Japanese Flowering Apricots at the USDA Experiment Station in Greenbelt, MD
Four of the trees on the east side of the field have a wonderful cinnamon/redhots candy scent to the flowers. The other ten trees were not fragrant. If buying Japanese Flowering Apricot trees, try to get a fragrant cultivar if you can, as the fragrance is unusual and wonderful at the same time.
The National Arboretum knew that these trees were cold hardy before that they planted them. Eighteen Japanese Apricot trees were originally planted at this location to conserve these cultivars so that they will not be lost to history.
Anyone that would like to propagate these trees from cuttings or by collecting scion wood should contact Kevin Conrad, Curator, Woody Landscape Plant Germplasm Repository Floral and Nursery Plants Research Unit U.S. National Arboretum, 10300 Baltimore Ave., Building 010A Rm 233, Beltsville, MD 20705, Kevin.Conrad@ARS.USDA.GOV
photo album by Sam Bahr, horticulturist
Video of Japanese Flowering Apricots in bloom
This video shows a field of Japanese Apricots (Prunus mume) cultivars in full bloom north of the United States Agricultural Library (the tall 14 story building at the end of the video) in Beltsville, Maryland. The headquarters for the USDA Beltsville Experiment Station is shown in the background at the start of the video.
Japanese Flowering Apricots in bloom at the USDA Agricultural Experiment Station in Beltsville, MD
This photo shows a field of Japanese Apricots (Prunus mume) cultivars in full bloom north of the United States Agricultural Library in Beltsville, Maryland. The headquarters for the USDA Beltsville Experiment Station is shown in the background, on the far side of highway US 1.
Japanese Flowering Apricots in bloom at the USDA Agricultural Experiment Station in Beltsville, MD
This photo shows a field of Japanese Apricots (Prunus mume) cultivars in full bloom north of the United States Agricultural Library in Beltsville, Maryland. The headquarters for the USDA Beltsville Experiment Station is shown in the background, on the far side of highway US 1.
Japanese Flowering Apricots in bloom at the USDA Agricultural Experiment Station in Beltsville, MD
This photo shows a field of Japanese Apricots (Prunus mume) cultivars in full bloom north of the United States Agricultural Library in Beltsville, Maryland. The headquarters for the USDA Beltsville Experiment Station is shown in the background, on the far side of highway US 1.
Japanese Flowering Apricots in bloom at the USDA Agricultural Experiment Station in Beltsville, MD
This photo shows a field of Japanese Apricots (Prunus mume) cultivars in full bloom north of the United States Agricultural Library in Beltsville, Maryland. The headquarters for the USDA Beltsville Experiment Station is shown in the background, on the far side of highway US 1.
'Tama-ume' Japanese Flowering Apricot in Bloom
'Tama-ume' Japanese Flowering Apricot (Prunus mume 'Tama-ume') in bloom. Not all Japanese Flowering Apricots are fragrant; however, this cultivar has a wonderful cinnamon/redhots candy fragrance. 'Tama ume' had the most powerful fragrance of the four fragrant cultivars.
'Tama-ume' Japanese Flowering Apricot in Bloom
'Tama-ume' Japanese Flowering Apricot (Prunus mume 'Tama-ume') in bloom. Not all Japanese Flowering Apricots are fragrant; however, this cultivar has a wonderful cinnamon/redhots candy fragrance. 'Tama ume' had the most powerful fragrance of the four fragrant cultivars.
'Tama-ume' Japanese Flowering Apricot in Bloom
'Tama-ume' Japanese Flowering Apricot (Prunus mume 'Tama-ume') in bloom. Not all Japanese Flowering Apricots are fragrant; however, this cultivar has a wonderful cinnamon/redhots candy fragrance. 'Tama ume' had the most powerful fragrance of the four fragrant cultivars.
'Tama-ume' Japanese Flowering Apricot in Bloom
'Tama-ume' Japanese Flowering Apricot (Prunus mume 'Tama-ume') in bloom. Not all Japanese Flowering Apricots are fragrant; however, this cultivar has a wonderful cinnamon/redhots candy fragrance. 'Tama ume' had the most powerful fragrance of the four fragrant cultivars.
