What is it? Mume (aka Chinese plum or Japanese apricot) is highly prized across east Asia for its white or pink, almond-scented blossom, which bursts forth in late winter and early spring, weeks ahead of other trees. There are dozens of cultivars, but few are available in the UK. Fortunately, the most popular variety here is a real showstopper: ‘Beni-chidori’ has deep pink single flowers on bare stems (the name means “red plover”, by the way), and is conveniently nice and compact. More of a shrub than a tree, it has an eventual height and spread of 2-3m, making it a great choice for modern gardens.
Any other good varieties? P. mume ‘Omoi-no-mama’ has semi-double white flowers and is similarly compact.
Plant it with? I’d like to see a carpet of white hellebores around its feet.
And where? It’s fully hardy, but the blossom is wiped out by frost, so it needs a sheltered spot. It does well in a large container, on a balcony or sunny patio, say, or in the ground in full sun or partial shade. It copes with most soils.
Any drawbacks? This is not a four-seasons plant: come summer, it’s pretty unremarkable.
What else can it do? The foliage turns yellow and apricot in autumn, before falling.
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