6 of the Best Summer-Bearing Apricot Trees
What could be better than strolling out into your backyard and picking a handful of apricots, golden spheres kissed by the summer sun, and enjoying them with coffee for breakfast? Not only do you get delicious fruit, but apricots can be a great edible addition to your landscape. Read on to learn about their history, care, and varieties.
History of Apricot Trees
The apricot originated in China and slowly made its way west to Europe along the old spice road. It was brought to the US in the 1700s and spread across the continent as the country grew.
You can count on a good harvest, especially if you plant more than one variety to help with cross-pollination. The fruit has many uses:
- Eaten fresh
- Canned
- Frozen
- Dried
- Baked
- Turned to jam or jelly
Not only do you get delicious and healthy fruit, but you can grow these as ornamentals. The pink and white blossoms of spring and the deep green leaves and golden fruit catches the eye and makes a good focal point for your yard.
General tips for growth and care
You will want to plant yours in spring before it warms up, while the tree is still dormant. It isn’t fussy about pH, but if possible, it prefers soil that is slightly acidic. They love rich loam that is well-drained.
Plant it where it will get full sun, but if that is not possible, it will tolerate a few hours of shade.
Dig the hole larger than the root ball and about the same depth. Place the root ball in the hole, loosely pack soil in around it. You can mulch around the trunk, but leave a couple of inches between trunk and mulch. This will help to conserve water and keep weeds away.
Water it regularly during the first year or two until the root system is established, then you should only need to water it when it is extremely dry or very hot.
Make sure that you note the number of chill hours (hours where the temperature is below 45 degrees F) needed for these varieties to blossom. It varies quite a bit, and you don’t want a variety that won’t produce because it just doesn’t get cold enough where you live.
You can expect fruit the second year that you have yours, but don’t expect a good crop until the 3rd or 4th year. But once they start to bear, be prepared for a lot of delicious and nutritious fruit.
It is necessary to prune apricots, but that is not too difficult because they rarely grow over 20 feet. Prune away the dead branches and branches that cross in the late winter or early spring before the tree awakens from its winter sleep.
The 6 Best Summer Apricot Varieties
Here are six varieties to pick from. They differ in their zones, chill hours as well as when they fruit. For the best yield get two varieties, and you might want to look at varieties that fruit at different times so that you won’t be overwhelmed.
1. Gold Cot
Zones 3-8
Height 15-20 feet
Chill hours 800
Gold Cot are cold-resistant, though a late frost can damage the blossoms. Pollinators will love the beautiful pink blossoms that proceed the juicy, tangy fruit. They will give you medium-sized freestone fruit, with a good harvest every year. Eat them fresh from the tree, freeze or can them to enjoy them throughout the year.
2. Chinese
Zones 5-8
Height 15-20 ft
Chill hours 700
Chinese apricots have frost-resistant buds that will open into beautiful white to pink blossoms that are very fragrant. The yellow-orange fruit is sweet and mild and will be ready for you in early summer. This freestone variety is great for canning, drying, jam and various desserts like pies or tarts. Few trees are more beautiful than these with the golden fruit ornamenting the dark green foliage.
3. Goldstrike
Zones 4-8
Height 16-20
Chill hours 800+
The Goldstrike produces a golden yellow fruit with just a touch of red and purple. The fruit is large and round. It is a freestone variety so that eating and preserving is easier. The flesh is meaty, juicy, and sweet–very delicious fresh from the tree. Like most varieties, you should get a good crop year after year. It will be ready to pick in mid-June. You will love it fresh from the tree, baked in desserts, canned, frozen, or dried. A great addition to your yard or orchard.
4.Katy
Zones 7-10
Height 15-20 feet
Chill hours 200-300
This variety grows faster than most, so you will be enjoying the medium to large, firm, slightly sweet fruit sooner than others. It ripens in late May through early June. The orange to gold color fruit is freestone and great when eaten fresh, dried, canned, frozen, turned into jams or baked into luscious desserts. You can expect a good annual harvest and the white blossoms, golden fruit, and beautiful green leaves will enhance the look of your yard.
5. Moorpark
Zones 4-10
Height 10-16 feet
Chill hours 600-700
This established variety was developed in England by Lord Anson almost 300 years ago. The tree will be a little smaller than other varieties, but you will love the sweet and juicy flesh that bursts with aroma as you bite into it. The large golden-skinned fruit has deep orange flesh and will ripen over the course of a month, from early July through early August, giving you more time to enjoy it. It is great fresh, but you can also freeze it. If you want, bake it into delicious desserts or turn it into jam or jelly. This frost-tolerant variety also makes a great ornamental to enhance the beauty of your yard.
6. Tomcot
Zone 5-9
Height 14-18 feet
Chill hours 500-600 hours
This variety is growing in popularity because it resists late frosts, gives you a large, consistent crop, and produces large sweet fruit. You will be harvesting this freestone variety from early May through early June. The fruit is beautiful–golden skin with a hint of red and rich yellow flesh. It is fantastic freshly picked or canned, frozen or baked.
Hats-Off to Apricots!
Look for a variety or two that does well in your zone. Order them for next spring and get them in the ground. In a few short years, you will have some of the most beautiful fruit trees decorating your yard and enjoying the healthy and tasty fruit fresh from the tree or preserved for use throughout the year.
