Rosaceae family intergeneric hybrids

Introduction
The Rosaceae subtribe Pyrinae (formerly subfamily Maloideae) includes an unusually large
number of intergeneric hybrids, some having natural origins and others resulting from
intentional cross pollinations. For example, hybrid clones with garden origins include
×Sorbopyrus (Sorbus x Pyrus), which has been known since the early 1400s and
×Crataemespilus (Crataegus x Mespilus) since the late 1800s. Much of the work on these
hybrids in the 20th century was by Ivan Michurin in the former Soviet Union.

There are several hybrid cultivars in Europe, Asia and North America used both on a home
and commercial scales for fruit production. This article aims to give an overview of these
interspecific hybrids, some of which have previously been assumed to belong to a single
species.

X Amelasorbus
Hybrids of chokeberry (Aronia) and Sorbus.

X Amelosorbus jackii
Amelanchier alnifolia x Sorbus sitchensis

Controlled crosses have been made of these species, although natural populations of
×Amelasorbus are known from western North America.

X Crataegomespulis
Hybrids of hawthorn (Crataegus)
and medlar (Mespilus germanica)
- not to be confused with the graft
chimera +Crataegomespilus.

X Crategomespilus dardarii
Slow growing shrub reaching 3m x
3m. Leaves, flowers and fruits
medlar-like. Hardy to zone 6.

X Crataegosorbus
Hardy hybrids of hawthorn
(Crataegus) and Sorbus.

×Crataegosorbus miczurinii
‘Ivans Belle’ = ‘Granatnaja’
Hybrid of Sorbus aucuparia x
Crataegus sanguinea bred by
Michurin in Lithuania.

‘Ivans Belle’
A tree growing 3 to 7m high with glossy dark green compound leaves (with unpaired
leaflets) which turn red in autumn. White (tinged pink) flowers in May-June. Fruit cherry
sized, pomegranate red, in clusters, borne abundantly, sweet and sour, tasty, ripens
September-October. Eaten raw or used in juices, jams, jellies, compotes, liqueurs. High in
vitamins A and C, yields can reach 15kg per tree. Can be propagated from cuttings.

X Malosorbus
Hybrids of apple (Malus) and Sorbus.

X Malosorbus florentina (Syn Malus florentina)

Hybrid of wood apple (Malus sylvestris) and wild service tree (Sorbus torminalis). A small
rounded tree from southern Europe with 1cm red fruits.

X Pyronia
Hybrids of pear (Pyrus) and quince (Cydonia oblonga).

‘PQ-5’ – hybrid of Pyrus pyrifolia x Cydonia oblonga

X Pyronia veitchii
Pyrus communis x Cydonia oblonga
Has become a useful virus sensitive indicator plant.
‘Luxemburgiana’ is a form available from nurseries. Fruits round, to 8cm diameter, sweet
and soft flesh, good flavour. Flowers spring and autumn.

x Pyronia veitchii

X Sorbaronia
Hardy hybrids of Sorbus and Aronia, making very hardy shrubs.

X Sorbaronia dippelii
Sorbus aria x Aronia melanocarpa
Completely fertile and sets seeds abundantly.
X Sorbaronia fallax
‘Bursinka’: later ripening selection, ripening in September.

‘Ivan’s Beauty’ (=‘Likjornaja’): Small tree or shrub to 4m high with pinky-white flowers in
spring, clusters of large deep red berries in autumn and beautiful autumn foliage. Fruits
used cooked, for juice, jam etc. Ripens late August.

‘Ivans Beauty’
X Sorbaronia mitschurinii
Sorbus aucuparia x Aronia melanocarpa
Leaves are broader and fruits larger than wild Aronia melanocarpa. Self fertile. Historically
extensively cultivated in the former Soviet Union with the fruits used for juice, wine and
jams. More recently cultivated commercially with the fruit used as a flavouring, food
colourant, and component of fruit juice mixes.

Recently, Genetic testing has found that some cultivars assumed to be Aronia melanocarpa
are in facts hybrids belonging here. Apparently originating from deliberate crossing, it has
been suggested by Ivan Michurin in the early 20 th century. They include:

‘Nero’
‘Viking’ – this is is 75% aronia and 25% mountain ash

X Sorbaronia ‘Burka’
Sorbus aucuparia x (Sorbus aria x Aronia arbutifolia)
Shrub, 2-3m high. The berries are dark burgundy and sweet. Ripens late August.

X Sorbaronia ‘Burka’
× Sorbaronia sorbifolia
Backcross of cultivar Stewart with Aronia melanocarpa. Fruits black, taste like an apple and
very sweet.

X Sorbomespilus
Hybrids of Sorbus and medlar (Mespilus germanica.)

