Stark Brothers’ Nurseries & Orchards: Two Centuries of New Fruit Cultivars and Innovations

Abstract

Established near Louisiana, MO in 1816, Stark Bro’s Nurseries and Orchards Company has had a lasting impact on modern fruit production in the cultivars grown, nursery stock production practices, and the protection of plant material with patents. From Kentucky, James Hart Stark brought ‘Jeniton’ (‘Rall’s Janet’) scions with him to Missouri and began propagating trees on native crabapple rootstock. As the family nurseries grew, Clarence M. Stark incorporated the business in 1889 and astutely established a relationship with Luther Burbank to acquire new plant material. ‘Delicious’, ‘Golden Delicious’, and ‘Gala’ apple, along with many spur-type and dwarf types of these cultivars, are but a few of the notable cultivars that Stark Bro’s purchased from individuals. In an attempt to protect their acquisitions, Paul C. Stark Sr. was a primary advocate for plant patent legislation. In 1932, the first fruit tree patent was assigned to Stark Bro’s for ‘Hal-Berta Giant’ peach, with many more to follow for such cultivars as ‘July Elberta’ and ‘Saturn’ peach. Over time, Stark Bro’s has been the assignee for about 131 fruit and nut patents. They also revolutionized the tree fruit industry with the introduction of spur-type apple trees, development of a mechanical tree digger, and the initiation of a virus-indexing program. Weathering boom years and lean times, when many fruit nurseries failed, Stark Bro’s Nurseries continues to provide an array of plant material to commercial producers and backyard gardeners.