Manchurian Bush Apricots?

Does anyone have any experience with these? I saw a reference to a "bush apricot" in another thread and ran searches here but didn't find anything about these. I can find them on Goog & at eBay, but I'm wondering if anyone here has hands-on experience with these, and tips?

Lordy, I love my apricots, but can't stand the ones in the stores, so I want my own tree/s.

Thanks!
-Cindy

Cindy,

I've not heard of them before. I Googled for them. Sounds very, very interesting. I hope someone has tried them and can give advice.

Karen

Google 'bush apricot', there are bunches of entries, looks interesting, good luck.

Also look at the comments on the Gurney site, not very favorable at all. But let's see what others in the group might find.

Second line added later.

This message was edited Feb 24, 2008 2:11 PM

Bad joke here. Had some for over 5 years never even got a good bunch of blooms and no fruit ever. Then found out I probably never would.

leaflady,

Are they hard to get to bloom?

Karen

Mine were 4 or 5 years old before they ever put on a single bloom. I don't know if our frosts come too late, if they just were not good fruit trees for this area or what. But after 5 years or more I just gave up and removed them permenantly. The name Manchurian may be a clue. Perhaps it is more than just the climate. It may be the length of the seasons, the soil, etc.

leaflady,

I wouldn't think that a late frost would cause no blooms at all. By Googling, I did see several comments where lack fruiting/blossoming was a problem; PA, Z6a; UT, Z5; Phila PA, Petersburg IN, and So. CA. Only positive comment I found on fruiting/blossoming was from Nothern Minnesota, Z3. Looked up to see where in China Manchuria is. Manchuria is in northern China. Siberia borders Manchuria on the north. I'm thinking that maybe it needs a colder climate than what you have. If so, that would sure rule out where I am, too.

SCNewbie,

How about just regular apricot trees instead? You can get them in dwarf sizes if space is a problem.


Karen