COMPLIMENTARY 
NEW SERIES VOL. IX 
NO. 2 
ARNOLD ARBORETUM 
HARVARD UNIVERSITY 
BULLETIN 
OF 
POPULAR INFORMATION 
JAMAICA PLAIN, MASS. MAY 4, 1923 
Pruniis. In the Arboretum are now placed in this genus the Peaches, 
Apricots, Almonds, Cherries and Plums. As now constituted this genus 
contains some of the important fruit trees of temperate regions, a few 
valuable timber trees, and a large number of plants cultivated for the 
beauty of their flowers or fruits, or for the evergreen leaves of some 
of the species. To few genera do northern gardens owe so great and 
varied beauty and in this Arboretum many of its species are estab¬ 
lished. The earliest of them to bloom in the Arboretum is a Peach, 
Prunus Davidiana, which opened its flowers on the 19th of April and 
shed its petals ten days later. This is the wild Peach-tree of northern 
China and a narrow tree with a tall slender stem and upright branches. 
The flowers are pink, and there is also in the Arboretum a white-flow¬ 
ered form. The small hard, green fruit is not seen here every year as 
the flowers are usually destroyed by spring frosts. This tree has little 
to recommend it as a garden plant, especially in regions where spring 
frosts are common, but for students of the geography of plants it is 
of much interest. It has been used with much success by pomologists 
as stock for varieties of the garden Peach. 
Apricots began to flower this year as early as the 25th of April and 
are still covered with white flowers. The earliest this year is a form 
of Prunus Armenaica which for several years has been growing in the 
Arboretum where it has been called “The Mikado.” Judging by the 
name it is possible that this plant came originally from Japan, where 
the Apricot, originally a native of northern China, has long been cul¬ 
tivated in a number of varieties. “The Mikado” is a strong growing. 
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