Luke was completely taken aback the first time he tasted this wild, presumably Manchurian apricot seedling, which has been thriving in Missoula for at least 75 years. Introduced to us by our friend Doug Hawes-Davis in 2020, this is hands down the best-tasting Manchurian apricot seedling we've ever tried.

Despite several setbacks in grafting this variety (entirely due to our own errors), we're thrilled to finally offer its seedlings, which should be well worth growing. Apricots tend to grow relatively true to type from seed, meaning the fruit often resembles that of the mother tree.

A Flavor That Surprises: Notes of Mango

When Luke first bit into the fruit, the flavor immediately reminded him of mango. The ripe fruit has a sweet-tart profile with intensely tropical notes and a color to match—rich yellow with an orangish-red blush, just like a mango.

Cold Hardiness

• Hardy to at least -35°F

• May be even hardier, though the mother tree grows in a somewhat protected location

• It survived the sub -30°F winters of the 1980s, giving us confidence in its resilience

While most Manchurian apricots are known to handle even colder temperatures, this seedling appears especially hardy and adaptable.

Genetics & Pollination Notes

Apricots, unlike apples, have less genetic variability when grown from seed. The reason? Apricot flowers can often fertilize themselves (self-pollination within the same tree), leading to seedlings that are genetically closer to the parent.

Still, there are both Manchurian and European apricot genetics in the area:

• Manchurian types: Very cold hardy, often more acidic

• European types: Typically sweeter, but less hardy

It’s uncertain whether this Montana Mango seedling is a result of a cross, but there’s a decent chance the fruit will resemble the exceptional flavor of the mother.

Tree Details

• Seedlings are 1–2 feet tall

• The original parent tree will be available in Spring 2026