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[[Image:Turkey.Pasa Baglari005.jpg|thumb|right|Apricot tree]]

[[Image:Turkey.Pasa Baglari005.jpg|thumb|right|Apricot tree]]

It is a small tree, 8–12 m tall, with a trunk up to 40 cm diameter and a dense, spreading canopy. The [[leaf|leaves]] are [[leaf shape|ovate]], 5–9 cm long and 4–8 cm wide, with a rounded base, a pointed tip and a finely serrated margin. The [[flower]]s are 2–4.5 cm diameter, with five white to pinkish petals; they are produced singly or in pairs in early spring before the leaves. The [[fruit]] is a [[drupe]] similar to a small [[peach]], 1.5–2.5 cm diameter (larger in some modern [[cultivar]]s), from yellow to orange, often tinged red on the side most exposed to the sun; its surface is usually pubescent. The single [[seed]] is enclosed in a hard stony shell, often called a "stone", with a grainy, smooth texture except for three ridges running down one side.<ref name=foc/><ref name=rushforth>Rushforth, K. (1999). ''Trees of Britain and Europe''. Collins ISBN 0-00-220013-9.</ref>

Common Apricot. Small round-topped tree with reddish bark much like that of the peach tree: lvs. ovate to round-ovate, sometimes slightly cordate at the base, abruptly short-pointed, glabrous (at least above), closely serrate, the stalks stout and gland-bearing: fls. pinkish, solitary and sessile or very nearly so, appearing from lateral buds of last year's growth (sometimes on short year-old spurs) before the lvs.: fr. variable, nearly smooth when ripe, short-stalked like a peach, usually somewhat flattened, mostly yellow and overlaid more or less with red, the stone flat and smooth, ridged or sulcate on one edge. Probably Siberia (Dahuria, Manchuria) to China as a native plant. It early reached Eu., where it was once supposed to be native of Armenia, whence the name Armeniaca. The Russian apricot is a hardy race of this species. Var. pendula, Dipp., has hanging or pendulous twigs. Var. variegata, Hort., has white-variegated foliage.—P. Armeniaca is apparently widespread in farther Asia and it is variable. By some authors the main forms are separated as species but the differences appear to be too unimportant or inconstant for clear definition and they are here retained as varieties.{{SCH}}

==Cultivation==

==Cultivation==

[[Image:apricotfresh.JPG|thumb|left|Fresh apricots on display.]]

[[Image:apricotfresh.JPG|thumb|left|Fresh apricots on display.]]

[[Image:Dried apricot 01 Pengo.jpg|thumb|right|Dried organic apricot. The colour is dark because it has not been treated with [[sulfur dioxide]] (E220).]]

[[Image:Dried apricot 01 Pengo.jpg|thumb|right|Dried organic apricot. The colour is dark because it has not been treated with [[sulfur dioxide]] (E220).]]

Apricot cultivars are most often [[grafting|grafted]] on plum or peach rootstocks. A cutting of an existing apricot plant provides the fruit characteristics such as flavour, size, etc., but the rootstock provides the growth characteristics of the plant. Apricots and plums can hybridize with each other and produce fruit that are variously called pluots, plumcots, or apriums.  

Grafting for true offspring.  Seed.  Apricot cultivars are most often [[grafting|grafted]] on plum or peach rootstocks.

Apricots have a chilling requirement of 300 to 900 chilling units. They are hardy in [[Hardiness zone#North American hardiness zones|USDA zones]] 5 through 8. Some of the more popular cultivars of apricots include ''Blenheim'', ''Wenatchee Moorpark'', ''Tilton'', and ''Perfection''. Most will grow in Sunset Zones 3-24, but thrive in 8, 9, and 14. Some hardy Manchurian varieties (Prunus armeniaca mandschirica) will grow in zones 2 and 35-41. Extremely hardy types like 'Manchu', 'Moongold' and 'Sungold' may succeed in Zone 43.

Susceptible to bacterial canker and blast, bacterial spot and crown gall. Susceptible to fungal diseases such as brown rot, Alternaria spot and fruit rot, and powdery mildew. Nematodes and viral diseases, can also be a problem, including graft-transmissible problems.

There is an old adage that an apricot tree will not grow far from the mother tree. The implication is that apricots are particular about the soil conditions in which they are grown. They prefer a well-drained soil with a pH of 6.0 to 7.0. If fertilizer is needed, as indicated by yellow-green leaves, then 1/4 pound of 10-10-10 fertilizer should be applied in the second year. Granular fertilizer should be scattered beneath the branches of the tree. An additional 1/4 pound should be applied for every year of age of the tree in early spring, before growth starts. Apricots are self-compatible and do not require pollinizer trees, with the exception of the 'Moongold' and 'Sungold' cultivars, which can pollinate each other.  

Apricots and plums can hybridize with each other and produce fruit that are variously called pluots, plumcots, or apriums.  

Var. sibirica, Koch (P. sibirica, Linn. Armeniaca sibirica, Pers.).Siberian Apricot. Bush or small tree, 10 or 12 ft. high: lvs. small and glabrous, or sometimes sparingly bearded beneath, ovate to rounded, long- pointed, unequally crenate-serrate: fls. white or pink, appearing early in the season and usually in great profusion, subsessile, the calyx minutely puberulent: fr. globular, rarely more than 1/2in. diam., vellow with a reddish cheek, scarcely fleshy, practically inedible, finally splitting; stone smooth, very sharp-edged. Mongolia, Dahuria. L.B.C. 17:1627.—Sometimes planted as an ornamental bush.{{SCH}}

Grafting for true offspring. Seed.

==Pests and diseases==

Var. mandshurica, Maxim. (P. mandshurica, Koehne). Lvs. rounded, subcordate or cuneate at base, at apex long-cuspidate and acute, margin strongly double-toothed, the teeth sharp and twice longer than wide: peduncle long (about 1/4 in.): fr. nearly globular, scarcely 1 in. long, yellow, red-spotted, succulent and sweet; stone small and smooth, the margin obtuse, the seed sweet. Manchuria.—Distinguished by the narrow sharp teeth and double serration of the lvs. ; kept as a distinct species by some authors.{{SCH}}

Apricots are susceptible to numerous bacterial diseases including bacterial canker and blast, bacterial spot and crown gall. They are susceptible to an even longer list of fungal diseases including brown rot, Alternaria spot and fruit rot, and powdery mildew. Other problems for apricots are nematodes and viral diseases, including graft-transmissible problems.

 

Var. Ansu, Maxim. (P. Ansu, Komar.). Lvs. broad- elliptic, at base short-cuneate, at apex acuminate, very glabrous, the margins crenate-serrate: peduncles hispid: fls. twin: fr. subglobose, deeply umbilicate or sulcate, red, tomentose, the flesh grayish brown and sweet and free from the minutely reticulated stone which has one very sharp edge. Japan; cult.—Retained as a separate species by some, being marked by the cuneate base of the lf.{{SCH}}

==References==

==References==