Chicago Hardy Fig is the premier fig for cold-climate gardens, selected for its remarkable ability to survive Midwestern winters and return from the roots even if top growth is killed back by severe cold. It produces an abundance of sweet, rich plum-purple figs in fall that are prized for fresh eating, drying, and preserves — an unexpected treat in the northern landscape. Growing to 9–15 feet with a spreading habit in full sun, it makes a dramatic specimen with large, deeply lobed tropical-looking leaves throughout the season. Deer, rabbits, insects, and disease leave it alone, and it tolerates Black Walnut — a surprisingly tough and adaptable plant for one so exotic in appearance. Plant in the warmest, most sheltered spot available for the best cold hardiness. A truly rewarding edible that expands what’s possible in the Midwestern home garden.

Heritage Red Raspberry is one of the most dependable and productive varieties available, delivering two generous harvests in a single season — a moderate crop in early summer and a heavier, more flavorful crop in fall. Bright red berries have outstanding aroma and sweetness, making them a joy to eat fresh and perfect for freezing, canning, and pies. Growing 3–5 feet tall with an upright habit, Heritage fits neatly into borders, vegetable gardens, or dedicated fruiting beds in full sun with moderate water. Disease-resistant canes are tough and reliable season after season, and birds will appreciate the harvest as much as you do. Its virtually everbearing nature makes it especially rewarding for gardeners who want a long picking window. A proven classic that’s earned its place in home gardens for generations.

‘Perpetua’ will give you two crops of sweet and delicious blueberries! The first fruit will appear in mid-summer, and then the plant will flower and set fruit a second time in the fall. The leaves are dark green and will turn to deep reds and greens in the winter, making it a beautiful addition to any landscape.

Height: 5 feet

Spread: 5 feet

Sunlight:

Raspberry Shortcake ® is a revolutionary thornless raspberry. Perfect for children and adults, this carefree nutritious raspberry requires no staking or big garden spaces. Its compact nature and rounded growth habit thrives in both patio containers and landscapes.

Boyne Raspberry is a cold-hardy, early-bearing variety that delivers reliable crops of medium-sized, sweet, juicy red berries beginning in early to midsummer. Named after a river in Manitoba, it was bred for exceptional winter hardiness — a natural choice for northern gardens where other varieties struggle to thrive. The upright-trailing canes grow 3–5 feet tall and produce best with light support and full sun exposure. Disease-resistant and proven over decades of performance, Boyne is a no-fuss fruiting shrub that rewards gardeners with a dependable summer harvest year after year. White spring flowers bring pollinators and butterflies before the fruit sets. A true workhorse variety for anyone serious about growing raspberries in cold climates.

Blue Crop Blueberry is a small shrub that is commonly grown for its edible qualities. It produces clusters of blue round berries which are usually ready for picking in mid-summer. The berries have a sweet taste and a juicy texture.

The berries are most often used in the following ways:

Bing Cherry is perhaps the most iconic sweet cherry in the world, beloved for its large, heart-shaped, dark mahogany-red fruit with a rich, intensely sweet flavor and firm, satisfying texture. White spring blossoms are a spectacular ornamental display before the fruit sets, and the graceful vase-shaped tree grows 15–20 feet tall in full sun. Cherries typically ripen in early to midsummer and are outstanding for fresh eating as well as cooking, baking, preserves, and canning. Birds are enthusiastic competitors for the harvest — netting the tree as fruit ripens is worthwhile. Cold-hardy and adaptable, Bing Cherry brings the romance of a classic orchard tree to the home landscape. For the best crop, plant alongside a compatible pollinator variety such as Stella or Rainier.

Red Haven Peach is a beloved Midwestern classic, prized for its firm, sweet, semi-freestone yellow flesh with a beautiful red blush that makes it one of the most attractive peaches at harvest. Fragrant pink blossoms in spring are ornamentally stunning before the fruit sets, and the tree grows 15–20 feet with a graceful vase-shaped habit in a sunny location. Fruit typically ripens in midsummer and is exceptional eaten fresh, frozen, baked into pies, or canned for the pantry. Moderate water needs and cold tolerance make it well-suited for the Midwest, where it has been a reliable backyard favorite for generations. Birds are drawn to the harvest, adding wildlife interest through the summer season. A classic, versatile peach that rewards with abundant, beautiful fruit year after year.

The Elberta Peach is considered to be one of the more active peach trees, and can produce up to 150 pounds of peaches in one season. In addition to its peaches, it blooms each spring with an abundance of vibrant pink and purple flowers, followed by its harvest season around early to mid-July. Its tender sweet freestone peaches can be enjoyed a variety of different ways, and are exceptionally delicious in cobblers and pies.

