Information About Prunus Armeniaca

History

• The scientific name reflects the belief that apricots originated in Armenia, but northeastern China, close to where the nation borders Russia, is the actual home of this species. The Chinese grew apricots in cultivation for 3,000 years. Introduction into Europe occurred through the Romans as early as 70 B.C. Apricots made their way to America via the English colonists, eventually coming to the West Coast, where most of the cultivation of this tree occurred along Pacific mountain hillsides.

Size

• Native apricot trees in Asia grow to nearly 30 feet high, with a spread in their canopies to 19 feet. The cultivars are typically smaller, often growing as dwarf trees. For example, Wilson Delicious, a dwarf apricot cultivar, grows between 8 and 10 feet high. Its size makes it accessible for spraying and allows its use as a landscaping tree in mass plantings.

Growing Conditions

• Apricots require a frost-free site in which to produce fruit, since they flower in March and April. Planting them in zones colder than U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zone 5 becomes problematic, since they may not survive the winter and they will lose their blooms early due to the presence of frost. Apricots will grow in partial shade, but they thrive in full sun, where they produce more fruit. The trees need a well-draining location. In colder regions of zones 5 and 6, avoid planting them in low-lying spots that might become pockets for frost.

Cultivars

• Dwarf cultivars such as Wilson Delicious produce the same-sized fruit as a normal apricot tree does, notes the Missouri Botanical Garden. Homedale is a form that grows between 15 and 20 feet high. Zaiglo is a miniature apricot, maturing between just 4 and 6 feet tall. Its apricots feature sweet yellow flesh. All three of these cultivars generate white flowers in April.