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Cold-hardy grape varieties have made it possible to grow wine and table grapes in places where vineyards once seemed out of the question. Grapes are among the world’s most widely grown fruits, with about 72.5 million tonnes harvested in 2023. They are eaten fresh, dried into raisins, pressed for juice and fermented into wine. China … Read more
Cold hardy citrus fruit trees make it possible to pick oranges, mandarins and lemons far north of the traditional groves. Citrus trees are evergreens that trace their origin to the foothills of the Himalayas. Most are damaged when temperatures fall into the mid-20s, and lemons, limes and citrons are hurt even sooner. Citrus is one … Read more
Extremely cold hardy perennials are the backbone of gardens in places where winter lows reach -30°F, -40°F or worse. A perennial is a plant that lives for more than two years. Most garden perennials are herbaceous, which means the top dies back each fall while the roots and crown survive underground. Annuals must be replanted … Read more
Cold-hardy bamboo varieties can survive winters well below zero, which surprises people who think of bamboo as a tropical plant. Bamboo is a woody grass, and roughly 1,500 kinds grow around the world. They range from ground covers a foot high to timber giants taller than a five-story building. Bamboos fall into two groups according … Read more
Cold hardy cactus varieties prove that these plants are not limited to hot deserts. The cactus family contains roughly 1,600 to 2,000 species, nearly all native to the Americas. Their natural range runs from Patagonia in the south to the Canadian prairies in the north. Every cactus has a feature found in no other plant … Read more
Cold hardy banana varieties let gardeners far from the tropics grow one of the world’s most recognizable plants. The banana is native to Southeast Asia and is not a tree at all, but a giant herb. Its trunk is a tight roll of leaf bases, and the true stem lies underground. Bananas are among the … Read more
Cold-hardy apple varieties allow orchards and backyard trees to thrive where winter lows fall to -30°F or -40°F. The apple originated in the mountains of Central Asia and has been cultivated for thousands of years. More than 7,500 varieties are now grown around the world, though only a few dozen are planted on a large … Read more
Fruits that look like kiwi share its most recognizable features, which are a small oval shape and a dull, brown, fuzzy skin. The kiwifruit itself is native to southern China, where it grows as a woody, climbing vine. It was first exported under the name Chinese gooseberry and was renamed in 1959 after New Zealand’s … Read more
Cold tolerant avocado varieties make it possible to grow this subtropical fruit well beyond the frost-free coasts where most of the crop is raised. The avocado is native to Mexico and Central America, where wild trees still grow in mountain forests. It is unusual among fruits because its flesh is rich in oil and contains … Read more
Fruits that look like pears are common enough that botanists have a word for the shape, pyriform, meaning narrow at the stem and swollen at the base. The true pear is one of the oldest orchard fruits, cultivated in both Europe and East Asia for several thousand years. More than 3,000 varieties exist, though only … Read more