‘Desertnaja’ - hybrid of X Sorbaronia 'Likjornaja' x Mespilus germanica

Shrubs, 1-3m high. A Michurin cross. The berries are orange-red, juicy, very sweet and
tasty with a spicy aftertaste. Very early to ripen.

X Sorbomespilus ‘Desertnaja’

X Sorbopyrus
Hardy hybrids of Sorbus and Pyrus.

X Sorbopyrus auricularis
Hybrids of European Pear (Pyrus communis) and the Common Whitebeam (Sorbus aria).
The original hybrid, known as the Bollwiller Pear, first arose at Bollwiller in Alsace, France,
before 1619, and has mostly been propagated by grafting since then; it is nearly sterile, only
rarely producing any viable seeds. Two successful seedling propagations have been named
as the cultivar 'Bulbiformis' and as the species Pyrus malifolia.

‘Bulboformis’
Fast growing tree, fruit slightly pear shaped, 4cm x 5.5cm, sweet and juicy.
 X Sorbopyrus auricularis ‘Bulbiformis’

‘Shipova’
A small to medium-sized tree growing to 10-18 m tall, with deciduous oval leaves 7-11 cm
long and 5-6 cm broad. The fruit is a pome 2.5-3 cm long; it is edible with a sweet, yellowish
flesh, which tastes similar to an Asian pear. Originates from Serbia/Montenegro.

‘Smokvarka’
Originates from Macedonia, although may be the same as ‘Shipova’.

‘Tatarova’
A seedling of the original Bollwiller pear selected in Prague in the early 20 th century. A tree
with white flowers and yellowish-orange fruit, honey-sweet, juicy, excellent eating.

Sorbus aucuparia x Pyrus communis

‘Krassavitsa’ Sorbus aucuparia x Pyrus communis
Tree or shrub bush to 3-4m.

‘Rubinovaja’
Tree or shrub to 3-4m. The berries are medium-sized, red, and pleasantly tart and sweet.

Sorbus aucuparia x Pyrus sp.

‘Eliit‘

‘Zoltaja ‘: Tree to 4-5m high. The berries are medium-sized, reddish yellow, apple-like and
juicy.

X Sorbopyrus ‘Baciu 1’ and ‘Baciu 2’

Originate from Romania, possibly Pyrus nivalis x Sorbus aucuparia. Fruits are edible,
medium sized.
X Sorbopyrus ‘Alaya Krupnaya’
(Sorbus aucuparia X Pyrus) X S.moravica
Estonian cultivar.

Other hybrids
‘Titan’: hybrid of 'Burka' x Malus sp. x Pyrus sp.
Very hardy, a Michurin cross. Tree / shrub to 3m+. The berries are like large rowan berries,
dark red, in bunches. Flesh yellow, slightly sour but not bitter. Ripens mid August.
Previously included in x Sorbaronia fallax.

‘Titan’

Cultivar list
Cultivar See above in
Alaya Krupnaya X Sorbopyrus
Baiciu 1 X Sorbopyrus
Baiciu 2 X Sorbopyrus
Bulbiformis X Sorbopyrus auricularis
Burka X Sorbaronia
 Cultivar See above in
Bursinka X Sorbaronia fallax
Desertnaja X Sorbomespilus
Eliit X Sorbopyrus
Granatnaja X Crataegosorbus miczurinii
Ivans Beauty X Sorbaronia fallax
Ivans Belle X Crataegosorbus miczurinii
Krassavitsa X Sorbopyrus
Likjornaja X Sorbaronia fallax
Luxemburgiana X Pyronia veitchii
Nero X Sorbaronia mitschurinii
Rubinovaja X Sorbopyrus
Shipova X Sorbopyrus auricularis
Smokvarka X Sorbopyrus auricularis
Tatarova X Sorbopyrus auricularis
Titan Other hybrids
Viking X Sorbaronia mitschurinii
Zoltaja X Sorbopyrus

Sources
The ART currently supplies Ivans Belle, Nero, and Viking, and hopes to obtain others soon.
Other nurseries in Europe and North America are listed in the references below.

References
Postman, J.D. 2011. Intergeneric hybrids in Rosaceae subtribe Pyrinae (formerly subfamily
Maloideae) at USDA genebank. Acta Horticulturae. 918:937-943.

Sax, K. 1929. Chromosome behavior in Sorbopyrus and Sorbaronia Genetics 15: 844-845.

http://mysare.sare.org/mySARE/ProjectReport.aspx?do=viewRept&pn=LNE09-
281&y=2013&t=1 (Aronia berries: A sustainable nutraceutical crop for the Northeast.)

http://jordmandel.se

http://web2.mendelu.cz/af_291_projekty2/vseo/stranka.php?kod=2481

http://www.forestfarm.com

http://www.sornziger-wilde.de

http://www.derenjadalny.com/