About
Prunus armeniaca, the apricot, is a small, round-headed, deciduous tree to 8 m with mid-green, broadly oval foliage. White or pink-tinged flowers up to 2 cm across appear in early to mid-spring before the leaves, followed by succulent, edible, red-tinged, yellow-orange fruit in summer. A beautiful and productive ornamental tree for a warm, sunny, sheltered garden.
About the genus
Prunus are deciduous or evergreen trees or shrubs with showy flowers in spring and, in many species, good autumn foliage colour. Some produce edible fruit in summer or autumn, and a few have ornamental bark. Among the most widely grown of all ornamental trees.
Growing conditions
SunlightFull sun
Soil typeChalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pHAlkaline, Neutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained
AspectSouth-facing, West-facing
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH4
Plant details
Plant typeTrees, Fruit Edible
HabitSpreading branched
FoliageDeciduous
Height4-8 metres
Spread4-8 metres
Time to full height10-20 years
Suggested usesCottage and informal garden, Wildlife gardens
Native toC Asia
ToxicitySeed kernels harmful if eaten, wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling 13950,prunus-avium,Prunus avium,wild cherry,Prunus avium
Care notes
CultivationApricots flourish on deep, moisture-retentive, well-drained, ideally slightly alkaline soils and struggle in poor, shallow soils. Although fully hardy, they bloom early, and the flowers are vulnerable to frost, so trees need a warm, sheltered position. Protect blossom from frost at night, and hand pollinate if insects are scarce. See apricot cultivation for further advice
PruningPruning group 1, ideally in summer to reduce the risk of silver leaf infectionMay be trained as a fan on a warm wall, or as a free-standing bush in milder areas. Train fan-trained trees in spring. Pruning established fans is carried out in early summer and after harvest
PropagationPropagate by grafting on rootstock for fruit. Seed-raised plants are likely to be inferior to the parent
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to aphids and caterpillars
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to peach leaf curl, silver leaf, bacterial canker, blossom wilt and honey fungus. High Risk Host for Xylella fastidiosa