Tree · Rosaceae
Apricot
Prunus armeniaca
Give it full sun, sharp drainage, and shelter from late frost, and an apricot tree drops sweet golden fruit by early summer.
Full sun
Every 7–14 days
USDA 5–8
15–20 ft · 4.6–6.1 m
Overview
An apricot is one of the first trees to wake in spring, often blooming while the rest of the garden is still bare. It belongs to the rose family alongside plums and cherries, and it traces back to the cold, dry uplands of central Asia. That heritage shows in the tree: it shrugs off hard winter cold down to -13°F (-25°C) yet still wants long, warm, sunny summers to ripen its fruit.
The early bloom is the tree's gift and its gamble. Flowers that open in late winter beat the competition for pollinators, but they also sit right in the path of a late frost that can wipe out a whole year's crop in one cold night. Where you plant the tree, and which variety you choose, decides how often that happens.
Give an apricot deep, well-drained soil and room to spread, and it grows into a generous open-headed tree. The fruit comes early, sweet and heavy enough to eat fresh, dry, or can. The flesh is yours to enjoy, but the pits and leaves are not for pets or livestock, so plan where the prunings and fallen stones end up.
Care
The short version: full sun, deep well-drained loam, and a frost-safe spot away from low pockets where cold air settles. Water deeply while the tree establishes and the fruit fills out, feed in early spring, and prune in dry summer weather to keep disease at bay.
Light
Apricots need full sun, the more the better, to ripen sweet fruit and stay healthy. A spot open to the sky all day also dries the canopy fast after rain, which holds back the fungal diseases that plague this tree.
Water
Water deeply and regularly while a young tree establishes and again as the fruit fills out, soaking the root zone every 7 to 14 days rather than splashing it often. A mature apricot handles drought fairly well, but a good drink through a dry summer still pays off in better fruit.
Soil
Plant in deep, well-drained loam, since soggy roots are this tree's quickest way to fail. A soil pH between 6.0 and 7.0 suits it, and sharp drainage matters far more than rich ground.
Temperature
The tree is tough across a wide range, holding up from about -13°F to 95°F (-25°C to 35°C). Winter cold is rarely the problem; the real risk is an early bloom meeting a late spring frost.
Humidity
Average humidity around 40% to 70% suits an apricot fine. Damp, still air is the thing to avoid, because crowded wet foliage is exactly what brown rot and canker want.
Feeding
Feed once in early spring with a balanced nitrogen fertilizer to fuel the new season's growth. One seasonal feeding is plenty, and piling on more nitrogen just grows soft, disease-prone wood.
Pruning
Prune in late summer or dry weather, never in the cool and wet, to keep bacterial canker and Eutypa out of fresh cuts. Train the tree to an open center so light and air reach the heart of the canopy.
Repotting
An apricot is a full-size tree and lives in the ground, so it's rarely potted at all. Plant it once in a well-chosen spot and let it settle for the long haul.
Size & spacing
A standard apricot grows 15 to 20 feet (4.6 to 6 m) tall and spreads about 12 to 20 feet (3.7 to 6 m) wide. Give it that much open room so the canopy stays airy and the roots have space to run.
When to plant
Apricots run on an early clock. Set bare-root trees in the ground during dormancy in late winter to early spring, brace for blossom that opens almost before winter has let go, and pick the fruit from early to midsummer.
Northern hemisphere
Southern hemisphere
Typical months for a temperate climate: start earlier in warm zones, later where spring frosts linger.
- Plant: Plant bare-root trees during dormancy in late winter to early spring.
- Harvest: Blooms very early, late winter to early spring; fruit ripens early to midsummer.
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones: 5–8
Temperature: down to -29°C
Troubleshooting
Most apricot trouble lands on the blossoms and fruit, and the worst of it arrives with cold or wet spring weather. Match what you see below to the cause, then act early while it still makes a difference.
Brown, rotting blossoms and fruit dusted with tan spores
This is brown rot, a Monilinia fungus that moves in during wet spring weather and rots blossoms and fruit alike. Pull off any mummified fruit so it can't carry spores forward, prune the tree open so air dries the canopy fast, and spray a fungicide at bloom when the weather stays damp.
