First, a warning from my sad experience. I have C. xmedia 'Punicea' (syn.
'Crimson Cloud') with single red and white flowers. I love it, but I hope the
leaves will reduce further. (It blooms beautifully, but I ran into a problem
with timing.)
I found out you need to spray the fruit a few times and then thin the crop
sensibly. A couple of weeks ago, my tree was sprinkled with beautiful haws, a
little smaller than crabapples, very shiny, and a gorgeous shade of red (not
scarlet). I was looking forward to putting it in our show this weekend. Then
one day the birds ate every last one! :-( Next year I will keep it in a
birdcage in August & September.
Timing: I want to have it in full bloom for the Rochester show, which is the
middle of May. I have been keeping it in the sunporch for the winter, and it
leafs out very early. It was in top bloom about the end of April and beginning
of May. Since it is fully hardy here, I was thinking of burying it in the
ground for the winter and digging it up some time in March. (If I remember
correctly, the hawthorns outdoors around here bloom at the end of May.) Will
this work? When should I dig it up? I am planning to repot it next spring. When
should I repot it and how will this affect blooming?
By the way, 'Paul's Scarlet,' although it is double, does set some fruit.
Iris,
Central NY, Zone 5a, Sunset Zone 40
"If we see light at the end of the tunnel, It's the light of the oncoming
train."
Robert Lowell (1917-1977)