With their sweet flavor and velvety texture , apricots are a tempting fruit to grow in plate gardens . But not all climates are suitable for apricot cultivation . These Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree have particular climate requirements when it come to wintertime chill time of day , summertime heat , and potential for spring frosts .
Read on to learn on the button where apricots can be grown successfully and how to choose the correct varieties for your region
Overview of Apricot Climate Needs
Apricots develop from warmer regions , but innovative multifariousness have expand their growing cooking stove . Here are the key broker that specify where apricot will thrive :
wintertime chill hour – Most apricots call for 100 - 600 shivering minute below 45 ° F over wintertime for right dormancy and spring bloom .
Hardiness zone – Apricots can be maturate in zones 5 - 8 with some stout variety surviving geographical zone 4 wintertime .

summertime heating – Warm summer temperature are needed for yield ripening Consistent heat energy above 85 ° F is ideal .
Spring frosts – peak bloom ahead of time , making apricot prostrate to late natural spring rime impairment in cooler areas .
clime adaptability – Some newer apricot cultivar are more flexible for marginal climates .
select varieties suited to your neighborhood is crucial for succeeder . When clime condition match the cultivar ’s need , you ’ll be reward with bountiful , seraphic apricot harvests .
Best Climate Conditions for Apricot Trees
The optimal climate for apricot growing has these key feature :
minimal wintertime temperatures around -10 ° F to 10 ° F
100 - 600 chill minute below 45 ° F cumulate in wintertime
Long summer turn time of year with hot temperature
crown summertime passion averaging 85 - 100 ° F
miserable risk of spring frost during blossoming
humbled humidity with ironical weather before harvest
Regions match this ideal scenario include :
Intermountain West – Utah , Idaho , Nevada , Colorado
Pacific Northwest – Interior valleys away from maritime influence
Southwest – New Mexico , Arizona , parts of Texas
Midwest – protect microclimates in southern Ohio , Indiana , Illinois
California – Central valley , interior foothills
Coastal climates are often too nerveless in summer or miss sufficient wintertime chill for apricots . Keep reading for tip on stretch the limits of where apricot tree can grow .
Expanding the Growing Range of Apricots
With careful miscellanea selection and tribute method , apricots can be develop in bare clime , including :
Colder Zones
select previous - blooming variety to avert flower damage from spring frosts .
Provide wind protection which prevents desiccating and cold injury .
Train trees against walls or trellises to pin down heat .
Drape industrial plant to protect early heyday from frost .
Warmer Zones
Select broken - chill cultivars ask under 200 gelidity hours .
Provide spook in peak summertime to prevent suntan .
Rely on varieties adapt to subtropic mood .
Coastal/Maritime Climates
Focus on disease - insubordinate cultivars that brook humidness .
Provide good afternoon shadowiness to compensate for cool temperature .
Grow in microclimates out from wind and ocean influence .
With extra care , you’re able to push the viable develop chain into zones 4 , 3 , and even warm zones like 9 and 10 . Just line up your planting site and practice to account for climate limitations .
Best Apricot Varieties by Growing Zone
Here are some top recommended apricot varieties for different produce zone in the continental United States :
Zone 4
Manchurian – Extreme cold hardy apricot for zone 4 . Lovely orange yield .
Moongold – fat after bloomer good for short summer .
Sungold – Very hardy apricot ripens early . angelic flavour .
Zone 5
Harglow – Reliable mixed bag for Midwest , blooms recently .
Moorpark – Longtime preferred with exceptional flavor .
Wilson Delicious – Tasty fruit on a hardy , heavy bearing tree .
Zone 6
Harlayne – Heavy crops of sweet fruit , self - pollinating .
Goldbar – Early harvesting of richly flavored yield . Self - fruitful .
Riland – fat tree diagram with solid , luscious apricot . belated flower .
Zone 7
Blenheim – California commercial motley , aromatic fruit .
Katy – Mild - flavour apricot yield hard in zone 7 .
Robada – eminent - tone fruit for quick winter areas .
Zone 8
Flaming atomic number 79 – Good pollinator with pretty pink blossoms .
Golden Amber – Heat tolerant , ripens too soon . Freestone .
Poppy – gloomy chill apricot adapts well in subtropics .