Fix:
- Remove mummified fruit, prune for airflow, and apply fungicide at bloom
Sunken bark cankers weeping amber gum, with limbs dying back
Those weeping wounds are bacterial canker, caused by Pseudomonas syringae taking hold through injuries in cool, wet conditions. Prune only in dry summer weather so the cuts heal clean, steer clear of careless wounds, and cut out infected wood well below the canker.
Fix:
- Prune only in dry summer weather, avoid injuries, and remove infected wood
Blackened blossoms and no fruit setting
Apricots bloom so early that a late frost often catches the open flowers and blackens them, and a frozen blossom sets no fruit. Plant the tree on a north-facing slope where it wakes a little later, stay out of low frost pockets where cold air settles, and pick later-blooming cultivars in chancy spring climates.
Fix:
- Site on a north-facing slope, avoid frost pockets, and choose later-blooming cultivars
Crescent scars on the fruit and early drop
Those little crescent scars and the early fruit fall point to the plum curculio, a weevil whose larvae feed inside the developing fruit. Keep the ground clean of dropped fruit to break the cycle, watch the tree closely, and time controls to petal fall when the adults are laying eggs.
Fix:
- Practice sanitation and monitor, applying controls at petal fall
Toxicity
Treat this tree with care around animals. The stems, leaves, and seeds hold cyanogenic glycosides that release cyanide, and the swallowed pits can block an animal's gut on top of that. The ripe flesh is safe for people, but keep prunings, fallen leaves, and discarded stones well away from pets and livestock.
Toxic to
Cats · Dogs · Horses · Rabbits · Livestock · Birds · People
Cats Mild
A cat that chews the leaves, stems, or a cracked seed may drool, vomit, or show dilated pupils. Cats rarely eat enough to take in a serious dose, but keep the trimmings out of reach all the same.
Dogs Mild
Watch for drooling, vomiting, or labored breathing if a dog gnaws the foliage or a seed. The bigger hazard is a swallowed pit, which can lodge in the gut and block it.
Horses Moderate
Wilted leaves and stems are the real danger, since they release the most cyanide. A poisoned horse breathes hard, turns weak, and shows bright red gums, so never leave prunings in or near the paddock.
Rabbits Toxic
The leaves and stems carry cyanogenic compounds that a small rabbit can't tolerate. Keep every part of the tree off the menu and offer only safe greens instead.
Livestock Toxic
Cattle, sheep, and goats are highly sensitive to the cyanide in wilted apricot leaves, and a hungry animal can take in a fatal dose fast. Fence stock away from the tree and clear fallen branches after any storm or pruning.
Birds Toxic
The seeds and foliage are dangerous to birds, and even a small amount of cyanide goes a long way in a small body. Offer only the ripe flesh, never the pit or the leaves.
People Caution
The ripe flesh is a good fruit and safe to eat, but the kernel inside the pit holds cyanide and should never be cracked open and eaten. Spit out the stones and keep them away from children.
Keep pruned twigs, leaves, and discarded pits away from pets and livestock.
Helpline numbers
United States
ASPCA Animal Poison Control: (888) 426-4435 (fee applies)
Poison Control: (800) 222-1222
Canada
Poison Centres: 1-844-764-7669
Varieties
Plenty of apricot varieties exist, picked for flavor, hardiness, or how well they dry. These are a few worth knowing by name.
Moorpark
An old English variety that ripens late and rewards the wait with large, richly flavored fruit.
Blenheim (Royal)
The classic California apricot, prized as much for fresh eating as for drying.
Tilton
A dependable canning and drying apricot that handles a touch of frost better than most.
Goldcot
A cold-hardy variety bred for colder regions, carrying firm golden fruit.
How to propagate
Apricots are almost always bought as grafted trees rather than grown from seed, because seedlings won't match their parent. Here is how each method works and what it gives you.
GraftingModerate
Most apricots are grafted, usually by T-budding onto a compatible rootstock. That's how growers get fruit true to the variety and keep the tree's size and vigor in check.
SeedModerate
Seed works after a spell of cold stratification, but the seedlings don't come true to the parent. For that reason apricot seed is grown mainly to raise rootstock rather than fruiting trees.
Myths
Every part of an apricot is poisonous.
The ripe flesh is good to eat and perfectly safe. The cyanide comes from the seeds, pits, leaves, and stems, not the fruit you slice off and enjoy.