Culture
Best grown in average, medium moisture, well-drained soil in full sun. Prefers moisture-retentive soils with good drainage. Best sited in a sheltered location (e.g., sloping ground on the south side of the home). Avoid planting in low-lying areas which can act as frost pockets. Hardy in Zones 5-8. The rootstock of a given cultivar will affect its cultural needs, tolerances, and hardiness.
'Garden Annie' is best grown in Zones 6-9 due to its early flowering and fruit-set.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Prunus armeniaca, commonly called dwarf apricot, is a small, deciduous tree native to northern China and grown primarily for its edible fruit. Mature plants will reach 16-32' tall with a densely branched, spreading canopy of equal width. The ovate leaves can reach 2-3.5" long, 1.5-3" wide and have serrated margins with small glands on the teeth. The 1" wide, five-petaled, fragrant flowers are pink in bud but white once they open and bloom in spring before the foliage emerges. The round, 1-2.5" wide fruits have golden orange, smooth to pubescent skin, fleshy, red-tinged fruit and a center pit or stone. Cultivars are grafted onto rootstocks, which control the size of the tree.
Genus name from Latin means plum or cherry tree.
Specific epithet means of Armenia, Western Asia.
'Garden Annie' is a an early-fruiting, dwarf apricot selection. This apricot is often grafted onto dwarf rootstock but is also a true, genetic dwarf and can easily be kept pruned to 8-10' tall. Mature plants have a densely branched, spreading to vase-shaped canopy. The pale pink flowers bloom in early to mid-spring and are followed by medium to large, golden-orange fruits. This cultivar is self-fertile, but may produce larger yields with another individual nearby. The fruits have firm, sweet flesh and are semi-freestone, meaning that the flesh will partially cling to the pit. They ripen on the tree without getting too soft in early summer.
Problems
Apricots in general can be difficult to grow in Missouri because (a) their early blooming flowers (two weeks earlier than peaches) are extremely susceptible to frost injury and (2) insects/diseases. Potential disease problems include brown rot, root rot and bacterial leaf spot. Potential insect pests include plum curculio, borers and aphids. Mites can also be a problem. Although good sanitation practices are always essential, chemical spraying is usually necessary in order to adequately control pests.
Uses
Grown primarily for the fruit crop, but has early-blooming ornamental value.