Prunus mume

The Japanese flowering apricot is a small-sized, bushy, ornamental deciduous tree with a rounded to oval crown that is usually 15 to 20 feet tall and equally as wide. From January through February, the tree displays beautiful, delicate, and fragrant pale pink flowers on bare branches and brightens up the long winter days. The leaves emerge afterward, and they are green, ovate, and serrated margins. Yellowish-green, fuzzy-skinned fruits appear and can be harvested during the summer. Unfortunately, the taste of the fruit is sour to bitter. This tree is a member of the Rosaceae or rose family. 

It is native to China South-Central and Laos in woods and rocky hills. The Japanese flowering apricot is an important tree in Chinese culture and has been cultivated for over 1500 years. The five petals of the flower are said to represent five blessings that include wealth, health, love of virtue, old age, and natural death. Although it did not originate In Japan, it is grown extensively there and boasts up to 300 cultivars. 

In the United States, the species is not commonly planted; however, there are cultivars available for the home landscape. Dr. J. C. Raulston of North Carolina State University, worked tirelessly to increase interest in this flowering tree. A large selection of Japanese flowering apricot trees can be seen at the North Carolina State University Arboretum.

The genus, Prunus, is derived from Latin and means plum or cherry. The epithet, mume, is the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese name for this plant.

This tree prefers full sun to partial shade, moist, acidic, loamy soils. They are best planted in protected areas so that the winter cold will not damage the flowers and the eventful fruits. It is intolerant to poor or dry soils. The Japanese flowering apricot blooms on the previous year's wood and the buds are set during the growing season the year before. If the tree needs pruning, it is best done immediately after flowering. 

There are over 300 cultivars of this tree to brighten up any winter landscape when very few other trees are in bloom. Its cultivars include white, pink, rose, and red flowering in single and double forms. It is similar in habit and appearance to some of the smaller flowering cherries that bloom a bit later in the season.

It can be challenging to find them in garden centers. 'Peggy Clarke’ is a popular selection that bears double flowers in a deep-rose shade. ‘Kobai’ has red, semi-double flowers on a vigorous plant. Weeping selections such as ‘W.B. Clarke’ has double pink flowers, and there are several white-flowered forms available.  Most flowering apricots have at least some fragrance.

The Japanese flowering apricot is ideal for a small garden plus it adds beautiful color to the winter landscape. Consider this tree for added interest near a walkway, patio, or deck, as a specimen, or in a group. Be sure to plant it in a sunny and protected location.

Seasons of Interest:

Bloom: Winter    Foliage:  Spring and Summer           Fruits:  Summer

Form: Rounded; dense, twiggy growth; variable with cultivar

Quick ID Hints:

• deciduous, small-sized, bushy, rounded or oval crown, 15 to 20 feet tall and wide
• light gray and smooth bark when young, exfoliating, and furrowed with age
• polished, shiny green, and glabrous stems
• alternate, simple, ovate, 2 to 4 inches long, sharply serrate leaves with a rich green above, and pubescent on veins
• 5-petaled, pale pink flowers, 1 to 1.25 inches in diameter, single or paired, bloom late winter on bare branches.
• round, fuzzy, edible, yellowish-green to yellow-orange drupes, 1 to 1.25 inches in diameter with a stony seed, harvested in summer.

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: This tree is resistant to most insects and diseases.  Potential insect pests of the Japanese flowering apricot tree include aphids, scales, borers, spider mites, and tent caterpillars. The tree is susceptible to bacterial canker, honey fungus, silver leaf, and brown rot. In winter, cold temperatures may damage the flowers and fruits. The fruits can be messy if allowed to just fall to the ground. Trees that are grafted on peach rootstocks may be attacked by the peach tree borer. The leaves, stems, and seeds are toxic to dogs, cats, or horses if ingested.

VIDEO created by Andy Pulte for “Landscape Plant Identification, Taxonomy, and Morphology” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee.