Overview
Japanese Apricot Bonsai (Prunus mume) is a highly prized flowering tree with fragrant late-winter blossom and rugged ageing bark. It is best suited to winter/spring flower display, literati, informal upright and old-trunk specimen bonsai. For UK growers, treat it as: Outdoor.
Placement
full sun with winter protection for flowers
Watering
keep evenly moist, especially as buds swell
Feeding and fertilising
feed after flowering through summer
Pruning and wiring
prune after flowering and manage new shoots carefully because flower buds form on mature wood
Repotting
repot every 2-3 years after flowering or early spring
Propagation
grafting, cuttings for some cultivars and layering
Pests, diseases and common issues
aphids, fungal disease, dieback from poorly timed cuts and flower bud damage by frost