Community and Resources for Home Gardens
RETAIL NURSERY VARIETY LIST
Valley Center Nursery
27455 Valley Center Road
Valley Center, CA 92082
760.749.0577
Plant varieties ordered from Dave Wilson Nursery for 2021:
Anna Apple
Remarkable fruit for mild winter climates in So. Calif., So. Ariz. Heavy crops of sweet, crisp, flavorful apples even in low desert. Fresh/cooked. Keeps 2 months in refrigerator. 200 hours. Self-fruitful or pollenized by Dorsett Golden or Einshemer. USDA Zones 5-10.
Dorsett Golden Apple
Outstanding sweet apple for warm winter areas. Firm, very flavorful, sweet like Golden Delicious. Productive throughout So.CA and Phoenix, AZ. Good early season sweet apple for Central CA. 100 hours. Self-fruitful. USDA Zones 5-10.
Fuji Apple
Introduction from Japan that quickly became California's favorite apple. Sweet, very crisp and flavorful, excellent keeper. Dull reddish orange skin, sometimes russeted. Ripe mid-September. Excellent pollenizer for other apple varieties. Low chilling requirement - less than 500 hours. Self-fruitful. USDA Zones 6-9.
Granny Smith Apple
From New Zealand. Large, late, green, all-purpose. Crisp, tart, excellent keeper. Requires long summer. Thrives in hot climates. 400 hours. Prolonged bloom: good pollenizer for other apples. Self-fruitful. USDA Zones 6-9.
Pink Lady® Apple
Hot climate apple from Western Australia. Very crisp, sweet tart, distinct flavor, good keeper. Skin reddish pink over green when ripe. White flesh resists browning. Harvest begins late October in Central CA, about three weeks after Fuji. Self-fruitful in many western U.S. climates; pollenizer recommended for best production. 300-400 hours. USDA Zones 6-9.
Pink Pearl Apple
Unusual pink fleshed, highly aromatic fruit. Medium-sized, cream and pale green skin, sometimes blushed red. Tart to sweet-tart, depending on time of picking. Early fall harvest. Good keeper. Makes colorful, tasty applesauce. Early, profuse, pink blossoms in spring. 600 hours. Pollenizer required. USDA Zones 4-8.
Blenheim (Royal) Apricot
All-purpose freestone. Sweet, aromatic, flavorful - the long-time No. 1 apricot in California. Early bloom. Late June harvest in Central CA. 400 hours or less. Self-fruitful. USDA Zones 7-8.
Gold Kist Apricot
Excellent backyard apricot for warm winter climates. Freestone, very good quality. Heavy bearing. Early harvest, 3-4 weeks before Blenheim (Royal). 300 hours. Self-fruitful. USDA Zones 7-9. (Zaiger)
Hunza Apricot
Native to northwest Pakistan, the fruit is sweet and flavorful. Very cold hardy.
Moorpark Apricot
Long-time favorite of apricot fanciers for its exceptionally rich flavor and aroma. Reliable producer. Used fresh and for canning. 600 hours. Self-fruitful. USDA Zones 6-9.
Shinseiki Asian Pear
Juicy, sweet, refreshing, crisp like an apple. Easy to grow. Keeps well. Harvest late July/early August in Central CA. Bright yellow skin. Vigorous, heavy bearing (usually by 2nd year). 250-300 hours. Self-fruitful.
English Morello Sour Cherry
Late-ripening tart cherry for cooking, sometimes eaten fresh when fully ripe. Dark red to nearly black fruit with dark juice. Small, round-headed tree with drooping branches (easy to harvest). European origins obscure, introduced to America prior to 1862. 500 hours or less. Self-fruitful. USDA Zones 4-9.
Lapins Cherry
Self-fruitful, dark red sweet cherry from Canada. Large, firm, good flavor. Similar to Van in color, Bing in shape. Sometimes sold as 'Self-fertile Bing.' Ripens 4 days after Bing. 400 hours or less. USDA Zones 5-9.
Minnie Royal Cherry
Medium-sized red cherry, firm with good flavor. Ripens 11-14 days ahead of Bing, tree is very productive with a low chill requirement. Pollenized by Royal Lee. 200-300 hours or less. (Pat. No. 12942) (Zaiger)
Royal Lee Cherry
Medium-sized red cherry, very firm with excellent flavor. Ripens 11-14 days ahead of Bing, Very low chilling requirement, excellent pollenizer for Minnie Royal. Pollenized by Minnie Royal. 200 to 300 hours. (Pat. No.12417) (Zaiger)
Royal Rainier Cherry
Large yellow cherry with slightly more red blush than Rainier. Excellent flavor, taste test winner. Ripens early, about 3-5 days ahead of Rainier. Chill requirement 500 hours. Pollenized by Bing, Black Tartarian and Lapins. USDA Zones 5-9. (Zaiger)
Black Mission Fig
The industry standard. Purplish-black skin, strawberry-colored flesh, rich flavor. Heavy bearing, long-lived, large tree. Coast or inland. Two crops per year. Fresh/dry/can. 100 hours. Self-fruitful. USDA Zones 7-9.
