Apple (Malus pumila)

Today at Mount Vernon, apples grow in the Upper Garden, around the vegetables of the Lower Garden, and in the Fruit Garden. Colonial Americans didn’t just prize apples for eating, but for the making of cider. Washington planted many varieties of apple at Mount Vernon and his other farms. On 27 February 1786, Washington noted in his diary that he planted in the “So. West Square … 4th. Row, 4 Gloucester white apple …
6 row 2 Glostr. whe. Ap. on the West side, & next these, adjoining the cross walk, are 2 apple trees
taken from the middle walk in the No. Garden—said to be Vandiviers … 8 Row, 1 apple tree next the cross walk, taken from the border in the No. garden … & the other 3 trees are from Stratford, given to me by Colo. Henry Lee 1 of which he calls the Medlar Russitan.”

Key Lime (Citrus x aurantiifolia)

Found in the Upper Garden in pots that sit just outside of the large greenhouse. The Mount Vernon staff brings these into the greenhouse during the winter to protect the from the cold. It is strange to think that Washington cultivated limes in his day, but he most certainly did. His diary entry of 18 February 1785 notes, “four Lime or Linden Trees, sent me by Govr. Clinton of New York which must have been out of the ground since the middle of Novr. without any dirt about the Roots and only a covering of Mat. These were planted in the Serpentine Roads to the door—the 3d. trees on each side next the Walls & the second trees on each side next the grass plat.”

Muscadine Grape (Vitis rotundifolia)

This fruit grows in both the Upper and Lower Gardens where vegetables are also planted at Mount Vernon. Grapes growing at Mount Vernon are a testament to climate change since Washington’s day and to modern gardening practices. Washington originally wanted a vineyard in the area that is now the Fruit Garden and Nursery, but he was unsuccessful. Every attempt he made to plant grapes failed. Washington wanted to cultivate the Madeira Grape. In fact, he sent many requests for cuttings and seeds over the course of his life. Like madeira grapes, muscadine grapes are sweet and are an equitable substitute. This variety is able to grow in hotter, southern climates.

Peach (Prunus persica)

Peach Trees at Mount Vernon are located in the Upper Garden, around the vegetables of the Lower Garden, and in the Fruit Garden. Washington’s diary mentions a variety he called the “Portugal Peach” on 11 March 1785 and again in his entry on 11 February 1786 as “the large white (or Portugal) Peach trees.” Thomas Jefferson also cultivated the Portugal Peach at his home of Monticello. When George Mason (drafter of the Virginia state constitution) sent Jefferson pits to be planted on 6 October 1780, he noted, “I have observed this kind of Peach requires more Care than most others, and if the Trees are not tended, and the Ground cultivated, the Fruit is apt to be coarse and harsh; with due Culture the Peaches are the finest I ever tasted.”

Pear (Pyrus communis)

Pear Trees grow in the Upper Garden, around the vegetables of the Lower Garden, and in the Fruit Garden of Mount Vernon. Equally important as the apple for pies and cider making. Washington also grew and grafted many varieties of pear at Mount Vernon and his surrounding farms. He wrote extensively about pears in his diary entry on 30 March 1763. In it, he mentions not only which varieties he is grafting and intending to cultivate, but also why he prizes these particular varieties. For example, “Spanish pairs” produce “till November & are a very valuable Fruit” and the “Butter pear” are “esteemed among the finest pears,” while the “black Pear of Worcester … are a large course fruit for baking.”

Raspberry (Rubus idaeus)

Today, this is the variety that grows in the lower terrace of the Lower Garden as well as in the Fruit Garden of Mount Vernon. In Washington’s day, however, he specifically notes the Lineus classification of the fruit he desired grown at Mount Vernon. On 7 November 1792, Washington directed his German-hired gardener John Christian Ehlers to order from John Bartram “Rubus odoratus, foliage beautiful; flowers of the figure, colour & fragrance of the rose. [Flowering raspberry, thimbleberry]”

Tart Cherry (Prunus cerasus Montmorency)

Found in the Upper Garden and in the Fruit Garden, this is the variety that grows at Mount Vernon today. Washington notes some specific varieties in his diary. The year 1785 appears to be the year that Washington was most interested in planting his cherry trees. Among the varieties he mentions that year are the “black May heart cherry” on 1 April 1785, “May white heart Cherry” on 4 April 1785, a “Cornation Cherry tree” on 26 October 1785, and “duke Cherry Trees” on 12 November 1785.

Cabbage (Brassica oleracea)

Washington wrote many times about cabbages in his diary. They were a fodder food for the animals as well as a staple in the kitchen. He often cultivated them in the gardens of Mount Vernon. Later, he would transplant them to the farms of Douge River and Muddy Hole. These farms lie the south of the Mansion House Farm where Mount Vernon stands today. In 1785 he ordered planted some 1,300 cabbages at Muddy Hole Farm. Today, cabbages make up neat rows in every garden at Mount Vernon except for the Experimental Garden.

Cayenne Pepper (Capsicum Annuum)

On 13 June 1785, George Washington wrote in his diary, “In the next section to [the Ho[use] I built for a hospital] … are two rows of the Bird pepper—then one row of the Cayan pepper.” This would have been Washington’s Experimental Garden, today called the Botanical Garden, where the Cayenne Pepper grows today. However Washington himself more often referred to it as “the Little Garden.”

Thomas Jefferson (3rd President of the United States) also planted Bird Peppers and Cayenne Peppers. We grow both of these at Eastborn Gardens.)

Common Chicory (Cichorium intybus)

George Washington’s Experimental Garden boasts a giant bush of chicory. Today, you are likely to find the leaves in salads when harvested young. In Washington’s era, American colonists cultivated chicory for animal fodder. They also cultivated it for its roots which they ground and used as a coffee substitute. The successful cultivation of this plant was one more step to American independence from England. If the colonists could grow their own coffee substitute, they would be less reliant on foreign trade.

Globe Artichoke (Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus)

On 21 September 1794 Washington wrote to his hired farm manager William Pearce, “Mrs Washington requests that the Gardener would send her some Artichoke seed of the best kind he has, and by the first Post under cover to me.” This plant grows in the Lower Garden today, where it assuredly grew in Washington’s day. The Lower Garden’s other name is Martha’s Kitchen Garden.

Leaf Lettuce (Lactuca sativa)

Leaf lettuce grows in the Upper and Lower gardens today. However, Washington never mentioned it specifically (at least by its modern name(s)). It is amusing to note that during one of my visits to Mount Vernon the gardeners wrote out George Washington’s name in leaf lettuce growing in the Upper Garden.