"Rod" wrote in
:

Sounds rather like some of the things that were used as rootstocks for
Apricots/Peaches etc here years ago. As you have already anticipated -
not at all easy to get without.

Aaargh - that sounds all too likely. The apple trees nearby must be 20
years old at the least and the tree (s) are on the north side of a stone
wall, which I'd have thought unpromising for apricots or peaches.


Nick suggested I post more botanical detail, so here it is:

Flower colour is white. Flower is about 2cm across, with 5 petals, 5
sepals, and lots of separate stamens. The flowers are on stalks about
7mm long.

I originally thought the flowers appeared singly, but a more thorough
inspection shows they are in small clumps of 2 or 3, with only one
flower fully in bloom at the moment.

The stigma is on a style about the same length as the stamens. Anthers
and stigma are yellow, and the area immediately around the ovary is a
darkish yellow-brown.

The merged base of the sepals forms a cup around the ovary. The stamens
and petals are attached to the cup.

So far the tree has produced no fruit that I have noticed.

Leaves are ovate-elliptical and very slightly toothed (barely visibly),
with very fine hairs on the backs. They are spaced alternately along
the shoots. Shoot buds and flower buds are also spaced alternately.

Some of the leaves have rounded tips and some are more pointed - so not
a lot of help there. Veins are visible in the leaves, which are fine
and tear easily with no waxy coating.

Hope this may help me find out more!

Victoria