Panache Fig
Especially fine flavor! Small to medium-sized fruit with green color and yellow Tiger stripes. Strawberry pulp is blood-red in color. 100 hours. Self-fruitful.
Double Delight Nectarine
Sensational fruit: consistently the best flavored yellow nectarine plus magnificent, double pink flowers. Dark red-skinned, freestone fruit is sweet, with unusually rich flavor. Very high scoring in taste tests. Heavy bearing tree. Harvest early to mid-July in Central CA. 300 hours. Self-fruitful. (Zaiger)
Fantasia Nectarine
Popular, large yellow freestone. Early harvest fruit is firm ripe and tangy, later harvest is sweet with rich flavor: high scoring in taste tests. Late July/early August in Central CA. 500 hours or less. Self-fruitful.
Goldmine White Nectarine
Long-time favorite in California and Western Oregon. Small to medium-sized white-fleshed freestone. Aromatic, juicy and sweet. Ripe in August. 400 hours. Self-fruitful.
Panamint Nectarine
Attractive red-skinned yellow freestone. Aromatic and intensely flavored with nice acid sugar balance. Dependable, long time favorite in warm winter Southern California climates. Late July/early August. 250 hours. Self-fruitful
Babcock White Peach
Long-time favorite white-fleshed freestone. Sweet and juicy, aromatic, low in acid. High scoring in taste tests. Ripens mid-July in Central CA. Widely adapted (low chill requirement, yet not early blooming). 250-300 hours. Self-fruitful.
Bonita Peach
Medium to large yellow freestone with red blush. Sweet, subacid, very flavorful. Proven variety for So. Calif, coast or inland. Late July. Chilling requirement less than 400 hours. Self-fruitful.
Donut (Stark Saturn) White Peach
Unique white-fleshed fruit with a sunken center (shaped like a doughnut). Sweet, with a mild flavor described by some as almond-like. Ripens late June/early July in Central CA. Estimated chilling requirement 200-300 hours. Self-fruitful.
Early Amber Peach
Full flavored, juicy, yellow semi-freestone for mild winter climates. Ripens mid-June in Central California between May Pride and Eva's Pride. 300-350 hours. Self-fruitful.
Elberta Peach
Famous yellow freestone. Classic, rich peach flavor: high scoring in taste tests. Use fresh, canned or cooked. Ripe late July/early August in Central CA, up to 3-4 weeks later in colder climates. 600 hours. Self-fruitful.
Eva's Pride Peach
Delicious, fine flavored peach with very low chilling requirement ripens 2-3 weeks before Mid-Pride. Medium to large-sized yellow freestone - also recommended as early season peach for moderate climates - harvest 3 weeks before July Elberta. 100-200 hours. Self- fruitful. (Zaiger)
Red Baron Peach
Flowering/fruiting. Large, juicy, firm, richly flavored yellow freestone fruit. Highly rated in taste tests. Showy double red blossoms. Mid-July. Long-time favorite in Southern CA and Texas. Low chilling requirement, 250-300 hours. Self-fruitful.
Santa Barbara Peach
Bud sport of Ventura peach. Large, red-blushed yellow freestone, red near pit. Performs well in Central and Southern California's mild-winter coastal climates. Midseason harvest. Estimated chilling requirement 300 hours. Self-fruitful.
Saturn Peach
Flowering/fruiting. Spectacular large dark pink double blossoms. Yellow freestone fruit is large, juicy, sweet, low in acid, with a fine flavor. Mid-July in Central California. Long-time favorite in So. Calif. Low chilling requirement, 250-300 hours. Self-fruitful.
Kieffer Pear
Medium to large late season fruit for canning and cooking. Sprightly flavor, coarse texture. Resists fire blight, tolerates hot climates. Dependable crops. 200-300 hours. Self-fruitful.
Southern Bartlett Pear
Chance Sport of Bartlett found on an old Louisiana homestead. Moderate fire blight resisitance. Spreading growth habit. Less than 400 hours chill requirement. Self-fertile.
Southern King Pear
A high quality traditional pear of unknown parentage. Popular in Houston and other low chill areas. Shows resistance to fire blight. Good for fresh eating or canning. Self-fruitful. Less than 400 hours.
Beauty Plum
Sweet, flavorful plum, more widely adapted than Santa Rosa (more productive in cool, rainy climates). Red over yellow skin, amber flesh streaked red. Ripens June in Central CA, a week or more before Santa Rosa. 250 hours. Self-fruitful.
Burgundy Plum
Maroon colored skin and semi-freestone flesh. Sweet, with little or no tartness and a very pleasing, mild flavor. High taste test scores. Prolonged harvest, mid-July to mid-August in Central CA. Very productive tree with narrow, upright habit. 300 hours. Self-fruitful.
