North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Dave Griffin" <griffingardens@earthlink.net>]

Hi Doreen, et all,
  Mail order catalog "bush apricots" are P. armeniaca "Manchurica", aka
Manchurian apricot, the hardy rootstock for northern apricot varieties. It
grows 12' to 15' if left to its own devices and the matter of whether it is
a bush or a tree is for the grower to decide - either is easily
accomplished by your pruning choices alone. It is not P.armeniaca
"Siberica" the 5-6' high shrubby relative that also makes a good and maybe
dwarfing rootstock for apricot but has a poorer fruit - dry as a cob with
only slightly more pulp. Manchurica fruit is pale orange, small (around and
inch), soft, acidic and not very sweet so it isn't much for eating out of
hand. It does however make the most wonderful jam as the intense and
genuine apricot flavor holds up very well to added sugar and the color
deepens with cooking. Both are hardy to -40 F if the seed source hasn't
been contaminated with European apricot, which it often is. It is way early
to bloom, just before the cultivated varieties.

Dave


> [Original Message]
> From: Doreen Howard <gardendiva@charter.net>
> To: North American Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
> Date: 2/1/05 7:53:21 PM
> Subject: [NAFEX] Manchurian Bush Apricot
>
> In one of the million plant catalogs I receive this time of year, there
is a 
> Manchurian bush apricot for sale--$2.49 for a 2-4 foot well-rooted tree,
it 
> says.  I have my doubts about that, considering the price.
>
> Does this bush variety have any flavor, is it really hardy down to -60F
and 
> is it productive?  Inquiring minds want to know and maybe risk $3.
> Doreen Howard
>
>
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