Fruit trees

Apples are one of the most reliable producers you can grow.  However, there are some specific things you should know.  Most apple trees are not self-fertile, which means you should plant two different varieties for your apple trees to be productive. Self-fruitful varieties do exist. But, they will bear more fruit when planted with another variety that blooms at approximately the same time.

Pair up varieties that fall within or ‘bracket’ your desired tree’s bloom time. For example: Midseason bloomers can be planted with early, midseason or late bloomers. Late season bloomers should be planted with Midseason or other late season bloomers. Apples can also be pollinized by a crabapple. With a few exceptions, the majority of crabapples will pollinize early to midseason bloomers, not late bloomers.

Want to grow fruit in a small space?  Consider training your tree into an espalier form. Pictured is an apple tree from the Denver Botanic Gardens that employed this method. Espalier is accomplished via a combination of regular pruning and the tying of branches to train the growth of the tree.

Apple (Malus)

(Requires pollinizer)Heirloom variety with red skin and sweet but crisp white fruit. Bred from a McIntosh.  Good for eating fresh or baking.

(requires pollenizer) An exciting apple that is exceptionally crisp and juicy. Flavor is sweet but well-balanced. Excellent storage life, up to 7 months. Has been rated equal to or higher in overall quality than 'Haralson', 'Honeygold' or 'Keepsake' in winter storage trials. Ripens in late September and stores like a late season variety. Crabapple 'Indian Summer' is a good pollinator.

Apples - Honeycrisp

(requires pollenizer) An early blooming/early ripening crispy apple (bred from Honeycrisp). Named "KinderKrisp" because its apples are smaller in size...perfect for a child's lunch. Fruit is red blushed, juicy and can be used fresh. Proven performance in northern gardens. Hardy to Zone 3.

(requires pollenizer) A well-known older apple that has a sprightly flavor and a medium storage life. Nearly solid, bright red skin. Heavy bearer. Good for eating and baking. Fruit tends to drop when ripe.

(requires pollenizer) A late-ripening, Medium-sized dark red juicy apple with good storage quality. Long storage life.

Sour cherries are some of the easiest fruit trees to grow in Colorado.   They are hardy, are naturally disease and insect resistant, and offer beautiful bark.  Sweet cherries share all of these characteristics except they are often a little less hardy with regard to zone and will likely produce better for those of you at lower elevations.

Cherry (Prunus)

(self-fertile) This type is actually a cross between a sweet and sour cherry. Deep, dark red fruit 1" in diameter. Excellent for baking and fresh eating. The fruit is much sweeter than other sour cherries. Extremely hardy buds.

(self-fertile) Large red, tart fruit for pies or preserves.  A very productive sour pie cherry with minimal disease or pest problems.

Genetic dwarf introduced by the University of MN in 1950. Average size is 8'-10' H x 8'-10 wide. Red fruit with a small stone. Very productive. A sour pie cherry. Blooms in May. Zone 4.

Peach trees are early bloomers and are all self-fertile. Most ripen in late July-August.  You have the potential to get a bumper crop in good years when the frost doesn't get the blossoms.  Or, you have the potential for very little fruit if the tree isn't protected when in bloom during a hard late frost.

Peach (Prunus)

(self-fertile) A freestone peach with bright yellow flesh. Matches 'Reliance' in cold-hardiness and tolerance of spring frosts. Sweet, extra-juicy fruit is an absolute delight for fresh eating, canning, baking, and freezing. Self-pollinating. 'Contender' ripens mid-to late August.  Peachy pink Spring blooms.

Peach Variety - Contender

(self fertile) - DWARF! Don’t let the small size of this tree fool you! It delivers big crops of large, firm, yellow, flavorful freestone peaches. Fruits ripen early to midseason. Orange skin is overlaid with a red blush. A vigorous grower as it reaches a mature height of about six feet; its compact size is perfect for smaller yards. Zone 5.

Each year, we are allotted a small quantity of these wonderful trees. We order as many as we are allowed - so if you see them in late March/Early April don't wait!

Peach Variety - Pix Zee

(self-fertile) One of the finest early peaches. Colors to a beautiful red and golden yellow. Flesh is firm, smooth textured and fine flavored. Fruit is medium size, round, uniform and appealing. Good for freezing, canning, and shipping. Disease resistant. One of the hardier peaches. Fruit sets heavily, must be thinned to reach size.  Peachy salmon Spring blooms

Peach Variety - Redhaven

(self-fertile) The hardiest yellow-fleshed freestone peach available. Medium sized, roundish, yellow-fleshed peach that ripens with 'Redhaven'. Has a rather dull blush over green-yellow color. Flesh is bright yellow, rather soft and juicy.  Clear pink Spring blooms.

Peach Variety - Reliance

Pears require the most pollination of all of the fruits, so bees are very important along with planting multiple pear trees.

Pears (Pyrus)

Produces medium yellow 2" fruit, blushed with red.  Has a tangy and spicy flavor. Many use it for canning and spicing.  Ripens in September. Smaller tree overall at 15'-20' H x 8'-12' W.  Cold hardy to Zone 3.

Pears - Golden Spice

Large, yellow-bronze fruit. Fine grained, tender and juicy. Upright and vigorous grower. Open-pollinated seedling of a Manchurian pear. Introduced in 1934 by the University of Minnesota.

Plums are another reliable fruit tree in our area.  We offer both European and Japanese types as well as some hybrids.  Most European type plums will set fruit with their own pollen, but will produce better crops with pollenizers nearby.   While SOME Japanese plums are self-fertile, most will require require a pollenizer.  According to the CSU Extension service, you should not use European varieties to pollenize Japanese types because their bloom times are different.  Look to European types to pollenize each other.  Ditto for Japanese types.  See variety specific information below.

Plums (Prunus)

(self-fertile) Medium sized, round blue, European plum. Good eaten fresh off the tree. Excellent for dessert, jam and preserves. Tender, juicy yellow flesh.

(Pollenize with a Toka) A Japanese-American Hybrid. Red-skinned plum with sweet yellow fruit.  Known to be a heavy, consistent producer. Zone 4.

Autumn Brilliance Serviceberry

Height: 20-25'

Spread: 18'-20'

Flowers: Profuse white flowers in spring.

Fall Color: Yellow, Orange, Red leaves

Serviceberry