BACKGROUNDER/FACT SHEET
Media Contact:
Barb DeGroot
952-443-1459
degro035@umn.edu
MAILING ADDRESS: 3675 ARBORETUM DRIVE, CHASKA, MN 55318  TELEPHONE: 952-443-1400  WEBSITE: WWW.ARBORETUM.UMN.EDU
Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Horticultural Research Center
BACKGROUND
In 1908, the University of Minnesota created the Fruit Breeding Farm on 80 acres near Victoria, Minn.,
for the purpose of developing hardy apple trees for our northern climate. Each year thousands of trees
were judged and eliminated if they did not meet strict standards. Hardiness, disease resistance, flavor,
texture, size, appearance, storability, and productivity are traits by which apple trees are still evaluated.
The excess of research apples continues to be sold to the public each fall to help support research efforts.
Among the apple varieties that have been named and released are ‘Fireside,’ ‘Haralson,’ ‘Honeygold,’
and more recently ‘Honeycrisp’ and ‘Zestar!.’ Over the years, more than 98 fruit introductions have
been made, including apricots, cherries, cherry-plums, raspberries, blueberries, grapes, and strawberries.
Wine and table grapes and new hybrid blueberries such as ‘Polaris’ are recent introductions.
In 1967, the Fruit Breeding Farm was renamed the Horticultural Research Center (HRC) to reflect the
increased diversity on 230 acres. Additional activities include the breeding of landscape plants, including
ornamental grasses, plant cold-hardiness research and restoration ecology research. Thirty-nine new trees
and shrubs have been introduced, including the ‘Lights’ azalea series, ‘Northwood’ maple, and ‘Northern
Sun’ forsythia. The wetland ecology project started the successful Spring Peeper Meadow wetland
restoration project in 1995 and uses Arboretum wetlands and former wild-rice research paddies for
innovative research.
In 1985, the HRC was administratively merged with the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum (located 1 mile
to the east of the research center). The combined unit continues to remain an important research arm of
the Department of Horticultural Science at the University.
FRUIT BREEDING PROGRAM
Dr. Jim Luby currently directs the fruit-breeding program at the HRC, which is actively breeding apples,
blueberries, grapes and strawberries, plus a selection of other species. New blueberry cultivars from the
program led to the development of new commercial plantings in Minnesota and other parts of the country
with similar cold climates. The apple cultivar ‘Honeycrisp’ combines cold hardiness with outstanding
fruit quality and has been in strong demand at licensed nurseries across the country and is increasingly
attracting international interest. The grape research program has been pivotal in expanding the local wine
industry with introductions such as the ‘Frontenac’ red wine grape, which is now the most commonly
grown grape in Minnesota.
PLANT BREEDING PROGRAM
The woody landscape plant-breeding program is based at the Arboretum and is headed by Dr. Stan
Hokanson. Current research includes breeding cold hardy, disease resistant deciduous azaleas and shrub
roses, development of improved shade trees and small-scale shade tolerant trees, and the development of
new woody landscape plants derived from plant material native to the upper Midwestern United States.
The Horticultural Research Center is located 1 mile west of the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum on
Hwy. 5 in Chanhassen.
Fruit Cultivar Introductions Developed at the
Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Horticultural Research Center
Malus Apple
‘Minnehaha’
‘Folwell’
‘Wedge’
‘Haralson’
‘Beacon’
‘Prairie Spy
‘Minjon’
‘Victory’
‘Fireside’
‘Redwell’
‘Oriole’
‘Lakeland’
‘Regent’
‘Honeygold’
‘Red Baron’
‘State Fair’
‘Sweet Sixteen’
‘Keepsake’
‘Honeycrisp’
‘Zestar!’
1920
1922
1922
1923
1936
1940
1942
1943
1943
1946
1949
1950
1964
1969
1969
1978
1978
1979
1991
1998
Crabapples
‘Chestnut’
‘Northland’
‘Centennial’
1946
1957
1957
fall, excellent flavor, dense texture
Prunus Apricot
‘Moongold’
‘Sungold’
1960
1960
hardy, golden yellow
hardy, yellow with red blush
Vaccinium Blueberry
‘Northblue’
1983
‘Northsky’
‘Northcountry’
1983
1986
‘St. Cloud’
‘Chippewa’
‘Polaris’
1990
1996
1996
Prunus Cherry
‘Orient’
‘Northstar’
‘Meteor’
1949
1950
1952
Prunus Cherry-Plum
‘Zumbra’
1920
‘St. Anthony’
1923
‘Nicollet’
1925
‘Deep Purple’
1965
Ribes Currant
‘Red Lake’
‘Cascade’
1933
1942
Ribes Gooseberry
‘Como’
1922
‘Welcome’
1957
Peach-Almond
‘Manitou’
1923
winter, tart, culinary