Mariposa Plum
Large, red fleshed, sweet, juicy, firm, delicious. Small pit, nearly freestone. Mottled maroon over green skin. Use fresh or cooked. Harvest August. 250 hours. Pollenized by Catalina, Nubiana, or Santa Rosa.
Santa Rosa Plum
Most popular plum in California & Arizona. Juicy, tangy and flavorful. Reddish purple skin, amber flesh tinged red. Late June in Central CA. 300 hours. Self-fruitful.
Jewel Southern Highbush Blueberry
One of California's leading commercial varieties due to its high adaptability. Exceptional growth and high yields. Midseason harvest of large to very large berries with tangy sweet flavor. Chill requirement estimated at 200 hours. Self-fruitful, zones 7-10. (U.S Plant Patent #11807)
Jubilee Southern Highbush Blueberry
Southern Highbush. Midseason, sweet, firm berry. Upright and quite compact bush, with fruit borne on the outer periphery. Chilling requirement is estimated at 400-500 hours.
Misty Southern Highbush Blueberry
Southern Highbush. Early season. In the West Misty is quite vigorous, growing very well on the coast and in the inland heat. This especially flavorful fruit does well in areas with chilling as low as 150 hours and all areas with mild winters and hot summers.
O'Neal Southern Highbush Blueberry
Southern Highbush. Large fruit is especially sweet and flavorful. Early season. 5-6 ft. bush. 200 hours. Self-fruitful, but plant two varieties for largest crops.
Pink Lemonade Northern Highbush Blueberry
Pink Lemonade offers something unique in edible fruits. White translucent berries mature to a luscious bright pink and taste wonderfully sweet with a firm, clear texture. 'Pink Lemonade' will produce farther south than many traditional blueberry cultivars. Berry color and flavor will attract both gourmet cooks and those seeking a culinary novelty. However, it is the beauty of the plant that will earn respect of gardeners everywhere.
Sunshine Blue Southern Highbush Blueberry
Southern highbush. Great flavored firm berries. Ripens May 10 through June 15 at Gainesville, Florida. Semi-dwarf evergreen bush with great fall color. Showy hot pink flowers fade to white in spring. Self-fruitful. Estimated chilling required 150 hours, but very cold hardy as well.
Heritage Raspberry
Everbearing - Large, sweet, dark red berries. Mild flavor and excellent quality. Good for all uses. Moderate early crop in June, July. Heavier late crop August through fall. Berries keep well on or off the vine. Upright growth habit. Self-fruitful. Best in Zones 4-11.
Marion Blackberry
Medium to large size firm, sweet, bright berries. Excellent for fresh and dessert use. Rated by many as the best pie berry. Long harvest June through summer. Cross of Olallieberry developed in Oregon where it is a major commercial variety. Very long, vine-like canes require support. Self-fruitful. Best in zones 6 - 9
Nova Red Raspberry
Medium size dark red fruit. Mild flavor. Firm when ripe and very suited for U-pick, fresh market and freezing. Bears early May, June. Disease resistant, very cold hardy. Very few thorns. Self-fruitful. Best in zones 3 - 9, but also has done well in zones 10 and 11.
Olallieberry
A cross between Youngberry and Loganberry, classified as a blackberry. Large, elongated fruit with unique sweet-tart flavor: a long-time California fruit stand favorite for fresh-eating, pies and jams. Vine-like (trailing) structure, requires support. Lower chilling requirement than Boysen. Takes up to two years to bear. Zones 7-9, possibly 6-10.
Black Monukka Seedless Grape
Large, purplish-black, sweet, crisp. Does not require as much summer heat as Thompson. Use fresh or for raisins. Early midseason. 100 hours. Self-fruitful. Cane or spur prune.
Flame Seedless Grape
Medium-sized, light red. Crisp, sweet, excellent flavor. For fresh use or raisins. Needs hot summer. Ripens before Thompson. Vigorous. 100 hours. Self-fruitful. Cane or spur prune.
Red Globe Grape
Very large, firm, seeded grape of famously high quality. Late summer/fall harvest. Fresh, raisins, juice. 100 hours. Cane prune.
Thompson Seedless Grape
Most popular grape in CA, AZ. Fresh and raisins. Pale green, very sweet. Thin the clusters for larger berries. Needs plenty of heat. 100 hours. Self-fruitful. Cane prune.
Tomuri Male Kiwi
Actinidia chinensis, aka A. deliciosa. Pollenizer for Vincent female. Does not bear fruit. One male can pollenize up to eight Vincent females.
Vincent Female Kiwi
Actinidia chinesis, aka A. deliciousa. Low chilling requirement, adapted to Southern CA. Tasty, well-regarded fuzzy-skinned fruit. Pollenized by Tomuri Male.
All-in-One Genetic Semi-Dwarf Almond
No. 1 almond for home orchards. Heavy crops of soft shell nuts with sweet, flavorful kernels. Hot summer required to ripen. 15 ft. tree, very winter and frost hardy. 300-400 hrs. Self-fruitful. (Zaiger)