Medium-sized native tree with a slender oval crown, glossy dark green foliage, beautiful checked bark, and edible 11/2" orange fruit. Small very fragrant yellowish flowers in spring attract pollinators from miles around. Foliage turns attractive reddish-purple in fall. Fruit is variable and extremely astringent before thoroughly ripening. Best after a frost. Be sure it’s soft before you bite—your mouth just might implode! Use in pies, jams and jelly.

May not always ripen north of Boston, though some Maine growers do report crops some years. May die back in winter in northern zones, but ours survived extreme cold temps this year and came back strong in spring. Prefers moist well-drained sandy soil but adaptable to dry areas of low fertility. Can sucker and form naturalized stands. Dioecious, requiring separate male and female plants to produce fruit. These are unsexed seedlings—plant two or more to ensure fruit. Native to eastern U.S. Z4/5. (1-3') BACK!