North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Sarah Kehler Ewing <skkewing@yahoo.com>]

I have had two Manchurian apricot bushes for 4 years.  One is 6+ feet tall 
and the other is barely 4' even though they are planted about 15 feet apart.  
I got them as 6" seedlings from McFayden.  Neither of them has ever died 
back, not even one bud!  

I also put in two Scout apricots last fall.  I understand they are Manchurian 
apricot seedlings ???  I can't really comment on their hardiness: they have a 
fair bit of dead twigs on them, but I'm guessing that has more to do with the 
very long warm dry fall we had after a long hot dry summer.  My Scouts are 
definitely trees while the Manchurians are definitely bushes.

I would love to comment on their fruit, but none of my apricots have 
blossomed yet.  I have heard some pretty disappointing reviews on the taste 
of prairie hardy apricots.

Sarah 
zone 3
Edmonton, AB


> In the past, Manchurian apricot seedlings werre sold by Prairie 
> nurseries, at a lower price and as pollinators. I expect
> there was also a lot of rootstock material floating around. I don't know
> the extent of the variability, but I would expect quite a lot especially
> as regards fruit quality. Considerable variation in respect to
> dormancy problems has been noted among the named Manchurian apricot
> selections sold on the Canadian Prairies.
> 
> Doug Woodard
> St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada