Hello all, this is my first post on this forum and I wanted to introduce myself. I am a hobby grower in Beaverton who currently grows most of my trees/plants in pots. We are planning on moving in the next year or so and I want to be able to take the majority of my plants with me. I attended my first AAFS last weekend and joined the HOS! It was so much fun! I mostly wanted to attend so I could see and try some unusual (to me) fruits that I want to plant at our next home. It has certainly confirmed my interest in PawPaw's, Quince, Medlars, and even a few Grape varieties that really blew me away and make me what to give them a try too. I wanted to try Persimmons as well but I didn't see any while I was there, perhaps they are not ripe yet? I wanted to know if anyone knew of any local/city trees in/around Portland, OR of these varieties? I would love to see some mature specimens and wouldn't mind taking a fall stroll to look at them. Do any of you grow these? If so, what do you like and not like about them? Would you recommend them? I also would be interested in some PawPaw seeds if anyone has any to spare. I know they have to go through stratification and it seems like soon-ish would be a good time to start them, I know they take 5-7 years to fruit but I love the idea of it being a surprise on what the fruit will taste like. I plan to get some grafted varieties as well to curb the wait and get proven varieties but the seedlings seem fun too. I currently grow mostly Citrus trees and have just moved into trying my hand at Figs as well as common garden edibles and berries. Its been a slow journey over the last 10 years experimenting and making many many gardening mistakes but this last few years have finally started to come together and give me more confidence to branch out into other edibles. Thank you for taking the time to read this and I hope I can learn a lot from all of you more experienced growers here.
~ Samantha
"Life is entirely too short to eat or drink anything that doesn't taste good"
Hey There -
We don't have medlar or pawpaw but we've got quince, figs, apples, pears, grapes, cane & bush fruit... all in a 'permaculturally-ispired' home orchard, If you'd like to walk around, let me know how to get in touch.
Mitch
ps - our 3rd year quince (aromatnaya) and first ever(!!) bosc pears are positively RIGHTEOUS this year!
Persimmon trees are scattered all over, you just need to keep an eye out.
The ones in my area of SE Portland are: 40th & Holgate (apartment parking lot), north of Powell & 33rd (just upslope of the athletic field), 6600 block of SE 47th (south of Woodstock on a gravel road, large bush), and two dwarf trees at corner of SE 52nd and Raymond (leaves dropping revealing many fruits).
The first two are tall, straggly trees, fruit may be hard to access. The Raymond fruit seems to get used, so inquire; the SE 47th bush you could take a few without any complaints. I do not know the variety of any of these.
And of course at the HOS Arboretum above Oregon City.
October 25, 2 mature pawpaw, fall color.
Mango to the right, Wilson to the left.same age.
Unrestrained raspberries to the left foreground; tarped, unprocessed firewood to the right,near 6' for perspective of size of these two.
NE Portland, Cully neighborhood.
jafar said
Nice James. Do you have a preference between the fruit of Wilson and Mango? When did they ripen?
The Wilson has had very little fruit the last three years, with natural pollinators doing the work, even though it blossoms before and continues to have fresh flowers after the mango. When hand pollinating and lots of fruit was available I figured I preferred the mango. Now, maybe because of the "scarcity factor" and the fact the first fruits to ripen come off the Wilson, I've really enjoyed them. Then the mangos come on, in substantial amounts. I've come to notice that the mango hold less well than some other pawpaws I've tasted; notably the seedling trial fruits from the repository. Whereas those seedling fruits that have 'colored up' (golden, I call it) on the ground are still quite tasty, caramel tones, if you will, the Mango is usually best eating really before it starts to take on almost any color. Mango, to me, gets a little, maybe bitter, after-taste near the skin that may be a little off putting to the uninitiated, pretty quickly. That is unless you're eating a bunch of them, then you're going to run into those perfect ones that make it all worthwhile.
A couple years ago, when NAFEX had their meeting out here with HOS, I talked briefly with the good doctor at the open house, you'll have to look up his name, the Ohio and North American Pawpaw Growers Association President. His take was that Wilson wasn't offered for sale anymore anywhere and thought that it wasn't that good of a pawpaw. He was recommending some of the Peterson selections.
Ripening starting usually, early-mid October. This year after early ripening drops- kind of a stall or lull, ripening going on later than usual. Still a few left on the tree, probably about three more days, then I better get them off as the Jays and squirrels are looking for ripe ones.
Hello Sammers510/Samantha?
Welcome to the HOS! We live in a great area to grow fruit. I have grown most of the exotic fruits that grow here, and most of them are mature specimens. I live all the way over in Cedar Hills, so it would probably take you about 5 minutes to get here. Most of the exotic fruit grows really well here. Let me know if you have any particular questions.
JohN S
PDX OR
Idyllwild
jafar
Marsha H
Viron
John S
1 Guest(s)