'Mastsubara Red' Japanese Apricot

When the garden is at its bleakest and most gardeners have retreated indoors with their seed catalogs, 'Matsubara Red' struts onto the scene like it owns the place—because in late winter, it absolutely does. This small deciduous tree reaches 15 to 20 feet in both height and width, forming an upright, vase-shaped silhouette that serves as the perfect backdrop for its pièce de résistance: masses of fully double, deep red flowers that are reportedly the darkest red commercially available among Japanese apricot cultivars in the United States. These 1 to 1.25-inch blooms emerge on bare branches anywhere from January through March depending on your location, each flower packed with extra petals that give it a rosette-like fullness. The fragrance is intensely spicy—think cloves warming on a winter day—and carries surprisingly well on cold air.

The tree's young branches are a distinctive glossy green that provides year-round structural interest, while mature bark develops cinnamon-tinted, corky ridges that add textural intrigue. Summer foliage is admittedly pedestrian—simple, ovate leaves 2 to 4 inches long with serrated margins and a rich green color—but after the spectacular floral show, the tree has earned the right to take a breather. Come autumn, the leaves shift to pale yellow before dropping, a modest but pleasant seasonal finale. Cultivars of this variety are distinctly male and will not provide fruit.

Landscape Value

The real gift 'Matsubara Red' brings to the winter garden is hope—that gasp-inducing moment when you round the corner in February and see branches absolutely laden with crimson blooms while snow and cold still lurk in shadowy corners. Its compact size makes it an ideal specimen for small gardens or as an accent in larger landscapes, and the fragrance is reason enough to site it near a frequently used path, patio, or window where you can actually enjoy it during months when outdoor lounging isn't exactly appealing. Hardy in USDA zones 6 through 9 (with zone 6 gardeners wisely planting in protected locations), this tree performs reliably in the Southeast and brings architectural structure year-round. Plant in full sun to partial shade in moist, acidic, loamy soil—it won't tolerate poor drainage or drought conditions. Since it blooms on the previous year's wood with buds set the prior growing season, any pruning should be done immediately after flowering.

History and Cultural Significance

Prunus mume hails from southern China, where it has been cultivated for over 1,500 years and holds such cultural gravitas that it was designated China's national flower in the 1930s. The five petals of each flower symbolize five blessings: wealth, health, virtue, old age, and natural death—quite the responsibility for a flower barely an inch across. The species name 'mume' derives from the obsolete Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese name 'mei,' a linguistic hand-me-down from when the tree journeyed from China to Japan in the sixth century. Despite being erroneously labeled "Japanese apricot" (it's actually native to China), the Japanese have embraced it wholeheartedly, developing an estimated 300 cultivars over centuries of selective breeding.

In the United States, Prunus mume remained relatively obscure until the tireless advocacy of Dr. J.C. Raulston of the North Carolina State University Arboretum (now the JC Raulston Arboretum), who made championing this species something of a personal crusade in the late 20th century [1]. His efforts were so successful that Michael Dirr added the species to his Manual of Woody Landscape Plants—the gardener's bible—only in the 1990 revised edition, crediting Dr. Raulston with bringing it to his attention. The JC Raulston Arboretum maintains the largest collection of Japanese apricots in the United States, having trialed approximately 34 different cultivars over the years, with 22 currently in the collection [1].

Wildlife and Ecological Value

'Matsubara Red' earns its keep in the wildlife garden by blooming when pollinators are desperate for resources. Those late winter/early spring flowers provide critical early-season nectar for bees and other pollinators emerging during warm spells when few other food sources are available. According to North Carolina State University Extension, Prunus mume serves as a larval host plant for Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterflies (Papilio glaucus), supporting multiple generations from February through November in southern regions.

[1] https://www.bbg.org/article/japanese_flowering_apricot
[2] https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/prunus-mume/

General care for any tree or shrub is easy, but like any living thing will require your attention. Please educate yourself and follow these simple rules.