early fall, hardy, red
winter, culinary
fall culinary, red
fall, tart, juicy
winter, sweet
late fall, hardy, red
summer, striped, tart
fall, culinary
winter, red, high-quality eating
late fall, sweet, crisp, yellow
fall, red sweet
early fall, red, tart
fall, sweet, unusual flavor
winter, long storage life
fall, crisp, juicy, well-balanced, good storage
early fall, excellent flavor
early fall, hardy, good flavor
hardy, half-high habit, large fruit,
high yield
hardy, low-growing habit
medium-low growing, excellent
flavor
moderately high habit, good yield
hardy, half-high with sweet berries
half-high with highly aromatic
firm berries; bright orange-red foliage in fall
hardy, semi-dwarf, pie cherry
hardy, pie cherry
deep purple color
large cluster of medium fruit, red
large fruit
Vitis Grape
‘Red Amber’
‘Moonbeam’
‘Blue Jay’
‘Bluebell’
‘Swenson Red’
‘Edelwiess’
‘Frontenac’
‘La Crescent’
‘Frontenac gris’
1944
1944
1944
1944
1978
1978
1995
2001
2004
Pyrus Pear
‘Parker’
‘Bantam’
‘Golden Spice’
‘Summercrisp’
1934
1940
1949
1987
Prunus Plum
‘Elliot’
‘Monitor’
‘Red Wing’
‘Tonka’
‘Underwood’
‘Anoka’
‘Mound’
‘Winona’
‘Goldenrod’
‘Hennepin’
‘La Crescent’
‘Waconia’
‘Newport’
‘Mendota’
‘Radisson’
‘Superior’
‘Ember’
‘Redcoat’
‘Pipestone’
‘Redglow’
‘South Dakota’
‘Alderman’
1920
1920
1920
1920
1920
1922
1922
1922
1923
1923
1923
1923
1923
1924
1925
1933
1936
1942
1942
1949
1949
1986
Rubus Raspberry
‘Latham’
1920
‘Chief’
1930
‘Itasca’
1965
‘Redwing’
1986
‘Nordic’
1987
Fragaria Strawberry
‘Minnehaha’
1920
‘Minnesota’
1920
‘Duluth’
1920
‘Chaska’
1922
‘Easypicker’
1922
‘Nokomis’
1922
‘Deephaven’
1922
‘Burgundy’
1943
‘Evermore’
1945
‘Arrowhead’
1946
‘Earlimore’
1958
‘Trumpeter’
1960
‘Northland’
1982
‘Mesabi’
1996
‘Winona’
1996
hardy, early maturing, juice grape
red table grape
white table grape, disease resistant
red wine grape
excellent white wine grape
white mutation of Frontenac. Disease
resistant, white wine with peach flavor.
large fruit, good quality
early, medium-size fruit, crisp skin
early ripening, good flavor
yellow plum, sweet, tender skin
large fruit, very productive
large red fruit, juicy
seedling of native P.americana
large fruit, firm skin
large fruit, productive, red variety
fall bearing, productive
hardy, productive
June bearing
June bearing
Everbearing
June bearing
June bearing
June bearing
Everbearing
June bearing
Everbearing
June bearing
June bearing
June bearing, hardy
June bearing, hardy, developed for zone 3
June bearing
late June, large, flavorful, disease-resistant
Landscape Plant Cultivar Introductions Developed at the
Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Horticultural Research Center
Rhododendron Azalea
‘Northern Lights’
‘Pink Lights’
‘Rosy Lights’
‘White Lights’
‘Spicy Lights’
‘Apricot Surprise’
‘Golden Lights’
‘Orchid Lights’
‘Lemon Lights’
‘Mandarin Lights’
‘Northern Hi-Lights’
‘Tri-Lights’
‘Lilac Lights’
‘Candy Lights’
Shrubs
Prunus ‘Newport’ ornamental plum
Cornus sericea ‘Isanti’ dogwood
Forsythia ‘Northern Sun’
Cornus sericea ‘Cardinal’ dogwood
Lonicera ‘Freedom’ honeysuckle
Prunus nigra ‘Princess Kay’
ornamental plum
Viburnum ‘Emerald Triumph’
Exochorda serratifolia ‘Northern Pearls’
pearlbush
Lonciera ‘Honey Rose’ honeysuckle
Cornus hessei ‘Garden Glow’
1978
1984
1984
1984
1987
1987
1986
1986
1996
1996
1994
2002
2002
2002
hardy, pink flower, variable
hardy, light pink
hardy, rosy pink
white
Cinnamon orange
light orange
golden
lavender
lemon yellow flowers
introduction, bright orange
bi-colored, creamy-white, yellow upper petals
marbled pink and white flowers with yellow blotch
medium pinkish-purple, dark speckles upper petals
clear light pink, pale yellow streaks upper petals
1923
1971
1982
purplish-red leaves, flowering
compact form
1986
1986
1986
1994
1995
1996
2002
Trees
Pinus banksiana ‘Uncle Fogey’ jack pine 1971
Acer rubrum ‘Northwood’ red maple
1980
Aesculus ‘Autumn Splendor’ buckeye
1980
Acer rubrum ‘Autumn Spire’ red maple
1992
Cercis canadensis ‘Northland Strain’ redbud 1992
Gymnocladus dioica ‘Stately Manor’
Kentucky Coffee Tree
1996
Phellodendron ‘His Majesty’ cork tree
1996
Pinus resinosa ‘Wissota’ dwarf red pine
1996
Maackia amurensis ‘Summertime’
2002
Sorbus ‘Patio Pride’
2002
Acer X Freemanii ‘Firefall’
2002
Flowering Crabapple Trees
Malus ‘Flame’
Malus ‘Sparkler’
Malus ‘Radiant’
Malus ‘Vanguard’
flowering
1934
1945
1957
1963
prostrate, drooping habit
red fall color
male, upright
male selection
pink flower buds, white flowers, bright red fruit
red flower buds, deep pink flowers, bright red fruit
bright rosy pink flowers, red fruit