How to Grow Japanese Apricot
Prunus mume
Japanese apricot (ume) is a small deciduous tree cherished across East Asia for its fragrant early-spring blossoms — often flowering in late winter while branches are still bare. It needs full sun, well-drained soil, and a period of winter chilling to perform well. The sour fruit is harvested in early summer before fully ripe and processed into umeboshi, ume syrup, or umeshu plum wine — do not eat raw in large quantities. Prune immediately after flowering. Hardy to USDA zone 6 but site away from frost pockets to protect flower buds. Toxic to cats and dogs.
Yearly Lifecycle
Care Essentials
Apply a balanced fertiliser in early spring before bud break, and again after harvest in midsummer. Avoid high-nitrogen feeds that promote soft growth at the expense of flowers.
Watch For
- Brown rot (Monilinia)
- Aphids on young growth
- Scale insects
- Bacterial canker
- Shothole disease
Companions
Narcissus, Hellebore, Winter aconite, Chives
Pet Safety
Care Requirements
Light
Full sun
Needs at least 6–8 hours of direct sun daily for good flowering and fruit set. A south-facing wall position maximises warmth and helps ripen wood for next year's flower buds.
Watering
Regular watering when young; moderate once established
Water regularly during the first 2–3 seasons to establish. Mature trees are fairly drought-tolerant but benefit from deep watering during dry spells in summer, especially during fruit swell.
Fertilizing
Balanced feed in early spring; avoid excess nitrogen
Apply a balanced fertiliser (10-10-10) in early spring as buds swell. A second application after harvest supports recovery. Avoid high-nitrogen feeds which produce leafy growth at the expense of flowers.
Pruning
Prune immediately after flowering
Cut back long shoots to 2–3 buds right after flowers fade, before leaves emerge. Remove dead, crossing, and inward-growing branches. Do not prune in summer or autumn as this increases disease risk.
Spacing
3–5 m depending on form
Standard trees need 4–5 m. Wall-trained or espalier forms can be 2.5–3 m apart. Dwarf rootstocks allow closer spacing. Choose a south- or southwest-facing position in cool climates.
Support
Stake for first 2–3 years; wires for wall training
Stake young trees for the first 2–3 years until the root system is established. Wall-trained forms need a permanent system of horizontal wires fixed to the wall.
Growing Tips
Flowers before leaves
Ume blooms in late winter before leaves appear — often during frost. Site in a sheltered south-facing spot or against a warm wall to protect buds.
Prune right after flowering
Prune immediately after bloom, before leaves emerge. Leaving it to summer increases the risk of bacterial canker entering pruning cuts.
Harvest green, not ripe
Ume fruit is harvested when skin is green-yellow and still firm, not when fully ripe. Over-ripe fruit falls and is difficult to process.
Raw fruit is sour and unpleasant
Do not eat ume raw in any quantity — it is very sour and the kernel contains cyanogenic compounds. Always process into umeboshi, syrup, or wine before consuming.
Needs winter chill
Ume requires at least 500–600 hours below 7°C to set flowers well. It will not perform reliably in mild climates with little frost.
