More info about xanthoceras sorbifolium through Plant Lust...and a few nurseries that carry it.....
http://plantlust.com/plants/11...

The photos I added came from Annie's http://www.anniesannuals.com/p...

Sooby...this mentions the Canadian Zones also...and seeds...
http://www.canadaplants.ca/dis...

Thanks, according to that link it is hardy to -34C, -30F and grows in Inner Mongolia so seems worth a try here. It says the seeds taste like macademia nuts but you need two plants to get fruit. I'll look out for some.

My friend, who was in Lyle this last week, and took those pics, says she does not understand why she didn't bring seeds back with her...told her I can't understand it either!...and maybe her bro can send her some seeds...though I do realize that not everyone will steal seeds....LOL..Her brother lives in Seattle and has a second home in Lyle where he grows pluots......

I found a nursery in Ontario selling plants for $15

Back in the early 1990s, I grew Xanthcerus sorbifolium for eleven years. This was back before climate change kicked in, and winters in zone 4a were cold. It began blooming at about five feet high, but never produced any nuts. It is easily as floriferous as any crab apple. I never had a problem with cold temperature survival, but the tree is susceptible to verticillium wilt which is native and common here. It succumbed to that, but I still get root sprouts now and then.

I understand the naming confusion, as one would normally expect the gender of "Xanthoceras" to follow the gender of "ceras" (the root noun), which is feminine, and hence: sorbifolia. But the gender of Xanthoceras is neuter, apparently, and so sorbifolium is correct. English is not the only language plagued with irregularities.

I've learned this past year that I have Verticillium Wilt on this new property...sigh...it's been interesting to see what has and has not succumbed so far. Did you have male and female trees for nut production?

Yay! Sooby.....I thought there must be someone up in your area that would have it...and in a much better size than 4", especially since it is apparently slow growing.

Same link as posted by wcgypsy states that fruit only happens when two trees are present.
http://www.canadaplants.ca/dis...

wcgypsy said:Did you have male and female trees for nut production?

Back then, there was little information to be found on the species, and I was lucky to even find that it produced edible nuts. I bought three trees less than 1 foot tall, kept one and donated the other two to our plant society sale. Mine flowered copiously every year, but never produced fruit. One I died upon transplanting (I was told), and the other a friend bought and it produced lots of nuts all by itself. Remember the tree was even more rare back then, and hers was planted 50 miles from mine.

There are no male and female trees: it is purported that the species is self infertile, and so would need another uncloned tree. Although flower have both male and female parts, the trees can produce flowers that are all male, and I suspect this whole area of interest is not well investigated. My tree grew in neutral to alkaline clay, in a typical, very open yard. The nut producing tree grew in acid sand, in cooler open forest-like conditions.

Thanks, Rock...I did wonder about the male and female trees issue of needing two trees or more..it sounds like the more the better. The tree that the picture was taken of looks to be a good sized tree and I'm wondering how old it is if they are so slow growing....

Sooby, better buy two or more...LOL...

LOL: Rock
How did you know that was my nickname?

When I was a kid, I was so adept at climbing trees, they called me Rock.... short for Rocky the Flying Squirrel.
I'm 57 now, and I'm still at it.

The tree grew about 1.5ft per year for me.

hehehehehehe...I really should lie about the 'Rock' bit, huh? Typo......good to know though, we should call you Rock from now on.....

@Sooby.....
I hope you did go buy a tree.....I'm happy to say that I have some seeds from that tree being mailed to me...WooHoo! Looking forward to seeing what happens...

wcgypsy said:@ Sooby.....
I hope you did go buy a tree.....I'm happy to say that I have some seeds from that tree being mailed to me...WooHoo! Looking forward to seeing what happens...

Good for you I haven't tried to get one yet, now that you've reminded me about it there's a nursery nearby that is good at tracking plants down, I should ask them next time I'm there if they can get it.

My friend had her sister in law go back to this tree in Washington State and get some seeds for me. They were soaked 24 hours, 'nicked', and sown....took about 3 weeks to get to this stage....