Apricot Trees: History, Hybrids (Plumcot, Aprium, Pluot), Growing & Health

Apricots (Prunus armeniaca) originated on the Russian-Chinese border ~3000 BC, traveled the Silk Road, and now grace orchards from California to Kazakhstan.

Tree Characteristics

• Long-lived, massive root system, vigorous.
• Generally disease/pest resistant.
• Cold-hardy wood, but early blooms frost-sensitive.
• Prune to 12 ft for harvest ease; unpruned reaches 45 ft.
• Plant 20–25 ft apart.

Fruit & Harvest

• Round, yellow-orange with red blush; yellow or white flesh.
• Bears at 2 years; thin to 6 in spacing for size.
• Harvest May–July; shelf life 1–2 weeks.
• Top cultivars: Blenheim (Royal), Tilton, Perfection, Moorpark, Early Golden.
• CA = 94% US crop; Turkey = 21% world.

Luther Burbank's Legacy: The Plumcot Lineage

Burbank crossed apricot × plum → "plumcot." Descendants:

• Aprium: 75% apricot / 25% plum (apricot-like).
• Pluot: 75% plum / 25% apricot (plum-like).
• Plumcot: 50/50 balance.

Modern cultivars offer cold hardiness, high sugar, complex flavor. Backyard growers can now access these interspecific hybrids.

Flowering Apricots (Prunus mume)

• 'Matsubara Red' – double dark red, late winter.
• 'Peggy Clarke' – rose red, early spring.
• 'Rosemary Clarke' – white, early spring.
• 'W.B. Clarke' – weeping, pink, January.

Grown for ornamental bloom, not fruit.

Health & Pit Warning

• Rich in vitamins A, B1, B2, C, niacin; minerals P, K, Ca, Fe.
• Pits contain amygdalin → cyanide. Laetrile "cancer cure" is illegal and deadly (Steve McQueen). Avoid.

Apricots reward space with beauty, fruit, and a 5,000-year heritage. Plant two for cross-pollination; the first harvest arrives sooner than you think.