Totarabank has both fruit and nut orchards with a variety of trees. Residents also have fruit trees on their own sections. More planting is always happening...
The fruit trees in the Totarabank orchards are:
The fruit trees in the Totarabank orchards are:
- Hawera Plum. Originated from a chance seedling found on the roadside near, you guessed it, Hawera. Large dark red fruit with very firm dark red flesh. One of the best deep red plums. Heavy cropper, freestone, ripens January. Self fertile. Deciduous. Planted July 2015.
- Luisa Plum. This yellow fleshed plum is exceptionally sweet and juicy, with a distinctive heart-shape. The skin is yellow with a cherry red over blush, developing at maturity or in cool storage. Large fruit with small stone, Exceptional, sweet and juicy, The Luisa sets a crop in the absence of visible pollinators, but increased fruit set is notable with Billington or Freedom, present with highly enhanced crops being reported. It is a medium-high variety, with a spreading shape ideal for single leader type training.
- Greengage Plum. A versatile little plum with greenish yellow fruit that tastes like pure nectar. Excellent straight off the tree but also good for jam and stewing. Self fertile but will perform well with a companion such as Coe's Golden Drop. The small to medium sized fruit are green, or in some variants, greenish yellow. The flesh is a transluscent greenish yellow, and the taste is pure nectar, with brix (sugar) levels approaching 30 when well ripened. It is one of the most refined and exquisitely flavored plums there is. Not really self fertile, use Stanley, Coe's Golden Drop or Angelina Burdett as pollenizer.
- Cherry Plums ("Christmas plums"). There are both yellow and red growing in various places along road boundary, plus one in the orchard.
- Peasgood Nonsuch Apple. An English heritage variety with huge, flat, highly coloured fruit with red stripes. A brisk and juicy fresh eating apple with a large, handsome and regular shape. This versatile apple cooks to a sweet and delicately flavoured puree, bakes well and makes a great addition to salads. The flesh is firm, juicy and tart with the right blend of acid and sweet. When stewed the flesh breaks down to a 'froth'. Matures late summer to autumn. Deciduous. This apple which dates back to the 1800's is the perfect choice for baking - especially apple pies and apple sauce. Apparently Mrs Peasgood from Lincolnshire planted 5 apple seeds from an un-named cooking apple, only 1 germinated and it produced such a wonderful apple it was named after Mrs Peasgood and the Nonsuch part of the name literally translates as "without equal".
- Monty's Surprise Apple. This versatile apple is crisp, good eating and cooks well. Originating from a very old tree in the Manawatu, this apple ripens late in the season. The skin has a shiny red stripe over a light green background. This disease hardy tree produces very large fruit that is high in health-boosting antioxidants. The skin of this apple has a high flavanoid count aiding human disease prevention.
- Fiesta Apple. The Fiesta is a modern cultivar of domesticated apple which is often marketed as Red Pippin. It was developed in the United Kingdom by the breeders of East Malling Research, combining the Cox's Orange Pippin with the Idared apple. It is really one of the best Cox's style apples, but much easier to grow having good disease resistance. It is a sweet apple, nutty and aromatic, which is good for fresh eating, juice and hard cider. It is flushed and striped from orange and red, and has some apple russeting. It keeps fresh three for months or more.
- Taylor's Gold Pear. This pear ripens late in the season (April) and has been described as having a sensational flavour - tender and juicy with a delicate sweet taste. Pollinate with Beurre Bosc, Williams bon Chretien or Winter Nelis. Deciduous. They are indifferent to soil type but prefer it not to be too soggy in winter. 'Taylor's Gold' was discovered in Nelson in 1986 and has quickly gained popularity internationally.
- Conference Pear. Crops very well with delicious juicy fruit that are quite long and narrow in shape. The flesh is rich and aromatic with a slight pink tinge when ripe. Attractive, smooth khaki-green skin. Ripe around March. Self fertile. Though 'Conference' is self fertile Pears always do best with a pollinator partner. Use either 'Williams Bon Chretien' or 'Louise Bonne de Jersey' if you have the room.
- Blackboy Peach. This is a very old heritage variety. A medium-sized fruit, it has a dark wine coloured outer and inner, with rich, juicy, textured flesh. A popular variety for eating fresh and bottling. Self fertile and ripens late February. Planted August 2015.
- Wiggins Peach. This is an heirloom peach that ripens before the Blackboy Peach. Sweet, white juicy flesh with superb flavour. It is a cling-stone peach but it is excellent for eating fresh or bottling. The skin is not thick or too furry and the flavour is superb. Wiggins peaches are very disease resistant and apart from pruning to keep new growth coming, they are a low maintenance home garden peach variety. Prune to a vase shape and water well until established. Suitable for home orchards. Planted August 2015.
- Hazelnut
- Walnuts
- Almond
- There is also a pine nut tree plantation on the eastern boundary.
Thanks to Waiere Nursery and Waimea Nurseries for the fruit descriptors.