Apricots
Prunus mandsurica P. armeniaca, P. brigantia, , P sibirica, P. mume
Writing this I found that there are several different Prunus species that are lumped together in the word 'apricot' Some of those names look like Manchuria and Siberia under the hood. Need to investigate. I think that the ones that have a prayer of growing here are the first species. P. armeniaca from the descriptions is a Mediteranean slug-a-bed that really doesn't understand winter.
We are marginal for apricots. But a tree ripened apricot is wonderful. The tree is a decent ornamental, and is covered in early spring with flowers, so it earns its keep even in years it doesn't produce. Apricots need a seemingly impossible combination of site factors: Cold in spring, but hot in summer.
Apricots tend to bloom too soon. So you want to trick them to thinking that winter is still here. Planting them where their roots are cold, or snow lingers -- north side of a building, snow pocket, beside the driveway where the snowblower snow piles up, makes them think spring is later. But you also don't want them to be in shade in summer. The shade line for the 21 of May is the same as the shade line for the 21 of July. So position the tree where the roots will be shaded in mid-May, but the crown will be in full sun in August.
Pollenation: I'm suspicious about the report of Debbie's gold being self pollenating. All the other apricots require a pollinator. If you don't have room or want the amount of fruit that 2 trees implies, nanking cherry apparently can be a pollinator.
My own apricots haven't bloomed yet, so all this is digests from other garden catalogs. Lot of variation out there. Do your homework.
"Ok enough with the blather, what do you have?"
Sorry about that.
Debbie's Gold 1.5" diameter, firm flesh, freestone. Somewhat less sweet. Good canning apricot. Ripens midsummer. Some report that it is self fruitful, but improves with another cultivar nearby. Tree gets 10-15 feet tall, 8-12 feed wide.
Westcot Excellent eating. 1.5 to 2" slightly oblong fruit. Red blush on yellow. Freestone. Showy pink flowers in spring. Developed at Morden Research center in Manitoba. Tree can get big: Report of 30 feet tall by 25 wide.
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