Fruit Tree Varieties for Central Oregon

The blossoms on the Gravenstein are beautiful this year. That might be why the neighbors were asking about the fruit trees last week. The Gravenstein apple tree is about 18 years old, and still a dependable producer. It magically blooms after the last frost, a critical trait.

Our other trees include a McIntosh apple, Italian prune plum, Bartlett pear, Shinseiki Asian pear, and Weeping Teas mulberry. The OSU Extension publication EC 1622 “Selecting Fruit Tree Varieties for Central Oregon Landscaping and Home Orchards “is a great reference, and one I found quite useful. The Gravenstein apple variety is not on the list. It was purchased before I began the OSU Master Gardener training.

The first paragraph of the publication is key. “There are several kinds of fruit trees that can be grown successfully in Central Oregon – the challenge lies in selecting varieties that are most likely to bear fruit in this region.” Perhaps my milder microclimate has made the difference for our fruit trees.

In general, the high desert climate in Central Oregon creates a shorter growing season of 70 to 100 days. But it’s the frost that limits the crop, whether it comes while blossoming or while the fruit is young and tender.

Publication EC 1622 explains that when it comes to fruit trees for our climate, apples are the most reliable, followed by Asian pears and plums. Peaches and sweet cherries also have hardy varieties, but the timing of blossoming may not produce a crop every year. If you are shopping for fruit trees, you may wish to pick up a copy of the publication at the Redmond Extension office.

Apples: The apple varieties recommended by the OSU Extension for Central Oregon include Gala, Honeycrisp, Liberty, Lodi, and McIntosh. All come as dwarf or semi-dwarf trees, making harvesting easy. Many varieties of apples need another plant for cross pollination. When we bought the Gravenstein, we didn’t know that, so we planted a McIntosh the next year. A nearby crabapple can serve for cross-pollination if planted within a quarter mile and bloom times coincide.

Asian Pears: There are several hardy Asian pears which meet the criteria for our climate. Asian pears are often referred to as apple pears because they are round in shape. They come in a variety of skin colors ranging from yellow to orange and even brown. Varieties include: Atago, Kosul, Seuri, Shinseiki, Shinsul and Yoinashi. These pears are mostly self-pollinating, but crop set will benefit from another Asian or European pear in close proximity.

European Pears: Most people are familiar with European pear varieties such as Bartlett, Bosc, Conference, Rescue or Orcas. The European varieties typically need another pear tree for pollination to ensure a crop.

Stone Fruits:

Apricots: These trees bloom early in the spring, making fruit set unreliable. A friend in north Madras has a successful apricot crop about every other year. It’s usually the frost that gets them, proving the publication’s point. But they are delicious! The self-fertile varieties that are hardy include Moongold and Sungold and are self-pollinating. Chinese Sweet Pit requires cross-pollination with another tree.

Sour Cherries: Pie cherries, also known as sour cherries, are more cold hardy than sweet cherries. Not surprising. Varieties for Central Oregon include Danube, Montmorency, Northstar, and Surefire. These are all self-fertile.

Sweet Cherries: These varieties are also self-fertile and do not require another tree: Benton, Index, Lapins, Stella, and Sweetheart.

Plums: Next in hardiness to apples are the European plums. The varieties listed below are self-fertile: Italian Prune (blue), Mt. Royal (blue), Stanley (blue) and Green Gage (yellow green).

Peaches: Reliance is self-pollinating, but less likely to reliably bear fruit and requires more maintenance - more fertilizer, pruning and a protected site with good air circulation. A friend had great success with her peach tree on the banks of the Deschutes River. ( Before Lake Billy Chinook was formed behind the dam, multiple orchards prospered along the riverbanks.)

Here are tips that will improve your odds of harvesting fruit:

• Select cold-hardy varieties, many of which are listed above.

• Dwarf or semi-dwarf varieties provide multiple benefits:

o They require less space in the landscape and are easier to prune.

o They produce fruit sooner than standard sizes.

o Harvesting is easier; a telescoping picker can replace the need for a ladder.

o Frost cloth can be applied over the dwarf tree if needed.

• Placement makes a difference, especially to protect from frost damage.

o Most fruit trees enjoy full sun and well-drained soil. But be aware that a south or west facing site, or one near a stone wall may encourage your tree to bloom too early in the season.

o Choose a high spot with good airflow. Pay attention to which direction the wind comes from in your garden.

• Do not spray insecticides during the bloom to protect pollinators.

• Manage your fruit trees to minimize disease and insect problems. Codling moth is of particular concern to commercial apple and pear crops. Wormy apples? OSU Extension has a free newsletter to assist with this problem: Project Happy Apples. For those interested, here is a link: https://extension.oregonstate.edu/newsletter/project-happy-apples.

Sometimes you just get lucky with your fruit tree varieties, as we were. By making an informed choice of tree and site, the odds of a successful harvest are improved. It also saves money.

Marilyn Clark is an Oregon State University Master Gardener™ Volunteer, having completed the program in 2017. A member of the Madras Garden Club since 2009, she has been gardening in Culver since 2004.