Himrod Grape is a woody vine that is commonly grown for its edible qualities. It produces large clusters of green round fruit with gold overtones which are usually ready for picking from mid to late summer. The seedless fruits have a sweet taste.

The fruit are most often used in the following ways:

Cherry Combo is a grafted multi-variety cherry tree that brings the joy of a home orchard to a single, beautiful specimen, with two or more compatible cherry varieties sharing one trunk for cross-pollination and an extended harvest season. Pink spring blossoms open in abundance, making it ornamentally striking before the fruit even sets, and birds will flock to it through the summer harvest. Growing 15–20 feet with an elegant vase-shaped form, it makes a graceful focal point in a sunny yard or orchard planting. Having multiple varieties on one tree means a longer, more staggered picking window, maximizing your fresh-cherry season. Cold-hardy and adaptable, it thrives with moderate water and full sun exposure. The perfect choice for home gardeners who want fresh-picked cherries without planting multiple trees.

Stella Cherry is a small tree that is typically grown for its edible qualities. It produces dark red round fruit (technically 'drupes') with crimson flesh which are usually ready for picking in mid-summer. Note that the fruits have hard inedible pits inside which must be removed before eating or processing. The fruits have a sweet taste and a firm texture.

Encore Raspberry is a late-season primocane variety prized for its generous clusters of sweet, juicy red berries that ripen from midsummer through fall, extending the fresh raspberry season later than most varieties. The upright canes reach 3–5 feet tall and wide, fitting neatly into garden borders or dedicated raspberry beds in full sun. White spring flowers attract pollinators before the berries set, and birds are always eager to share in the harvest. Disease-resistant and cold-hardy, it’s a reliable, low-maintenance choice that rewards minimal care with a maximum harvest. Plant it alongside an earlier-ripening variety for a nearly continuous supply of fresh raspberries through the growing season. A rewarding addition to any edible garden.

Reliance Seedless Grape is one of the most reliable and productive home-garden grapes for northern climates, producing abundant clusters of medium-sized, sweet, juicy red-rose grapes with excellent flavor from midsummer through late summer. A vigorous climbing vine reaching 9–15 feet with support, it covers arbors, fences, and pergolas in full sun with lush deciduous foliage that turns stunning red-burgundy and copper-bronze in fall. Seedless and easy to eat fresh, Reliance grapes are also excellent for jams, juice, and wine-making. Insect-resistant and disease-resistant, it’s a dependable choice for gardeners who want a low-fuss fruiting vine. Birds are drawn to the harvest, so netting before peak ripeness is worthwhile. Tolerates Black Walnut and handles erosion-prone sites, making it a genuinely flexible and productive landscape plant.

Yellow Delicious Apple is a small tree that is typically grown for its edible qualities. It produces large chartreuse round apples (which are botanically known as 'pomes') with yellow overtones and white flesh which are usually ready for picking from early to mid fall. The apples have a sweet taste and a crisp texture.

The apples are most often used in the following ways:

Santa Rosa Plum is a prized Japanese plum variety celebrated for its large, juicy crimson-red fruit with a delightfully sweet-tart flavor — one of the most widely loved home orchard varieties ever introduced. Clusters of fragrant pink spring flowers transform the branches before the leaves emerge, making this a genuinely ornamental tree even before harvest season arrives. It grows to 15–20 feet with an elegant vase-shaped form, well-suited as a specimen in a sunny yard or orchard planting. Fruit typically ripens in late summer and can be enjoyed fresh from the tree or used in cobblers, jams, and preserves. Birds are reliably attracted to the harvest, bringing extra life to the garden through summer. A classic variety that brings both beauty and bounty to the home landscape.

Black Tartarian Cherry is a medium-sized tree that is typically grown for its edible qualities. It produces dark red round fruit (technically 'drupes') with black overtones and dark red flesh which are usually ready for picking in mid summer. Note that the fruits have hard inedible pits inside which must be removed before eating or processing. The fruits have a sweet taste and a juicy texture.

Red Lake Currant is a classic edible shrub beloved for its reliable, heavy crops of tart, jewel-bright red currants perfect for jams, jellies, syrups, and fresh eating. Compact and mounding at 3–5 feet tall and wide, it’s a neat, well-behaved addition to edible gardens, borders, and cottage-style landscapes in full sun. Delicate flowers in spring attract butterflies and pollinators before giving way to pendulous clusters of glossy berries in early summer. Green foliage turns rich red-burgundy and copper-bronze in autumn, giving this hardworking shrub excellent ornamental value well beyond its harvest season. It’s disease resistant and cold-hardy, asking for little beyond well-drained soil and a spot in the sun. One of the most rewarding small fruiting shrubs for Midwestern gardens.

