Royal Star Magnolia vs Capilano Apricot

The Royal Star Magnolia, or Star Magnolia, is an early-blooming, white fragrant flower. It has a form that resembles a starburst, hence the name. This multi-stemmed deciduous shrub is extremely popular and has won the prestigious Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society.

The Royal Star Magnolia attracts birds and butterflies to your garden, with their large, showy flowers blooming even before it’s foliage which features a medium green leaf. They prefer slightly acidic soils.

Capilano Apricot is a cold-hardy variety known for its sweet, juicy, full-flavored fruit. It produces white to pink blooms in early spring, before the leaves emerge, followed by golden-yellow, freestone apricots. They ripen from mid-July to early August and are well-suited for fresh eating, baking, wine, canning, and preserves.

The Capilano Apricot originated from three trees planted in Edmonton’s Capilano neighbourhood during the 1960s. As they began producing fruit, local fruit enthusiasts took notice and propagated the trees, with the southernmost becoming particularly popular. Though the original trees no longer exist, the Capilano Apricot remains a widely sought-after cold-hardy variety.

Capilano Apricot is generally considered self-pollinating, but planting with another variety for cross-pollination can increase yields.

Note: The early bloom time makes the flowers vulnerable to spring frosts, which can reduce or eliminate the fruit crop

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