'Tama-ume' Japanese Flowering Apricot in Bloom
'Tama-ume' Japanese Flowering Apricot (Prunus mume 'Tama-ume') in bloom. Not all Japanese Flowering Apricots are fragrant; however, this cultivar has a wonderful cinnamon/redhots candy fragrance. 'Tama ume' had the most powerful fragrance of the four fragrant cultivars.
'Tama-ume' Japanese Flowering Apricot in Bloom
'Tama-ume' Japanese Flowering Apricot (Prunus mume 'Tama-ume') in bloom. Not all Japanese Flowering Apricots are fragrant; however, this cultivar has a wonderful cinnamon/redhots candy fragrance. 'Tama ume' had the most powerful fragrance of the four fragrant cultivars.
'Tama-ume' Japanese Flowering Apricot in Bloom
'Tama-ume' Japanese Flowering Apricot (Prunus mume 'Tama-ume') in bloom. Not all Japanese Flowering Apricots are fragrant; however, this cultivar has a wonderful cinnamon/redhots candy fragrance. 'Tama ume' had the most powerful fragrance of the four fragrant cultivars.
'Tama-ume' Japanese Flowering Apricot in Bloom
'Tama-ume' Japanese Flowering Apricot (Prunus mume 'Tama-ume') in bloom. Not all Japanese Flowering Apricots are fragrant; however, this cultivar has a wonderful cinnamon/redhots candy fragrance. 'Tama ume' had the most powerful fragrance of the four fragrant cultivars.
'Tama-ume' Japanese Flowering Apricot in Bloom
'Tama-ume' Japanese Flowering Apricot (Prunus mume 'Tama-ume') in bloom. Not all Japanese Flowering Apricots are fragrant; however, this cultivar has a wonderful cinnamon/redhots candy fragrance. 'Tama ume' had the most powerful fragrance of the four fragrant cultivars.
'Tama-ume' Japanese Flowering Apricot in Bloom
'Tama-ume' Japanese Flowering Apricot (Prunus mume 'Tama-ume') in bloom. Not all Japanese Flowering Apricots are fragrant; however, this cultivar has a wonderful cinnamon/redhots candy fragrance. 'Tama ume' had the most powerful fragrance of the four fragrant cultivars.
'Tama-ume' Japanese Flowering Apricot in Bloom
'Tama-ume' Japanese Flowering Apricot (Prunus mume 'Tama-ume') in bloom. Not all Japanese Flowering Apricots are fragrant; however, this cultivar has a wonderful cinnamon/redhots candy fragrance. 'Tama ume' had the most powerful fragrance of the four fragrant cultivars.
'Tama-ume' Japanese Flowering Apricot in Bloom
'Tama-ume' Japanese Flowering Apricot (Prunus mume 'Tama-ume') in bloom. Not all Japanese Flowering Apricots are fragrant; however, this cultivar has a wonderful cinnamon/redhots candy fragrance. 'Tama ume' had the most powerful fragrance of the four fragrant cultivars.
Video of 'Tama-ume' Japanese Flowering Apricot in Bloom
'Tama-ume' Japanese Flowering Apricot (Prunus mume 'Tama-ume') in bloom. Not all Japanese Flowering Apricots are fragrant; however, this cultivar has a wonderful cinnamon/redhots candy fragrance. 'Tama ume' had the most powerful fragrance of the four fragrant cultivars.
Video of 'Tama-ume' Japanese Flowering Apricot in Bloom
'Tama-ume' Japanese Flowering Apricot (Prunus mume 'Tama-ume') in bloom. Not all Japanese Flowering Apricots are fragrant; however, this cultivar has a wonderful cinnamon/redhots candy fragrance. 'Tama ume' had the most powerful fragrance of the four fragrant cultivars.
'Tama-ume' Japanese Flowering Apricot in Bloom
'Tama-ume' Japanese Flowering Apricot (Prunus mume 'Tama-ume') in bloom. Not all Japanese Flowering Apricots are fragrant; however, this cultivar has a wonderful cinnamon/redhots candy fragrance. 'Tama ume' had the most powerful fragrance of the four fragrant cultivars.