Appearance

Appearance

It is a rounded deciduous tree, commonly 15–20 ft (4.6–6.1 m) tall and about as wide in U.S. gardens.

Leaves

The leaves are 2–4 in (5–10 cm) long, oval with a pointed tip, and sharply toothed along the edge.

Flowers

Fragrant flowers sit singly or in pairs close to bare twigs. The wild form usually has five pale pink or white petals, while cultivars may be single, semidouble, or double and range to deep red.

Flowering time

In the southeastern U.S., flowers often open in January or February. Timing shifts with winter climate and cultivar.

Fruit

The fuzzy, round drupe is about 1–1.25 in (2.5–3.2 cm) across and ripens from yellow-green to yellow-orange in summer. Its flesh is sour or bitter rather than sweet like a dessert apricot.

Look-alikes

common apricotPrunus armeniaca

Flowers alone can be hard to separate. Flowering Apricot usually holds its fragrant flowers almost directly against the twig, and its small sour fruit clings to the stone; common apricot fruit becomes larger, fleshy, and usually separates more readily from the stone.

Why they get mixed up · Both are closely related apricots with five-petaled flowers on bare branches.

peachPrunus persica

Peach usually has longer, narrower leaves and often brighter pink flowers. Flowering Apricot has broader oval leaves and rounded petals held very close to the twig.

Why they get mixed up · Both may cover bare branches with pink flowers in late winter or spring.

	Flower position	Leaf or fruit clue
Flowering Apricot	Close to the twig	Oval leaves; small sour fruit
common apricot	Close to the twig	Larger dessert fruit
peach	Close to the twig	Long, narrow leaves

Where it lives

Typical habitats

• home gardens
• winter gardens
• tree collections

Range

The species is native to south-central China and parts of mainland Southeast Asia, not the United States. In the U.S. it is an uncommon ornamental, but cultivars are available for landscapes in hardiness zones 6–9.

Preferred conditions

It prefers full sun to part shade and moist, well-drained, acidic soil. A protected site helps keep late cold snaps from damaging its early flowers and developing fruit.

Flowering

Flowers Jan–Feb

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Flowers

Flowers Jan–Feb

Life cycle

Reproduction

Insects pollinate the flowers, and cultivar choice can affect how well a tree sets fruit.

Growing it

Propagation

Garden selections are commonly grafted to preserve their traits. The species can also be raised from seed or cuttings.

Connected species

Caterpillar food plants

• eastern tiger swallowtailPapilio glaucus

  Its caterpillars can feed on the leaves.

Name and classification

About the name

Japanese apricot and Chinese plum are other names for this tree. Despite “plum” in the name, it is a close relative of apricots. Japanese flowering apricot is another name for this tree.

Varieties and forms

Weeping forms also occur.

Conservation

IUCN Red List

LCLeast Concern·Low risk of extinction