Ed Donnelly, owner of Sorelle Farms, spoke about native fruit-bearing plants at the Wood County Master Gardeners' Lunch and Learn program on Thursday, Oct. 22, at First Assembly of God Church in Quitman. He said the plants can produce food and provide habitat for wildlife, and that they can handle summer heat and dry weather better than many other plants. He also named bugs, diseases and unpredictable weather as challenges for East Texas gardeners.
Donnelly discussed dewberries, mayhaws, muscadines, mulberries, persimmons, elderberries, native plums, pawpaws and agarita. He said mayhaws are popular for jelly and can grow in well-drained soil. He recommended keeping muscadine vines pruned to about 20 feet across. He warned that red mulberries can stain areas near driveways or patios. He said pawpaws grow slowly and need shade when young, and that two varieties are needed for cross-pollination.
Donnelly also described agarita as a thorny shrub that can serve as a natural screen. He said several plants, including persimmons and mayhaws, can be grown as hedges. He advised adding compost, fertilizing regularly and having a watering plan, especially in the first year or two after planting.