'Dumbarton Oaks' produces light green, flattish and ribbed fruit with sweet flavour. Produces 100+ pounds per year once mature. Harvest in fall. Requires 'Hardy Male' as a pollinator'. 3-9 Vines p. 13 Female Hardy Kiwi H 10-15' W 5-8' Spring Full - Part Actinidia arguta 'Hardy Male' There is no need for monogamous relationships in kiwis. One male kiwi plant can pollinate numerous females. Use 'Hardy Male' to pollinate female varieties of Actinidia arguta. Though male plants do not produce fruit they do produce attractive woody vines and fragrant greenish white flowers with black stamens. 3-9 Male Hardy Kiwi H 10-15' W 5-8' Spring Full - Part Actinidia arguta 'Hardy Red' Actinidia arguta produces fragrant greenish white flowers followed by small, grape-sized fruit with smooth skin with a taste similar to but often sweeter than the large, fuzzy kiwis found in grocery stores of Actinidia deliciosa. 'Hardy Red' has amazing cranberry-red fruit with red flesh and great flavour. Produces 100+ pounds per year once mature. Harvest in fall. Requires 'Hardy Male' as a pollinator'. 3-9 Female Hardy Kiwi H 10-15' W 5-8' Spring Full - Part
Actinidia arguta 'Issai' Vines p. 14 Female Hardy Kiwi 3-9 'Issai' is self-fertile hardy kiwi that does not require a pollinator though more fruit may be produced with a male nearby. Sweet green fruits to 1 3/4 inches. Actinidia arguta produce fragrant greenish white flowers followed by small, grape-sized fruit with smooth skin with a taste similar to but often sweeter than the large, fuzzy kiwis found in grocery stores which come from Actinidia deliciosa. A mature vine can produce 50-100 pounds of fruit per year. Harvest in fall. H 10-15' W 5-8' Spring Full - Part Actinidia arguta 'Ken's Red' 'Ken's Red' is a prolific producer with large fruit with purple-red skin and sweet red flesh. Actinidia arguta produce fragrant greenish white flowers followed by small, grape-sized fruit with smooth skin with a taste similar to but often sweeter than the large, fuzzy kiwis found in grocery stores. A mature vine can produce 50-100 pounds of fruit per year. Harvest in fall. Requires 'Hardy Male' as a pollinator'. 3-9 Female Hardy Kiwi H 10-15' W 5-8' Spring Full - Part Actinidia arguta 'Michigan State' Actinidia arguta produces fragrant greenish white flowers followed by small, grape-sized fruit with smooth skin with a taste similar to but often sweeter than the large, fuzzy kiwis found in grocery stores of Actinidia deliciosa. 'Michigan State' has exceptionally large fruit with delicious flavour. Produces 100+ pounds per year once mature. Harvest in fall. Requires 'Hardy Male' as a pollinator'. 3-9 Female Hardy Kiwi H 10-15' W 5-8' Spring Full - Part
Actinidia deliciosa Vines p. 15 Kiwi 7-9 This is the species that brings you kiwi fruit! A. deliciosa is a large, rampant, decidous vine that needs a structure or large tree to climb on and a lot of space in which to sprawl. It has brown fuzzy stems, large, rich green, heart-shaped, textured foliage, pure white flowers centred with masses of golden stamens and the fuzzy brown berries that we call kiwifruit. Full sun and rich soil are the best for fruit production though tolerant of part shade. Plant a male ('Tomori') and a female ('Hayward' or 'Saanichton') to get fruit. H 15-25' W 5-8' Spring Full - Part Actinidia polygama 'Hot Pepper' Silver vine grows in the mountains of Asia and gets its name from the leaves which develop bold silver colouration. Actinidia polygama 'Hot Pepper' comes from the Vavilov Institute in Vladivostok, Russia. It produces good crops of orange-yellow fruit with a sweet and spicy flavour, somewhat like a mild chili pepper. Produces 20-30 pounds of fruit per year. Pollinator: 'Pavel' Female Silver Vine (Kiwi) H 6-10' W 3-5' Spring Full - Part Actinidia polygama 'Pavel' Silver vine grows in the mountains of Asia and gets its name from the leaves which develop bold silver colouration. 'Pavel' is a good pollinator for females with fragrant flowers and silvery-white foliage. 3-9 Male Silver Vine (Kiwi) 3-9 H 6-10' W 3-5' Spring Full - Part
Actinidia polygama 'Vera's Pride' (Female) Vera's Pride is an attractive female selection that bears large, sweet and tasty, light orange fruit. Vera's Pride also features large, white, fragrant flowers and very attractive, white frosted foliage. Vines p. 16 Male Silver Vine (Kiwi) 3-9 H 6-10' W 3-5' Spring Full - Part Vitis Pixie Grape 'Cabernet Franc' Vitaceae (The Grape Family) The new Pixie Grapes are dwarf grape vines for containers that will produce fruit in their first year and forever more after that. Perfect for small spaces and patios, conversation pieces, and as a gift for every wine lover you know. 'Cabernet Franc' is one of the famous red grapes used in Bordeaux. 5-10 Dwarf Grape Vine Green H 12-24" W 12-24" Spring Vitis Pixie Grape 'Pinot Meunier Purple' Vitaceae (The Grape Family) The new Pixie Grapes are dwarf grape vines for containers that will produce fruit in their first year and forever more after that. Perfect for small spaces and patios, conversation pieces, and as a gift for every wine lover you know. The first Pixie Grape is 'Pinot Meunier Purple', one of the three Champagne grapes. 5-10 Dwarf Grape Vine Green H 12-24" W 12-24" Spring
Vitis Pixie Grape 'Riesling' Vitaceae (The Grape Family) The new Pixie Grapes are dwarf grape vines for containers that will produce fruit in their first year and forever more after that. Perfect for small spaces and patios, conversation pieces, and as a gift for every wine lover you know. 'Riesling' is a well-known and beloved white grape famous for the off-dry wines of Germany's Mosel and the crisp dry wines of adjacent Alsace. 5-10 Vines p. 17 Dwarf Grape Vine Green H 12-24" W 12-24" Spring