Tlor-Tsiran Black Apricot
(Prunus dasycarpa)
Background
This is a selection of a naturally occurring hybrid of apricot (P. armeniaca) and Myroblan Plum (P. cerasifera) from central Asia. Raintree Nursery was the only source of this hybrid in 2003. Their catalog description stated: “The skin of the delicious, oval fruit is fuzzy like an apricot but is dark purple. The tree is self fertile, somewhat brown rot resistant and very winter hardy. The flesh is a pretty marbled red and yellow. While it has fruited well in cold climates, we have not successfully fruited it here at Raintree.”
Observations at Carandale Farm
It was decided that such an unusual fruit could have appeal for local/regional markets; so two trees were purchased for trial. The trees adapted and grew incredibly well. There was some bloom a year after planting, but no fruit set. The trees continued to have incredible vegetative growth as shown in the photo taken during dormancy after the third growing season. The trees bloomed sparingly every year, but they never set any fruit, even with cross pollination available from the adjacent plum trial. After four years of fruitlessness for no apparent reason, they were removed from the test plot in 2008. Raintree did have the disclaimer that they had not successfully fruited it at their location in Washington state, but claimed to have seen it fruiting successfully in colder locations.
Information elsewhere confirms its yield problems and suggests that fruit quality is not that great anyway.
This article was posted in Prunus.