The heritage orchard at Historic Latta plantation currently consists of two pear trees and six apple trees.

The pears are varieties that were brought from Europe to America in the 1600's:

1. Clapp Favorite - large sweet, yellow fruit with red blush. Ripens in early to late August.
2. Rousselet de Rheims - very ancient in origin, probably from Roman Empire. Favorite of Louis XIV. Skin is bright green to yellow-green with reddish-brown blush. One of best early pears for dessert. Excellent for candying.

The six apple trees consist of five different varieties:

1. Buckingham - an early fall red apple, it is very flavorful and is useful for drying and for making cider. It was growing in Buckingham County, Virginia, as early as 1777, and is known by several other names, including Kentucky Queen and Red Queen.
2. Horse - a late summer yellow apple. It has a very large fruit and is tart until fully ripe, when it develops an excellent flavor. It is the most widely disseminated and popular apple in the south for home use. It may have originated in North Carolina before 1800.
3. Royal Red Limbertwig - a greenish yellow apple with red stripes that ripens in late October. It is excellent for apple butter. Its actual origins are unknown but was definitely prior to 1700.
4. Magnum Bonum (2 trees of this variety) - a yellow skinned apple with heavy dark red stripes that ripens in September. It is one of the ten best southern apples, having tender, white aromatic flesh. This variety originated in Davidson County, NC, by 1828.
5. Henry Morgan Winesap - a yellow apple with heavy red striping and yellow flesh. It is very juicy and keeps well. It ripens in October. It probably originated in New Jersey before 1800

The heritage orchard should begin bearing fruit in 2002.