‘Wild’ fruit and nuts
Index:
Juneberry
The most common juneberry variety which also occurs in the wild and is often planted in parks and avenues is Amelanchier lamarckii. These are magnificent little trees or large bushes which produce lovely flowers in the spring and then develop brownish foliage (which later turns to green), after which the delicious berries appear which are also much loved by birds.
You can harvest them in June-July - if you get there quick enough. They are very tasty in jams. In the autumn the leaves take on lovely yellow-purple-red shades before they fall. A tree that gives pleasure in many ways.
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Elder
Sambucus nigra is the long-established elder which used to be found on every farm because of the healing properties of the black berries which can be picked in August-September. You can make tasty jams or lemonade and even delicious wine with them. The umbels are also used to make a spicy drink.
The tall bushes flower exceptionally lavishly in May-June with masses of clusters of white flowers. The elder likes nutrient-rich soil in full sun. It is a native plant.
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Juniper
This is a conifer which grows in the wild as well throughout North-West Europe (Juniperus communis). The upward-pointing trees or bushes do well in any normal garden soil. The female trees bear the berries to which all sorts of medical properties are attributed and which are also used to flavour gin.
Other parts of this plant are also used for medical or culinary purposes. You do need a male plant nearby in order to get berries.
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Hip roses
There are various rose varieties which produce hips which can also be consumed. Good varieties include the dog rose (Rosa canina) and the sweet briar (Rosa rubiginosa), but the most commonly grown is the true hip rose with large fleshy hips, Rosa rugosa, which you can even grow as a hedge.
The flowers are magnificent in June-July, the harvest of the fruit - which is very rich in vitamin C - occurs in August-September. They make delicious jam.
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Nuts
Walnuts (Juglans regia) produce tall trees. They flower in May, the nuts are ready to harvest in October. The black walnut (Juglans nigra) grows slightly faster and produces nuts with a somewhat harder shell. Walnut varieties are numbered. Seek proper advice when making your purchase. The trees generally grow too large for the average garden.
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Sweet chestnut
This species (Castanea sativa) also grows very large over time. The tasty fruit (harvested in October) is eaten in roasted form or pureed. The flowers bloom in June-July. The nuts (seeds) are in heavily spiked casings. The Chinese chestnut produces a slightly smaller tree (Castanea molissima), and the nuts of that species also taste good.
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Hazelnut
This species (Corylus avellana) develops into medium-sized trees or bushes which are filled with yellow catkins in February-March. The tasty nuts can be harvested in September. Good varieties are ‘Romeinse noot’, ‘Garibaldi’, ‘Cosford’ and the less vigorous ‘Bondnuss’.
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