Christopher Burtt, Urban Horticulture Agent
Native Fruits was the subject of a Native Plant Festival held on May 27, 2023.
Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis)-
- Fruit can usually be harvested in Summer and Fall
- Woody, deciduous shrub or small tree, 5 to 12 feet tall in the Adoxaceae or Muskroot family
- Cooked berries are edible and can be used in pies, pancakes, and jellies; flowers and fruits used in winemaking, marmalade, yogurt, and desserts
- Best grown in a wide variety of wet to dry soils but prefers rich, moist, slightly acidic soil in sun to partial shade
Paw Paw (Asimina triloba)-
- Fruit can usually be harvested in the summer and fall
- Deciuous, understory tree in the Annonaceae or Custard Apple family
- Largest edible tree fruit native to the United States; Taxonomically, fruits are berries
- They produce natural compounds (annonaceous acetogenins) in leaf, bark, and twig tissues that possess both high anti-tumor and pesticidal properties
- Flowers have both male and female parts but are self-incompatible
Best grown in deep shade to full sunlight in moist, nutrient-rich forests. It will tolerate occasional wet or moist conditions but prefers good drainage and acidic soil
American Hazelnut: Corylus americana (Also known as American Filbert)-
- Fruit harvested in Late Summer/Fall
- Deciduous shrub in the Betulaceae or Birch Family
- May grow 9 to 12 feet tall; can be found naturally in rocky woodlands, forests, hillsides, pastures, and thickets
- Produces a 1/2-inch brown nut that is enclosed in a hairy, leaf-like husk with ragged edges; it is monoecious
- The nuts are edible at maturity in the fall, typically from September to October
- Best grown in full sun to deep shade and well-drained to moist soils
May-Apple (Podophyllum peltatum [Also known as an American Mandrake])-
- Fruit can be harvested in Summer
- Herbaceous perennial wildflower in the Berberidaceae or Barberry family
- Forms dense mats and is usually one of the first plants to emerge in the spring
- All parts of this plant are highly poisonous except for its ripened fruit
- Best grown in partial to full shade and grows best in moist, humus-rich, acidic, sandy to loamy soils. It is drought-tolerant in forests only and is deer and rabbit tolerant
Prickly-Pear (Opuntia mesacantha)-
- Fruit can be harvested in the fall
- Evergreen succulent found in coastal dunes, sandy riverbeds, and pine forests in Cactaceae or Cactus family
- Fast growing, shrubby cactus with heights of up to 20 feet
- Ripe fruit edible raw or in jelly; Pads can be eaten raw or cooked and have a mucilaginous texture
- Remove spines and glochids from pads and fruit before eating
- Best grown in areas that have lots of sun, light and minimal water. In hot, arid climates it can be grown outdoors in a bed or container
Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana)-
- Fruit can usually be harvested in Fall and Winter
- Deciduous and dioecious tree in the Ebenaceae or Ebony family
- A large tree that can reach 30 to 80 feet high and 20 to 35 feet wide
- Best grown in moist, well-drained, sandy soils in full sun to partial shade. It will tolerate hot, dry conditions, poor soils, urban conditions, and wind
Huckleberry (Gaylussacia spp. [5 species native to the Coast])-
- Fruit can usually be harvested in the summer
- baccata or Black Huckleberry (native to the midlands and upstate) most common
- Deciduous shrub in the Ericaceae or Heath family
- Fruit are edible raw or cooked
- Best grown in sandy or rocky soils in sun to partial shade and is drought tolerant once established; The shallow spreading root system helps prevent erosion on slopes and rocky hillsides
Blueberry (Vaccinium spp)-
- Fruit can usually be harvested in Summer
- Deciduous shrub in the Ericaceae or Heath family
- virgatum is the Rabbiteye Blueberry
- Best grown in well-drained, fertile soils; require a lower soil pH than many other small fruit crops and other plants
Oaks (Quercus spp)-
- Fruit can usually be harvested in the fall
- Large group of native trees in the Fagaceae or Beech Family
- Two distinct groups- Red Oak vs. White Oak
- White Oaks- Acorns mature in a single season and taste sweet
- Acorns (nuts) are edible after tannins are leached or boiled out
- Best grown in a variety of situations
Red Hickory (Carya ovalis)-
- Fruit can usually be harvested in Summer or fall
- Sweet Pignut Hickory is a deciduous tree in the Juglandaceae or Walnut family
- Many species in the Carya genus are edible; most common is Pecan
- Pecan ( illinoinensis) is not native to South Carolina but is to much of the Southern US
