Original post by bea on May 7, 2026. Translated by Julian 06/2026
Flower Gardens Are Out, Self-Sufficiency Is In!
In times of climate crisis and increasing uncertainty of supply, it is worthwhile to rely on robust, perennial fruit and nut crops that provide added value instead of ornamental plants or bare lawns. Every edible tree and shrub in a garden, courtyard or public space is a small step away from dependency and towards an edible, more crisis-resilient environment.
A growing community in Graz is already investing a considerable amount of time and knowledge into the planting, testing and even further development of robust fruit and nut crops. People such as Josef Obermoser and Andreas Motschiunig have gathered valuable experience over many years and actively share this knowledge along with their enthusiasm.
Their message for the people of Graz: plant wherever it makes sense and turn unused spaces into productive, edible habitats while also thinking of bees and insects while doing so!
If you have a plot of land where you would like to test varieties or enable others to do so, please contact Josef Obermoser: office@crossroads-festival.org
Current Event Recommendations
About Goumi, Haskap, Akebie and much more
Tuesday, 20.10.2026, 5.00 pm to 7.00 pm
Meeting-Point: Pfarrhaus Herz Jesu, Sparbersbachgasse 58, 8010 Graz (C3 EG)
Details: https://nachhaltig-in-graz.at/veranstaltung/obstgehoelze-von-goumi-haskap-akebie-und-vielen-mehr/
More Information:
- Andreas Motschiunig – YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Sweet_Berry_Jesus/videos
- List by Josef Obermoser (Crossroads Festival, “Die Zödelei” community garden, “Awesome Tomatoes” tomato breeders): https://crossroads-festival.org/de/simply_the_best
- Signal group chat Fruit Nuts Graz
- Signal group chat KOLLAPS Bäume und Pflanzen
- Tree nursery for unusual fruit crops: https://kornelkirsche.eu
Variety Recommendations
Based on Josef’s and Andreas’ own experiences as well as variety tests and recommendations from other colleagues, here are some recommendations for the best varieties for the Graz area:
Sweet Chestnuts:
- Recommended varieties: Jeannette, Ecker 3, seedlings from good C. mollissima parents or hybrids with mollissima genetics.
- Limited recommendation (due to insufficient resistance to chestnut blight): Bouche de Betizac, Marsol
- Sources: https://www.kastanienbaumschule.at / https://schreiber-baum.at / https://www.kastanienkultur.de
Hazelnuts:
- Recommended varieties: Halle’s Giants & Katalonski
- Sources: https://schreiber-baum.at / https://www.kastanienkultur.de
Apples:
- Recommended varieties (robust and delicious): Discovery, Alkmene, Holsteiner Cox, Boskoop, Red Bellefleur (very late-blooming), White Winter Calville
- Sources: https://shop.ritthalers.de / https://www.treewise.de
Persimmons:
- Recommended varieties: Dar Sofiyivky, Sosnovskaja, Early Jewel, Geneva Red, H63A, H-120, Mikatani Gosho, Saijo
- Sources: https://www.pawpawschule.de / https://demoerbeiboom.be
Mulberries:
- Recommended varieties: Gerardi Dwarf, Illinois Everbearing, Capsrum, Portugal
- Sources: https://www.botanik-wug.de / https://kornelkirsche.eu
Peaches:
- Recommended varieties: Jayhaven, Harnas (both very tolerant to peach leaf curl)
- Sources: https://www.tutifruti.at , https://shop.biobaumschule.at
Apricots:
- Due to susceptibility to Monilia and late frost, cultivation is difficult; recommendation: in local conditions, grow only under cover.
- Recommended varieties: Mia, Congat (both with low susceptibility to Monilia), Bergeval (particularly resistant to late frost). Someone should cross Mia and Congat with Bergeval and find seedlings that are both tough regarding late frosts and robust against Monilia.
- Source: https://schreiber-baum.at
Goumis:
- Recommended varieties: Daiougoumi (alias Chorus), T 7/2, Sweet Scarlet
- Look forward to the new varieties that Andreas Motschiunig is working on.
- Source: tree nursery for unusual fruit crops: https://kornelkirsche.eu
- Very tasty, productive, healthy, tough, drought-tolerant, nitrogen-fixing and a magnet for bees
Pointillaberries:
- Recommended varieties: Fortunella, Amber, Amoroso
- Sources: https://kornelkirsche.eu / https://www.tutifruti.at
Cornelian Cherries:
- Recommended varieties (large-fruited for eating fresh and processing): Swietlana, Dublany, Egzoticznyj, Alosza, Szafer, Elegantnyj, Swietlaczok, Bolestraszycki
- Sources: https://www.cornus.pl / https://www.tutifruti.at
Juneberry:
- Recommended variety: Ballerina
- Source: https://kornelkirsche.eu
Japanese Quinces:
- Recommended varieties: Tamara, Maxym, Northern Lemon
- Source: https://kornelkirsche.eu
Honeyberries:
- Recommended varieties: Vostorg, Aurora, Boreal Beast, Giant’s Heart, Blue Treasure
- Sources: https://www.heidelbeergarten.at / https://www.tutifruti.at
Gooseberry:
- Recommended variety: Nesluchovskij
- Source: https://www.tutifruti.at
Blackcurrant:
- Recommended variety: Noiroma
- Source: https://www.lubera.com
Jostaberry:
- Recommended variety: Jodeli
- Source: https://www.lubera.com
Figs (with excellent, more rain-resistant fruit):
- Recommended varieties (fruiting twice): Green Michurinksa, Verdino del Nord
- Recommended varieties (fruiting once): Celeste, Texas BA-1, Black Celeste
- Sources for cuttings: https://www.instagram.com/achillesfeigen / https://www.igiardinidipomona.it/en/
Loquat:
- Recommended variety: Piera
- Source: https://www.lubera.com
Pineapple Guavas:
- Recommended varieties: Kākāriki, Kaiteri, Anatoki, Takaka, Pounamou, Unique, Gemini
- Sources: https://www.mesarbustes.fr / https://palmi.bg/en / https://venditapiccolifrutti.it/en
Pawpaws:
- Recommended varieties: Prima 1216, Shenandoah, Allegheny, KSU Benson, KSU Attwood, VE-21, Rebeccas Gold
- Sources: https://www.pawpawschule.de / https://asiminafruit.eu / https://venditapiccolifrutti.it/en
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