Page 10 - Edible Trees For Tucson
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Apricot
Prunus armeniaca Rosaceae
D ESCRIPTI O N
Apricots are a deciduous tree with erect growth
and a spreading, dense canopy. Leaves are ovate
with a rounded base and pointed tip, and are
finely-serrated along margins. Five-petalled,
white to pink flowers are produced singly or
in pairs and appear before the leaves in spring.
This drupe fruit is yellow to orange, smooth or
covered in fine hairs, usually firm, and flavored
sweet to tart. The single, almond-shaped seed
within is enclosed in a smooth, hard shell with
three ridges on the side.
E THN O B O T ANI CAL N O TES
Three known centers of diversity: northern and
central China; Tian-Shan Mountains to Hindu
Kush and Kashmir in Central Asia; northeastern
Iran to the Caucuses and central Turkey in the
Near East.
P L ANTIN G N O TES
Apricot trees grow best in moderate temperate
regions with hot, dry summers, and few spring
freezes, pests and diseases.
• Chill Hours: In Tucson try low-chill desert
varieties such as the “Katy.”
• Height: 25-35 feet with a 20-foot canopy.
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