That is the primary yr of faculty for our children in New England. My spouse grew up in Pennsylvania, and I grew up in North Carolina. Throughout our faculty years, we grew to become accustomed to a week-long Spring Break, normally across the Easter vacation. In New England, we discovered, our children get two week-long breaks after the New Yr. They get a mid-winter break that coincides with Presidents’ Day in addition to a Spring Break that features Patriot’s Day. Patriot’s Day is formally a vacation in Maine and Massachusetts and might be greatest often known as the date of the Boston Marathon.

Now that we’ve nearly made it by way of our first winter in Maine, we clearly perceive why the children have two breaks. The primary is to flee the snow. The second, I’ve been advised, is to take a break from the mud brought on by the thawing floor. We determined to make use of this primary mid-winter break to move south to my residence state of North Carolina to see household and buddies. We’re staying the week with my mom, who lives on the outskirts of Raleigh. Round her house is a hodgepodge of vegetation that I acquired whereas learning and dealing in Raleigh.

Instantly adjoining to her again deck is a small tree that I had practically forgotten. It’s Prunus mume, or Japanese flowering apricot. The label was misplaced years in the past, however I consider it’s the double-flowered cultivar Peggy Clarke. This tree was given to me round 1994 by the late J.C. Raulston. Dr. Raulston, whereas at N.C. State College, grew to become the Johnny Appleseed (or on this case, Apricotseed) of Prunus mume.

Prunus mume – Japanese flowering Apricot

J.C. used to carry free lectures on campus, speaking about new vegetation or travels he had taken (he had visited each county in each state within the U.S.). After the lecture, he had a approach of retaining folks of their seats: he gave away free vegetation. A kind of giveaways is now a 20-foot-tall tree subsequent to my mom’s deck. I acquired it as a six-inch rooted chopping in a two-inch pot, planted it within the floor, and let it develop.

For practically 20 years, that little chopping has flourished right into a full-sized tree. Each January, simply as winter begins to pull on, my mom calls or sends a notice to inform me how lovely the tree appears to be like in full bloom. That’s the magic of Prunus mume—it flowers in mid to late January, proper across the similar time as witch hazels, overlaying itself in delicate pink or white blossoms that brighten the winter panorama when little or no else is in bloom.

Why You Ought to Develop Prunus mume

Flowering apricots aren’t simply lovely—they’re extremely resilient and rewarding for these prepared to experiment with them. Initially from China and extensively cultivated in Japan, Prunus mume has been grown and admired for hundreds of years, with practically 300 totally different cultivars obtainable in Japan. Within the U.S., availability is extra restricted, however a handful of fantastic cultivars may be discovered, every providing a unique shade and flower type:

• ‘Peggy Clarke’ – double pink flowers
• ‘Matsubara Purple’ – double purple flowers
• ‘Daybreak’ – double pink flowers
• ‘Rosemary Clarke’ – double white flowers

Do Flowering Apricots Produce Fruit?

Sure, however don’t anticipate something just like the widespread apricot (Prunus armeniaca). The small, apricot-like fruits are thought of edible in Asian cultures, although they are typically too bitter for many Western palates. In Japan, the fruit is commonly salted, dried, or cured in alcohol to make umeboshi (a kind of pickled apricot) or umeshu (a plum-like liqueur). In a house backyard, the fruit isn’t normally the principle attraction—it’s all about these early, aromatic flowers.

How Hardy is Prunus mume?

Japanese flowering apricots are hardy in USDA zones 6-9, although in colder climates, they could want some safety. They thrive in full solar to partial shade and like well-drained soil, making them pretty adaptable in most backyard settings. In hotter areas, they’re dependable bloomers that may flower for a number of weeks in winter, typically starting when snow continues to be on the bottom.

After I get again to Maine, I positively need to add Prunus mume to our zone 6a backyard. It’s prone to be marginally hardy, however I’m prepared to take the danger. Even when it solely flowers in some years, having a tree that blooms so early, earlier than even the primary crocuses emerge, can be price it.

Do you develop Prunus mume in your backyard? If that’s the case, how has it carried out for you?

—Rodney

Images: treesandshrubs.about.com, New York Botanical Backyard