Fruit Trees...Types and Growing Considerations
 Fruit trees not only provide a beautiful display during spring, they have the added bonus of offering fruit later in the season. They come in three sizes: dwarf (6-8'), semi-dwarf (8'-12') and standard (15'-20'). We offer mostly semi-dwarf trees as this seems to be the most popular with home gardeners. Fruit trees are either self-fertile, meaning no pollinator is required, OR they will require a pollinator. This means that you must plant at least two different varieties that bloom at approximately the same time so that cross-pollination will occur. We've listed pollination needs below.
Fruit trees can be a beautiful and bountiful addition to your yard. However, they do require yearly care to maintain health and vigor. See our list of things to consider when planting fruit trees in a home garden.
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Braeburn
(Self-fertile -- but will produce heavier with a pollinator)
A balance of sweet and tart. These may be eaten fresh and are also used in baking and cooking.
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Fuji
(Requires pollinator)
Crisp white flesh that is sweet. Excellent for fresh eating, salads, pies, baking, and freezing. Long shelf life when refrigerated. Red striped skin.
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Gala
(Requires pollinator)
Very popular apple with mild crisp, sweet fruit. Red skinned type is good for eating fresh or baking.
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Photo Courtesy Bailey Nurseries Inc.
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Granny Smith
(Self-fertile --but will produce heavier with a pollinator)
 Very late maturing, late keeping, dual purpose apple. Flesh is hard, crisp and juicy with excellent tart flavor. Fruit is grass green and shiny.
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Photo Courtesy Bailey Nurseries Inc.
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Haralred
(requires pollinator)
A red selection of 'Haralson'. Poduces medium-sized red fruit. Juicy, crisp and tart. Good dual purpose apple. A good keeper for storing. Fine hardy, winter variety that's a little sweeter than Haralson.
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Photo Courtesy Bailey Nurseries Inc.
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Honeycrisp
(requires pollinator)
An exciting apple that is exceptionally crisp and juicy. Flavor is sweet but well-balanced. Excellent storage life, up to 7 months. Has been rated equal to or higher in overall quality than 'Haralson', 'Honeygold' or 'Keepsake' in winter storage trials. Ripens in late September and stores like a late season variety. Crabapple 'Indian Summer' is a good pollinator.
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Photo Courtesy Bailey Nurseries Inc
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McIntosh
(requires pollinator)
A well-known older apple that has a sprightly flavor and a medium storage life. Nearly solid, bright red skin. Heavy bearer. Good for eating and baking. Fruit tends to drop when ripe.
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Columnar Apples:
Ever wanted to grow your own fresh fruit but didn't have the space? These trees have been developed to grow in a columnar form, making them easy to fit into a small landscape. Fruit forms close to the trunk on short growing 'spurs' instead of typical branches. At maturity, they will be 7'-9' tall and 2'-3' wide. Plant at least two different varieties to ensure good pollination. They will also pollinate with a standard apple tree as long as it is a mid-season bloomer.
Golden Sentinel: large, flavorful sweet yellow fruit. (Very similar to Golden Delicious)
North Pole: Crisp and juicy red apple. Use for fresh eating and cider. (McIntosh-like flavor)
Scarlet Sentinel: Greenish yellow apples blushed with red have crisp, white, sweet flesh.
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CHERRY (Prunus)
Cherries are some of the easiest fruit trees to grow
in Colorado. They are hardy, are naturally disease
and insect resistant, and offer beautiful bark.
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Sour Cherries
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Photo Courtesy Bailey Nurseries Inc.
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Evans Bali
(self-fertile)
This type is actually a cross between a sweet and sour cherry.
Deep, dark red fruit 1" in diameter. Excellent for baking and fresh eating. The fruit is much sweeter than other sour cherries. Extremely hardy buds.
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Photo Courtesy Bailey Nurseries Inc.
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Montmorency
(self-fertile)
Large red, tart fruit for pies or preserves. A very productive sour pie cherry with minimal disease or pest problems.
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Sweet Cherries:
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Stella
(requires pollinator: pollinate with a Bing)
Black skin and flesh. This sweet cherry has juicy flesh and is moderately firm.
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Redhaven
(self-fertile)
One of the finest early peaches. Colors a beautiful red and golden yellow. Flesh is firm, smooth textured and fine flavored. Fruit is medium size, round, uniform and appealing. Good for freezing, canning, and shipping. Disease resistant. One of the hardier peaches. Fruit sets heavily, must be thinned to reach size.
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Reliance
(self-fertile)
The hardiest yellow-fleshed freestone peach available. Medium sized, roundish, yellow-fleshed peach. Has a rather dull blush over green-yellow color. Flesh is bright yellow, rather soft and juicy. Flavor is fair. Good for cold regions.
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PEAR (Pyrus)
Pears require the most pollination of all of the fruits,
so bees are very important along with planting
multiple pear trees.
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Photo Courtesy Bailey Nurseries, Inc.
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Bartlett
(pollinate with a Bosc)
Originated as a chance seedling in Berkshire, England. Large size, golden yellow, wonderful quality. Buttery, juicy, highly flavored fruit. Excellent for eating fresh or canning. Vigorous grower and bears young.
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Bosc
(self-fertile but can be planted with a Bartlett for increased production)
An old time French variety with large, high quality, russeted fruit. The tender, juicy, yellowish flesh has a smooth texture and the fruit is good for fresh use and canning. Vigorous grower. Self-fertile but yield will increase with a second variety. Bartlett is a good pollinator for Bosc.
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Comice
(pollinate with a Bartlett or Bosc)
Sweet, juicy and creamy in texture. Green skin, sometimes with a red blush. For fresh eating or cooking.
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Luscious
(pollinate with a Bartlett)
Juicy, sweet, medium to small bright yellow fruit. Excellent dessert pear. Actual tree is ornamental too with a globe shape, glossy green leaves and red fall color. Fire blight resistant.
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PLUM (Prunus)
Plums are another very reliable fruit tree in our area.
We offer both European and Japanese types. Most European type plums will set fruit with their own pollen, but will produce better crops with pollinizers nearby. While some Japanese plums are self-fertile, most will require require a pollinizer. See variety specific information below.
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Photo Courtesy Bailey Nurseries Inc.
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Mount Royal
(self-fertile)
Medium sized, round blue, European plum. Good eaten fresh off the tree. Excellent for dessert, jam and preserves. Tender, juicy yellow flesh.
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Santa Rosa
(self-fertile)
A medium large, red Japanese plum with firm, sweet, juicy yellow flesh. Bears mid-July and is great for fresh eating, cooking and canning. A good pollinator for many types of plums.
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Elephant Heart
(pollinate with a Santa Rosa)
Japanese plum with large, dark reddish-purple fruit with purple-red sweet flesh. A freestone type to be eaten fresh. Good for canning.
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Photo Courtesy Bailey Nurseries Inc
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Toka
(Self fertile but will bear more with other plums nearby. One of the best pollinators for other trees)
A red-skinned, richly flavored variety with apricot flesh. Japanese plum.
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Stanley
(self-fertile)
European plum with dark blue skin and yellow flesh. Freestone. Ripens in September. A good producer.
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