Scott Bauer, USDA/ARS
Family
Rosaceae
Botanical Name
PRUNUS armeniaca
Plant Common Name
Apricot
General Description
This deciduous fruit bearing tree is the parent of most modern apricot cultivars. Native to Northeast China, and introduced to cultivation there more than 3,000 years ago, the apricot reached southeastern Europe via Armenia or Persia in about 70 BC. It was later introduced to Spain by the Arabs. It arrived in England and the eastern United States in the seventeenth century; Spanish missionaries brought it to California in the eighteenth century. Few selections were made until the nineteenth century.
Apricot trees are small to medium-sized, with spreading branches studded with short spur-like branchlets. The oval, bright green leaves have serrated edges and reddish purple petioles (stems). In late winter or early spring, pinkish white five-petaled flowers are borne on the spurs and on one-year-old wood. The slightly flattened, spherical, pitted fruits mature about 3 or 4 months after the flowers bloom, ripening to orange or yellow, often with a red blush. Most modern cultivars are self-fruitful, requiring no cross pollination. Apricots are usually grown as standard-sized trees, although genetic and grafted dwarf trees are sometimes cultivated.
Although apricot trees are quite cold hardy, their early flowers are susceptible to freeze damage, and their flower buds may be killed if mild winter spells are followed by bitter cold. Additionally, the fruits of many varieties are prone to rot in cool or damp summers. Plants do best in full sun, mildly acidic to mildly alkaline soil, and an exposure (such as an east slope) not subject to strong winter sun and late frosts. Chilling requirements for apricot cultivars vary widely: 300 to 1200 hours per winter of temperatures between freezing and 7 degrees Celsius (45 F). Cultivars adapted to various regions of the United States and Canada (including California, the Pacific Northwest, and the Upper Midwest) are available. Choose a cultivar appropriate to the region. California produces more than 90 percent of the apricot crop in the United States.
Growing Conditions
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Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
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Soil Drainage
Well Drained
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Soil type
Loam, Sand
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Growth Rate
Medium
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Water Requirements
Drought Tolerant, Average Water
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Habit
Oval/Rounded
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Seasonal Interest
Spring, Summer
Ornamental Features
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Flower Interest
Showy
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Flower Color
White, Light Pink
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Fruit Color
Yellow, Orange, Rose
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Foliage Color (Spring)
Green
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Foliage Color (Summer)
Green
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Foliage Color (Fall)
Green
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Bark Color
Red, Brown
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Fragrant Flowers
Yes
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Fragrant Fruit
Yes
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Fragrant Foliage
No
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Bark or Stem Fragrant
No
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Flower Petal Number
Single
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Repeat Bloomer
No
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Showy Fruit
Yes
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Edible Fruit
Yes
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Showy Foliage
No
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Foliage Texture
Medium
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Foliage Sheen
Matte
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Evergreen
No
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Showy Bark
No
