The Jam Master: If you love making apricot jam or "blatjang" (chutney), the Bulida is your best friend. It is a heavy cropper known for its large, meaty fruit that holds its shape and flavour when cooked.
Fruit Profile: Large, round, and pale orange. The flesh is firm and slightly less sweet than dessert varieties, which makes it the gold standard for preserving.
The Bulida is the "workhorse" of the apricot world. It is a large, spreading, and very hardy tree. For the Eastern Cape gardener, this is the most Wind-Resistant option. Its dense canopy makes it an excellent Skyline Layer or shade tree that happens to produce hundreds of apricots.
The Fruit
Appearance: Large, round fruit with a pale yellow-to-orange skin.
Texture & Taste: The flesh is soft and very juicy with a mild, sweet flavour. Its high pectin content makes it the absolute best variety for traditional South African apricot jam.
Growing, Care & Chilling
Chilling Requirement: Low (approx. 300–400 hours). The Bulida is very forgiving and will produce fruit even after a milder Eastern Cape winter, making it a "fail-safe" choice.
Spacing: Needs room to spread—plant at least 6 metres apart.
Specific Care: It is a prolific bearer; you may need to thin the fruit in October (remove every second or third apricot) to prevent branches from snapping under the weight.
Harvest: Mid-season; expect a heavy harvest throughout December.
Visit us at the shop in Walmer, Port Elizabeth, or contact us on Whatsapp 072 867 3243.
Our Apricot Trees are currently available from R165 each.