The MGS Forum
Plants for mediterranean gardens => Trees and Shrubs => Topic started by: Hilary on March 27, 2020, 06:46:20 AM
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Prunus armenica, Apricot tree
There is a long strip of ‘garden’ in the yard of the block of flats where we live. Twenty odd years ago a committee of flat owners bought some trees and bushes and planted them. After a few years there was a decided lack of interest in the maintenance of the ‘garden’ and it is now mostly looking after itself. Near the beginning of the year a gardener, armed with some helpers and a chainsaw, come and chop off some branches here and there and cut off the branches of the pine trees which have nests of processional caterpillars.
In one area a neighbour planted an apricot stone which has now become a small tree. Here are some photos of the tree taken the day after some rain
The apricot tree is mentioned in only a few issues of THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN, to my surprise, as there are very many growing in the coastal plain of Corinthia
However, prunus armenica is mentioned in one of my favourite articles
THE TERRACED LANDSCAPES OF THE QADISHA VALLEY
By Anne Semaan Beisch
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 85, July 2016
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Hi Hilary,
has this tree fruited before? I hope it's a nice fruit and you get to eat some.
My dad was an inveterate planter of seeds, pips and stones. When he went into care we rescued many of his seed raised fruit trees and these have become "Tony's Orchard" :)
In our harsh climate they are struggling a bit but they produce a bit of fruit - which the birds get before we know they are ready!
I encourage people to follow dad's lead and plant seeds/pips/stones to raise their own fruit trees. Very often you hear the radio gardeners tell people that the reason their seed raised fruit tree isn't fruiting well is because it isn't a grafted variety. All fruit trees were originally grown from seed but their fruitfulness will vary. The only reason we have so many varieties of fruit is because they were raised from seed!
cheers
fermi
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I have seen a few green apricots in past years . I think the birds enjoy them
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One of our Apricot trees is now in flower.
This was a commercially produced tree from a nursery many years ago, but we see few fruit and the birds usually get to them first! But it's very pretty in flower and the bees enjoy the blossoms
cheers
fermi
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We have put down seeds for trees and they have been successful. The avocado are small but tasty. I recommend that other gardeners try it.