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Apricot



BOTANICAL NAME: Prunus armeniaca

FAMILY: Rosaceae

TYPE AND USE:  Deciduous shrub or small tree with edible flower petals

LOCATION:  Sun

PLANTING DATES:  Fall to spring

PLANTING METHOD:  Container transplant

HARVEST TIME:  Summer - if you are lucky. Ripe when fully colored and slightly soft. Pick the flower petals while in bloom for use in salads and garnishes. Use petals only, not entire flowers.

HEIGHT:  15-20 feet

SPREAD:  15-20 feet

FINAL SPACING:  20-25 feet

GROWTH HABITS:  Small tree, white to light-pink spring flowers, and delicious summer fruit. It’s an easy-to-grow tree, but the fruit production is another matter. The early blooming habit often causes a loss of fruit because of late freezes.

CULTURE:  Normal maintenance program using the basic organic program and spraying Garrett Juice with additives of baking soda and garlic.

TROUBLES AND SOLUTIONS:  Brown rot, cotton root rot, plum curculio, birds, and squirrels

HARVEST AND STORAGE:  Harvest as soon as fruit is ripe and before the squirrels and birds beat you to it. Eat soon or store in a cool, dry place. 32-40°. Will keep about 2 weeks.

NOTES:  Beautiful little tree for the landscape but not a good high production fruit tree for the orchard.

VARIETIES:  Decent varieties for Texas are Bryan, Blenheim, Hungarian, and Moorepark. Manchurian may be the best choice; Mongolian is the worst.




 

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