melonberry/che berry (#1)

Trees are sold as well-rooted suckers of a self-fertile, seedless, female tree.

The original melonberry planted here many years ago was a seedling, and as such it has stayed true to its thicket-forming habit. It boasts fruit with wonderful flavor. They are very sweet, with a flavor that merges those of a fig and a watermelon.

Many people prefer to graft melonberry onto osage orange root stock so that the tree does not form its species-typical thicket. Well, I happen to be a thicket lover, and so what I currently offer is that melonberry which will, over the course of a few years, began to spread through suckers. Of course, there are methods to deter this, such as planting the melonberry in an area that will be regularly mowed around or has other buffers to spreading. I see their ideal habitat being along the forest edge, utilizing the space between the forest and the field.

Young growth will have thorns, and these thorns will fade away as growth matures.

Plant details:
Genus & species: Maclura tricuspidata
Hardiness: Zone 5 to zone 9
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Soil type: Tolerant of a variety of soils, well-drained
Soil moisture: Average to moist