The Stark Bro’s spring catalog is for gardeners who dream of stepping outside their backdoor and picking a ripe Orleans Antique Apple right off the tree. Or a Stark Jumbo Pear. Or a handful of North Star Pie Cherries. Or some Asian Persimmons.

Stark Bro’s Nursery & Orchards Company is based in Louisiana, Mo., and has extremely long roots. The company got its start in 1816 when James Hart Stark moved west from Kentucky and started his nursery business.

Stark Bro’s offers fruit trees, nut trees, small fruits, tropical fruits, and more. Whether a gardener is interested in planting one tree or a small orchard, there are plenty of varieties to choose from.

The catalog includes a list of symbols that provides important information about each plant. For example, one symbol indicates the self-pollinating trees or plants so customers know they need to order only one for it to bear fruit.

Other symbols denote Stark Bro’s exclusive products, like the Starking Delicious Plum, Starkrimson Sweet Cherry, or Stark Grandgala Apple.

There is also a symbol that shows Luther Burbank varieties. Burbank, the plant breeder responsible for producing more than 800 new plants during his career, willed many of his varieties to Stark Bro’s. These include the Burbank Elephant Heart Plum, Santa Rosa Plum, and the Burbank July Elberta Peach.

In addition to favorite fruits, there are exotic patio fruit trees like Meyeri Lemon, Key Lime, Tangerine, and even Arbequina Olive for gardeners in hardiness zones 7 and warmer.

There’s also a nice assortment of nut trees including walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, chestnuts, and almonds.

But there’s more to Stark Bro’s than fruit trees. Look for grapes, strawberries, blueberries, gooseberries, and other small fruit.

If I had any extra space in my yard, the first order I’d place would be for the collection of three plum trees called the Plum Dandy Assortment.

More catalog reviews…