Binomial name: Prunus Mume
Family: Rosaceae
Japanese name: Ume
English name: Japanese Apricot
Description: Ume has been loved in Japan since ancient times. The number of ume species for gardening tops 300. Yabai wild apricots, which are close to original species, are mostly used for bonsai. Among leading yabai wild apricot species are the red mid-size kanko with single or double petals, the red and white mid-size omoinomama with double petals, and the large red and single-petal michishirube. Among a number of zoki deciduous trees, ume attracts particular attention for jin bleached trunks or shari withered branches. Summertime sunlight helps ume put forth more floral buds the following year, so ume should be managed in a sunny place. As ume is resistant to cold, it can overwinter outdoors in the Kanto region around Tokyo and to the west.
Viewing season: January-February

translated by Kyodo News