Perhaps modern gardeners are hard to surprise with any unusual development of breeders. Scientists are working hard to obtain new varieties, including fruit trees. Their goal is to obtain samples that are more productive, resistant to pests, aggressive climatic influences and diseases. As a result of this complex work, interesting cultures appear, many of which are hybrids.
We will talk about one of these new products today. Our hero is unusual both in appearance and in taste, black apricot. "Black Prince" - such a beautiful name received a new variety. We will talk about the features of growing this dark hybrid below.
Apricot "black prince": characteristics of the variety
We can say that today it is still a rather rare fruit crop. "The Black Prince" - a hybrid of apricot, cherry plum, plum. Breeders claim that the appearance of the variety is due to the random pollination of apricot by garden cherry plum. Then the received fruits were finalized, improved.
Several varieties of this unusual plant were created, some of them were very thermophilic, they were afraid of frosts and matured quite late. Such crops are difficult to grow in the northern regions of our country. This is due to the fact that for the winter they need to be well covered (although this measure does not always help to preserve the tree), the crop has to be taken immature.
The breeders continued their work, and as a result a cold winter was not afraid, ripening much earlier than the black prince apricots. Moscow region is perfect for growing a new variety.
Grade Features
Apricot "black prince" (reviews of gardeners confirm this) blooms a little later than other stone fruits. Due to this feature, the owners of the culture are not afraid of late frosts. In addition, this variety tolerates return winter frosts, from which most ordinary varieties die.
Experts believe that this variety of apricot ("black prince") is more resistant to many diseases that are characteristic of stone fruit. He is not afraid of cytosporiosis, moniliosis and kleasterosporiosis. The plant is very compact, so caring for it is much easier than for huge trees of ordinary varieties.
Hybrid Description
If the sweet fruits of the traditional yellow apricot are known and loved by many, then not everyone knows about its black "relative". What does a black apricot look like? The "Black Prince" is a medium-sized tree with a small and slightly thickened crown. The trunk and branches are covered with bark with a dark green tint. Skeletal branches can be “armed” with thorns.
Small leaves, having an oval or ovoid shape, with serrated edges. Petiole is thin and short. The flowers are pale pink or white. The fruits are medium in size, weighing no more than eighty grams. They are painted maroon or almost black.
Description of the fruit, taste
Compared with other varieties of dark hybrids, such as "Melitopol black", "black velvet", according to gardeners, this is the most delicious black apricot. The Black Prince is not only great for making jam. It is an excellent dessert fruit that can compete with southern nectarines or apricots. An unusual hybrid has a tart and very pleasant taste.
It should be noted the exquisite appearance of these fruits. The fruit pulp has a rich bright burgundy tone with a slight orange tint. Black apricot has a small seed, which is quite easily separated from the pulp. In terms of yield, this hybrid is a leader among similar varieties. The strength of his growth is classified as average. This unusual culture refers to self-infertile, in other words, it requires neighboring trees of other varieties for the pollination process.
Features of agricultural technology
Experienced gardeners believe that it is not difficult to grow black apricot. "The Black Prince" does not have any agrotechnical features that would distinguish it from ordinary varieties. Nevertheless, one should heed some of the recommendations of specialists.
When choosing a place to plant this hybrid, remember that all apricots are very fond of the sun. But the landing site should be well protected from drafts and wind. Usually such a tree is planted at the south wall of a house or fence. For one tree, an area of at least five square meters is required.
The soil
The composition of the land should be heterogeneous. Mix clay with peat and sand in equal proportions. When planting, do not abuse fertilizers. When buying strong seedlings that are not damaged and not dried up with an earthen lump, it is necessary to carefully select. Apricot "black prince" prefers soil in which groundwater does not pass too close to the surface. Otherwise, the plant will get the roots wet.
It is necessary to pay attention to the fact that the snow cover near the tree (especially young) in the spring does not exceed fifty centimeters. This can adversely affect the condition of the lower part of the trunk.
Using Barrels for Landing
If on your site groundwater runs too close to the surface, experts recommend planting seedlings in barrels dug in the ground (with a bottom cut out). In this case, the landing pit is first prepared, it is covered with pebbles (or other drainage).
Then the pit should be filled with soil substrate, after which the barrel is set so that it rises half a meter above the ground. The tree planted in this way is reliably protected from rising groundwater in spring and excess snow at the base of the trunk in winter.
Tree care
Black apricot needs good watering. Since mid-summer it is limited to a minimum, since excess moisture contributes to the active growth of shoots, which will not get stronger by winter.
We have already said that fertilizers should not be abused during planting. With further growth and development of the seedling, it requires very moderate top dressing with organic fertilizers.
Apricot "black prince": reviews of gardeners
So, we introduced you to a somewhat unusual (at least in appearance) fruit. You will probably be interested to know what experienced gardeners think of him. Most summer residents are happy with their purchase. This is especially often said by residents of central Russia. They like that the plant is unpretentious, does not require complicated care, has excellent taste.
Gardeners who have already received a harvest from their tree, recommend taking the fruits a little earlier than full ripening. They must lie in a dark place for several days. If you wait for full ripening, they can just crumble.
The owners note the wonderful taste of apricots, which combines a small acidity of cherry plum and the aroma of apricot. Most summer residents believe that even a beginner in gardening can grow this variety. Most owners believe that the “black prince” is not only a magnificent dessert fruit, but also an exquisite decoration of the site.
In conclusion, I would like to say that the new hybrid "black prince" is not too widespread in our country. However, its popularity is growing every year. And today it can be seen not only in summer cottages in the south of our country, but also in more northern regions.