Red Delicious Apple is an iconic American variety loved for its deep crimson fruit with crisp, creamy-white flesh and satisfyingly sweet flavor that has made it a grocery-store and home-orchard staple for generations. Fragrant white spring blossoms are ornamentally beautiful, and the graceful vase-shaped tree grows 20–30 feet in full sun, making a handsome specimen in a larger yard or orchard planting. Fruit ripens from late summer to early fall, bringing birds to the garden and providing a generous harvest for fresh eating. The foliage puts on a lovely show of orange, burgundy, and gold as temperatures drop in autumn. Cold-hardy and adaptable, Red Delicious performs reliably in Midwestern gardens with moderate watering. For the best fruit set, plant alongside a compatible pollinator variety.

Red Fuji Apple is one of the world’s most celebrated apple varieties, prized for its large, strikingly beautiful red-blushed fruit with exceptional sweetness, juicy crunch, and remarkable shelf life. White spring blossoms are ornamentally lovely, and the upright tree grows 20–30 feet tall in full sun, making a fine specimen in a backyard orchard. Fruit ripens in midfall and is superb for fresh eating, juicing, and long storage. The foliage transitions to warm shades of orange and gold before dropping in autumn. Cold-hardy and adaptable, Red Fuji performs reliably in Midwestern gardens with full sun and moderate moisture. Pair with a compatible pollinator variety for the best crop yields.

Reliance Peach lives up to its name as one of the most dependable peach varieties for northern gardens, producing large, round fruit with a vivid red blush over yellow skin and juicy, sweet yellow flesh. Pink spring blossoms are ornamentally beautiful before the fruit sets, and the tree grows 15–20 feet with a classic vase-shaped form in full sun. Fruit ripens in midsummer, delivering a generous harvest that’s superb for fresh eating, freezing, baking, and canning. Disease-resistant and exceptionally cold-hardy, Reliance was bred specifically to perform in climates where other peach varieties may not make it through the winter. The foliage turns a warm yellow-gold in fall, adding an ornamental note to cap the season. An outstanding choice for home orchards across the Midwest and northern United States.

Bartlett Pear is the world’s most recognized pear variety, renowned for its intensely sweet, juicy, aromatic flesh and signature yellow skin that deepens as the fruit ripens in late summer. One of the most productive home orchard pears available, it reliably yields generous crops of large, classic bell-shaped fruits that are exceptional for fresh eating, canning, and preserving. Showy clusters of white blossoms put on a beautiful spring display before the broad, vase-shaped canopy leafs out in rich dark green. Plant in full sun with good drainage; pairing with another pear variety improves pollination and maximizes fruit set.

Common Persimmon is a beautiful native tree that doubles as an edible landscape specimen, offering ornamental merit across all four seasons alongside a generous harvest of sweet, richly flavored orange fruit in fall. Growing to an impressive 30–40 feet with an upright habit in full sun, it makes a striking specimen in a larger yard or naturalized setting. The fruit is best after a frost has softened the flesh and converted the starches to sugar — the result is a deeply sweet, honey-like flavor that’s exceptional fresh or dried. Vivid orange and gold fall foliage is among the most brilliant of any native tree. Fully resistant to deer, rabbits, insects, and disease, it supports birds and wildlife generously and tolerates Black Walnut. A durable, deeply rewarding tree for any landscape that has room for its full, impressive presence.

Coho Raspberry is a late-ripening primocane variety selected for its exceptionally large, firm, bright red berries — an ideal choice for gardeners who love to freeze or preserve their harvest. Named after the brilliant Coho salmon, this variety delivers high yields of late-season fruit that holds its shape and flavor beautifully. Canes reach 3–5 feet tall with a trailing habit and benefit from light support in the border or fruiting bed, requiring full sun for the best berry production. White spring flowers attract pollinators before the fruit sets, and the foliage turns warm red-burgundy in fall. Disease-resistant and cold-hardy, Coho is a reliable, low-fuss variety for home gardeners. A standout choice for a long, late harvest of firm, gorgeous raspberries.

The Royal Ann is considered a premier, all-around cherry, boasting a variety of kitchen uses. It’s packed with natural sugars, making it a tasty treat straight from the tree or dried and saved for later. It’s commonly used in pies, grilling sauces, fruit-flavored soups, jams and preserves.