Inheriting a mature garden has been a rewarding and surprising experience. It seems as if every day something shoots from the soil that I had no idea was there, or something blooms revealing itself in its floral glory. Just a few days ago beautiful gladiolas have begun springing up displaying their pale lavender beauty. My biggest surprise has been this tree that I assumed was a pear only to find out that it is a Prunus armeniaca. Honestly, I thought by looking at the fruit that this was a peach tree. The developing fruits looked a lot like peaches, but it wasn't until I identified them that I realized that my tree was the most commonly cultivated species of apricot!

Prunus armeniaca (common name Armenian Plum) is a native to Central Asia to Northern and Central China and has been cultivated for centuries, dating back in China to around 2,000 BC. It originated in China but has been cultivated in Armenia since ancient times, thus its name! In fact, it is the national fruit of Armenia. It is a deciduous, broadleaf tree from the family Rosaceae and is a great pollinator attractor. I noticed that once it began to flower there were butterflies everywhere! The tree has simple cordate-shaped, glaborous leaves that are arranged in an alternate pattern with serrate margins and pinnate venation. The tree generally blooms in early April (mine kept us in suspense until mid-May) When in bloom it produces pale pink non-fragrant solitary flowers. The only negative attribute of this tree is that the seeds, leaves, and stems are very poisonous to both humans and animals when eaten. The seeds can be toxic as they contain cyanide. The controversial cancer drug Laetrile, was made from this tree's seeds.[1] Armenian Plums grow to heights and spreads of 8-10', but mature trees can reach heights of up to 32' tall with a spreading canopy of equal width. They do better and produce more fruit when kept under 12' tall. They are typically smaller trees, self-pollinating, and fortunately for me do well growing in elevated areas like the sides of hills, or slopes, (which is where mine is living.[2]) They are often paired with rosemary, marigolds, stevia, and thyme due to their soil compatibility. They are drought tolerant and prefer to dry out between watering. They like full sun and grow best in well-drained, sandy, chalky, loamy neutral to slightly alkaline soil. They like to be fertilized every two to three months during the growing season using a 10-15-10, as the extra phosphorus helps to boost fruit production. These trees are very resilient and therefore can be pruned in both summer and winter.

Armenian Plums are more resilient to pests and diseases than other stone fruit trees but there are a few to watch out for. The top two are aphids and bacterial cankers. Aphids like to over-winter in the cracks of the tree, looking like dark oval eggs. As they get bigger, you'll notice small green insects on the leaf bottoms, twigs, and branches. Aphids feed on the tree by sucking out its sap, stunting and deforming their growth. Leaf curling and damaged fruit are tell-tale signs of aphids as well as the sticky honeydew they leave behind. You can spray these off with a strong stream of water or use ladybugs and parasitic wasps to fend them off. Bacterial cankers are treated by removing the infected branches until you see clean white flesh again. Do this by cutting back at least six inches from each canker. Prevention is key, so checking that your soil pH is optimum is important.

If treated right within three to five years after planting your tree will produce a substantial amount of fruit! The pictures above are my mature tree!

[1] North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox

[2]  Missouri Botanical Garden