Tree Encyclopedia
Variety details for every labeled tree in the orchard (A–L). Letters match the map and inventory on the main Orchard page.
🍒 A: Van Sweet Cherry (Dwarf)
Type: Sweet cherry
Mid-season sweet cherry with firm, glossy dark-red fruit and rich flavor.
- Pollination
- Not self-fertile. Needs another sweet cherry that blooms at the same time (mid-spring). Van can pollinate other sweets.
- Mature size
- About 10' tall × 10' wide at maturity on dwarf rootstock.
- Harvest
- Mid-June. Pick when deep red and firm; refrigerate up to about a week.
- Best uses
- Fresh eating, baking, and freezing.
- Here at home
- Currently flagged sick — Japanese beetles. Shake into soapy water, diatomaceous earth on leaves, or targeted treatment if severe. Active treatment: Shake beetles into soapy water daily; diatomaceous earth on leaves; targeted spray if severe.
🍒 B: North Star Sour Cherry (Dwarf)
Type: Sour (pie) cherry
Compact, self-fertile pie cherry bred for cold climates and small spaces.
- Pollination
- Self-fertile — no partner required.
- Mature size
- About 10' tall × 8' wide at maturity on dwarf rootstock.
- Harvest
- Mid to late June. Fruit is bright red and tart.
- Best uses
- Pies, jams, sauces, and drying. Too tart for most fresh eating.
- Here at home
- Healthy. Reliable in Zone 5a; good choice when you only want one cherry tree.
🍐 C: Bartlett Pear (Dwarf)
Type: European pear
Classic soft, juicy pear — the grocery-store standard when fully ripened.
- Pollination
- Partially self-fruitful but crops better with a partner such as Seckel (I) or another European pear.
- Mature size
- About 10' tall × 7' wide at maturity on dwarf rootstock.
- Harvest
- Mid to late summer. Pick while firm and green-yellow; ripen at room temperature.
- Best uses
- Fresh eating, canning, and poaching.
- Here at home
- Healthy. Avoid letting fruit tree stay water-stressed during sizing.
🍎 D: Wolf River "1881" Apple (Semi-Dwarf)
Type: Heritage apple
Old Wisconsin variety famous for enormous apples — often a pound or more.
- Pollination
- Needs a compatible apple bloomer; Golden Delicious (H or L) works well here.
- Mature size
- About 12' tall × 14' wide at maturity on semi-dwarf rootstock.
- Harvest
- Late summer into fall. Large, slightly ribbed fruit; seeds brown when ready.
- Best uses
- Pies, sauce, and baking — less of a fresh-eating apple.
- Here at home
- Healthy. Prune for size control and airflow in a semi-dwarf canopy.
🍐 E: Chojuro Asian Pear (Semi-Dwarf)
Type: Asian pear
Round, russet-brown pears with crisp, apple-like texture and butterscotch notes.
- Pollination
- Plant with another Asian pear or an early-blooming European pear (Bartlett works).
- Mature size
- About 15' tall × 11' wide at maturity on semi-dwarf rootstock.
- Harvest
- Late August into mid-September. Pick firm; flavor peaks after a few days indoors.
- Best uses
- Fresh eating and salads — holds texture well when sliced.
- Here at home
- Healthy. May need extra thinning when young for best fruit size.
🍒 F: Montmorency Cherry (Dwarf)
Type: Sour (pie) cherry
The most widely grown pie cherry in North America — tart, bright, and productive.
- Pollination
- Self-fertile — no partner required.
- Mature size
- About 10' tall × 10' wide at maturity on dwarf rootstock.
- Harvest
- Late June into July, slightly after North Star (B).
- Best uses
- Pies, preserves, juice, and drying.
- Here at home
- Currently flagged sick — shot-hole fungus. Improve airflow, remove fallen leaves, copper fungicide in season and fall. Active treatment: Open the canopy, remove fallen leaves, apply copper fungicide in season and again in fall.
🍑 G: Carolina Belle Peach (Dwarf)
Type: White peach
Early-season white-fleshed freestone peach — sweet with low acidity.
- Pollination
- Self-fertile — no partner required.
- Mature size
- About 10' tall × 10' wide at maturity on dwarf rootstock.
- Harvest
- Mid-summer when flesh gives slightly near the stem. Handle gently.
- Best uses
- Fresh eating; freestone flesh pulls cleanly from the pit.
- Here at home
- Healthy. Aggressive annual summer pruning keeps fruiting wood young and productive.
🍎 H: Golden Delicious Apple (Dwarf)
Type: All-purpose apple
Mild, sweet yellow apple — one of the best universal pollinators for other apples.
- Pollination
- Partially self-fertile but much better with Wolf River (D) or another apple.
- Mature size
- About 15' tall × 10' wide at maturity on dwarf rootstock.
- Harvest
- Mid to late fall when yellow and seeds are brown. Stores 2–4 months refrigerated.
- Best uses
- Fresh eating, baking, sauce, and cider blending.
- Here at home
- Healthy. Pollination partner for Wolf River (D) in this orchard.
🍐 I: Seckel Pear (Dwarf)
Type: European pear
Small, intensely sweet pears — often called "sugar pears."
- Pollination
- Partially self-fruitful; Bartlett (C) is a good partner in this orchard.
- Mature size
- About 10' tall × 7' wide at maturity on dwarf rootstock.
- Harvest
- Late summer when fruit turns yellow-brown with a red blush.
- Best uses
- Fresh eating, poaching, and preserves. Size makes them great for kids' snacks.
- Here at home
- Healthy. One of the most cold-hardy European pears.
🫐 J: Pipestone Plum (Semi-Dwarf)
Type: Hybrid plum
Hardy red hybrid plum bred for northern climates — large fruit with golden blush.
- Pollination
- Not self-fertile. Needs an American or Canadian plum for pollen (Stanley alone is not ideal).
- Mature size
- About 15' tall × 12' wide at maturity on semi-dwarf rootstock.
- Harvest
- Late summer when deep red and slightly soft.
- Best uses
- Fresh eating, jam, and drying.
- Here at home
- Healthy. If replacing a tree, choose an American or Canadian plum pollinator.
🫐 K: Stanley Plum (Semi-Dwarf)
Type: European (prune) plum
Classic oval blue prune plum — reliable, self-fertile, and heavy-bearing.
- Pollination
- Self-fertile; heavier crops with a second European or compatible plum nearby.
- Mature size
- About 15' tall × 12' wide at maturity on semi-dwarf rootstock.
- Harvest
- Early September when dark blue with a powdery bloom and slight give.
- Best uses
- Fresh eating, prunes, jam, and baking.
- Here at home
- Healthy. Disease-resistant and well suited to humid summers.
🍎 L: Golden Delicious Apple (Semi-Dwarf)
Type: All-purpose apple
Same variety as tree H on a semi-dwarf rootstock — larger tree, larger canopy.
- Pollination
- Partially self-fertile; pairs well with Wolf River (D).
- Mature size
- About 14' tall × 14' wide at maturity on semi-dwarf rootstock.
- Harvest
- Mid to late fall, same as tree H.
- Best uses
- Fresh eating, baking, and storage.
- Here at home
- Currently flagged sick — fire ants at the base. Borax-sugar bait, diatomaceous earth, or tanglefoot on the trunk. Active treatment: Borax-sugar bait or diatomaceous earth near the mound; tanglefoot band on the trunk to block climbers.