- Best grown in moist fertile well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade
American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana)-
- Fruit can usually be harvested in Fall
- Deciduous shrub in the Lamiaceae or Mint family
- While insipid, the berries are edible and are most often used to make jelly
- Best grown in full sun to part shade and is intolerant of deep shade; It will grow in all types of soil provided there is good drainage
Red Mulberry (Morus rubra)-
- Fruit can usually be harvested in Summer
- Deciduous tree in the Moraceae or Mulberry Family
- Ripe fruits are sweet, juicy, and can be eaten raw or made into pies, jellies, or jams
- Best grown in rich, moist, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade
Ogeechee Lime (Nyssa ogeche)-
- Fruit can usually be harvested in Fall
- Deciduous tree in the Nyssaceae family
- Fruit can be cooked; It is used in preserves, a lime substitute; Large with an agreeably acid flavour, they make good preserves and a refreshing lemonade-like drink
- Long taproot makes it difficult to transplant
- Reaches a mature heigh of 30 to 50 feet and a width of 20 to 30 feet
- Best grown in full sun to partial or filtered shade and moist to wet acidic soils
Maypops or Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata)-
- Fruit can usually be harvested in Summer and Fall
- Rapid-growing, trailing vine in the Passifloraceae or Passionflower family
- Ripened maypops can be eaten fresh off the vine or made into jelly; Showy flowers are edible with a vegetal flavor, best used as a garnish; The leaves can be used for tea
- Best grown in average, medium, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade
Red Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia)-
- Fruit can usually be harvested in Fall
- Multi-stemmed, deciduous shrub in the Rosaceae or Rose family
- The raw berries are bitter and tart; The fruits may be used to make tasty jams and jellies
- Grows up to 6ft tall
- Best grown in has a wide range of soils, including boggy, and prefers full sun
Southern Crabapple (Malus angustifolia)-
- Fruit can usually be harvested in summer or fall
- Medium deciduous tree in the Rosaceae or Rose family
- Flowers are edible in moderation but contain cyanide precursors; Its fruit is occasionally used for jelly, preserves and cider
- Grows up to 20 to 30 feet in height
- Best grown in well-drained, but moist and slightly acid soils are appropriate
American Wild Plum (Prunus americana)-
- Fruit can usually be harvested in Summer
- Small, deciduous, single-trunk tree or multi-stemmed shrub in the Rosaceae or Rose family
- Grows up to 10-15ft tall and 20ft wide
- Although the plums can be eaten raw, the quality is somewhat poor; The fruits are perhaps better used for preserves and jellies or dried to make prunes
- Best grown in average, dry to medium, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade
Chickasaw Plum-
- Fruit can usually be harvested in Summer
- Small, deciduous, single-trunk tree or multi-stemmed shrub in the Rosaceae or Rose family
- Although the plums may be eaten raw, they are somewhat tart and acidic, and are perhaps best used in preserves and jellies
- Best grown in average, medium, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade
Roses (two native species) Rosa spp-
- Fruit can usually be harvested in Fall
- Deciduous shrubs in the Rosaceae or Rose family
- caroliniana or Carolina Rose
- palustris or Swamp Rose
Blackberry (Rubus [Six species native to the coast])-
- Fruit can usually be harvested in Summer
- cuneifolius, or Sand blackberry, is distinguished from other members of the Rubus genus because it is a strong deciduous shrub with an erect, never arching, form
- The fruit can be eaten raw or cooked. Dry but sweet and with a good flavour
- Dewberries, produce fruits in the spring ( flagellaris and R. hispidus)
- Best grown in well-drained soils and full sun though adaptable
Muscadines (Muscadinia rotundifolia)-
- Fruit can usually be harvested in Summer or Fall
- Deciduous and Dioecious vine in the Vitaceae or Grape family
- Fruit can be eaten fresh or is used to make wine and an assortment of jams, jellies, and other preserves
- Muscadine grapes are large and have thick skin but are good for eating and wine-making due to their sweet, pungent flavor
- The grapes appear singularly and not in clusters, and they are purplish-black or bronze in color
- Best grown in a variety of soils though prefers full sun
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