Dwarf Apricot Tree {Prunus armeniaca var. mandshurica} Organic | Edible | Flowering | Indoor starter | 2023 seed | 5 Pre-stratified seeds | Free Shipping! (Prunus armeniaca var. Mandshurica) Deciduous. Zones 3-7. Manchurian Apricot is incredibly cold hardy! This quick growing, medium sized tree can produce fruit in as little as three years! Manchurian Apricots are dark yellow, with a pinkish blush and about the size of a golf ball. These juicy apricots are free-stone, making them excellent for drying, canning and making other preserves. Of course, eating them fresh off your tree is pretty spectacular too! Well drained, loamy soil is best for Manchurian Apricot trees. They are slightly drought tolerant but cannot handle any long term saturation of the soil. Although these trees are very cold hardy, their flowers are susceptible to frost damage! There are a couple of ways to protect your trees and ensure a plentiful crop. You can plant your trees in a sheltered, South-facing micro-climate on your property, where a late frost would be less likely to hit. Alternatively, plant on a North facing slope. This may seem counter intuitive, but the colder Northern positioning will slow the development of flowers, forcing blooming into the later half of Spring. The slow blossoms will avoid the risk of late frosts. --------------------------------- Cold Hardiness: Zones 3 - 7 Edible: Yes Size: Small Tree Growth Rate: Fast Nitrogen Fixer: No Germination: 60 - 80% Sun Requirements: Full Sun Soil Preference: Loam ---------------------------------- GROWING INSTRUCTIONS - Soak Seeds 24 hrs. Follow with 60 days warm, moist stratification, followed by 120 days cold, moist stratification. *If you are doing the cold period in your fridge, please check on your seeds. 120 days is an estimate they may sprout sooner.* - Plant stratified seeds in pots or a nursery bed using standard potting soil. Heat mats are NOT required can hinder germination! - Protect young tree seedlings from slugs, cutworms rodents. Slugs especially can eat primary leaves as soon as they come up, so be vigilant!