TROPIC GOLD™ APRICOT 1998 I called on Samuel Kim at Santa Rosa Valley Nursery, Camarillo. He took me to an older apricot tree in his parking area which set quantities of fruit and no one could identify it for him. I returned in late June/early July and told him it was either a Blenheim or Royal. Sam did not agree as he had planted both varieties about 50' away and neither would fruit because of…

MONTROSE APRICOT In 1952 Lloyd Rosenvold purchased land in Montrose, Colorado. He found a very large apricot tree in a hillside pasture believed to be a seedling. The tree produced huge crops of medium to large fruit of superior flavor and quality. He was surprised as the winter was -31° and the previous year even colder. Mr. Rosenvold took seed with him when moving to Idaho in 1966. The original tree had limbs with 6"…

AUTUMN ROYAL APRICOT L. E. Cooke Patent #2906 Andrew W. Kannonin, Hollister, California had a Blenheim Apricot orchard.  In the orchard was a tree with one sport limb that flowered similar to the rest of the tree but the fruit did not ripen until September 15. Nephew Don Moore (Moore's Western Nursery in Atascadero, CA) shared this information with Bob Ludekens who, along with business partner George Daniels, drove to Hollister to see the fruit…

GOLDEN AMBER APRICOT L. E. Cooke Patent #3067 (Filed September 18, 1969) Willard Clayton Hill had a Tilton Apricot orchard on Caldwell Ave, Visalia, California.  He told Bob Ludekens about one tree in his orchard that flowered over a 30 day period and produced apricots ripening for 30 days.  The extended time was not good for commercial plantings but is what a homeowner would want.  When a tree has fruit ripening all in a few…

ROYALTY APRICOT This very large early fruiting apricot was introduced to the L. E. Cooke Co in 1970 by Walter Krause of Redwood Nursery, Reedley, California. Royalty sets fruit as a young tree and ripens for us in early June. The tree sets very large fruit on the heavy wood in the tree which is an asset in windy areas. The variety is freestone, self fertile, very large, good flavor, ripening very early before the…

MONIQUI APRICOT   Mr. Andy Mariani , Mariani Orchards in Morgan Hill, California, supplied budwood for this variety during the summer of 1990. Moniqui is from Spain.  It grows in areas with chill from 600 to 1000 hours.  A very unique fruit with sweet white juicy flesh with a coral pink blush to the skin with golden highlights on both ends. The tree is a very vigorous grower, large leaves, resistant to bacterial canker.  The…

MILD CLIMATE PEACH INTRODUCTIONS The L. E. Cooke Co started in the 1950's searching for good varieties to introduce to the homeowners filling a need of varieties for mild winter area with flavor for retail nursery sales. From when Bob Ludekens started in 1946 up to the early '60's the main varieties sold were Elbertas, Hales, and Rio Oso Gem with the white flesh Babcock about the only low chill selection for retail sales. We…

AUTUMN ROSA PLUM   The Autumn Rosa Plum is medium to large heart shaped fruit.  The skin has a bloom similar to some grape varieties.  When the bloom is removed, the skin is very shiny maroon to red with an amber cast.  If the fruit is in full sun it is very maroon, if in the shade has more red with the amber shading. The flesh is amber color, moist but very firm, and a…

BLUEBERRY GRAPE™ Paul McLane gave the L. E. Cooke Co a grapevine he grew from his grandmother's seedling in Chico, California. The grapevine produced a seedless Concord like grape with a unique blueberry flavor. Thus it was named Blueberry Grape™. A vitis vinifera selection which sets large quantities of medium clusters fully ripe in early September. A temptation to pick because it has good color in August but its very strong high quality flavor is…

MIDGELY'S PURPLE SEEDLESS GRAPE Discovered by Tom Midgely in southwest Utah in 1965.  Taken to Tom's home in Ogden, Utah where the vines froze in 1968. Tom moved to Washington, Utah and replanted from the original vine in southern Utah and sent cuttings to the L. E. Cooke Co. The L. E. Cooke Co has had the vines in Visalia since 1970.  The cuttings were planted in our test block and the decision was made…