With the right variety , you’re able to succeed in rise salmon pink from Minnesota to Florida ’s Gulf Coast and orient in between !
Growing Apricots in Cool Summer Climates
Cool coastal and high mountain region represent challenges for apricot cultivation . Short summers do n’t permit yield to decent mature . Still , you may develop apricots in these bare climates with a deliberate coming :
flora against heat - hold paries , rocks , or containers .
Train trees as espaliers to maximize sun exposure .
prefer other and mid - season apricot diversity adapt to your chill hour .
Rely on low - shivering cultivars ( under 300 hours ) .
Drape or enclose tree in poly textile to ensnare warmth .
try out dwarf or container - grown Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree for added affectionateness .
Mulch heavily around the stem to hold territory heat .
While you may get concentrate harvests , it ’s possible to savor a few homegrown apricots even in cooler areas . focalize on early ripening varieties and microclimate natural selection .
Ideal Apricot Growing Regions Around the World
Beyond North America , apricot grow best in regions with inhuman winter and hot , wry summer . Premier apricot producing area include :
Mediterranean – Southern Europe , Turkey , Middle East
Central Asia – Xinjiang province in China , Uzbekistan
South America – Andean valleys in Chile and Argentina
South Africa – Western Cape province
Australia – Riverland region , Tasmania
Globally , the highest volume apricot product occurs in the Northern Hemisphere between latitude of 30 ° to 45 ° where clime conditions perfectly suit this yield . But with the correct variety pick and care , you’re able to tug the viable grow range beyond these ideal region .
In zones 5 - 8 , apricots can be grown as a fruiting backyard tree . They execute well in areas with cold winter , spicy summer , and low humidness . But with careful cultivar selection and microclimate accommodation , you could extend the arise kitchen range into fringy climates .
The key are choosing variety matched to your chill hour and summertime heat , and siting Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree in protect locations . With some added effort , you may succeed in bring up apricots even in cooler climates . Let climate help manoeuver your variety picks and growing practices for apricot winner .
Planting in a container
plum tree trees can be produce in big commode that are at least 45 cm ( 18 in ) across and fill with peat - free soil - based compost , like John Innes No . 3 . They will need regular watering and eating , and usually one-year pruning to keep them compact . You could also plunk a dwarf apricot , like “ Garden Aprigold , ” which will grow into a modest Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree up to 1 5 m ( 5 ft ) improbable that require little or no pruning . See our guides below for engraft and growing advice .
Most apricot tree , especially those in containers , call for regular watering , feeding and yearly pruning . Because apricots are uprise in the same way as peaches , our video guidebook to growing peaches has utile tips that you may also employ for apricots .
If you put trees in kitty , make certain the weewee can drain out speedily . This is especially important in the winter , when the ascendent will waste in cold , wet compost . Also , recruit the container onto ‘ pot feet ’ or bricks to keep the drainage holes clear and avoid waterlogging .
To keep the dirt moist , put a 5 cm ( 2 in ) bed of well - rotted manure around the roots in March or early April . This will help to avoid drought stress , especially in former to mid - summertime when the fruits are swell up .
To get more fruit from apricot tree diagram in late winter , feed them a general fertilizer high up in atomic number 19 , like Vitax Q4 or Pisces the Fishes , profligate , and pearl . overspread two handful of mulch around the tree diagram ’s radix per straight meter or yard . Give trees in locoweed a high potassium liquidness provender every twosome of weeks through spring and summer . Also , move them to a slightly bigger pot every few years in the spring , once their roots fill up the current one . Use peat - devoid , loam - based compost .
What and where to buy
Apricot tree are sold either unfinished - root ( without soil ) or in pot . Bare - theme trees are unremarkably less expensive , but you could only get them from tardy twilight to early spring , usually from specialized stores . Potted tree are sell all twelvemonth around and more widely available . It ’s good for apricot trees to be grow as a fan , so you might need to buy a two- or three - year - old fan that ’s already partially train rather of a immature tree that you have to train from scratch . Pre - trained trees are more expensive and usually only useable from specialist fruit glasshouse . It ’s potential to arise your own yellowish pink Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree from a store - bought yield stone , but it might not do well in the UK . If you require an apricot tree that will reliably bear fruit in the UK , you should buy a honorable character grafted tree of the right variety from a reputable UK supplier .
The fruits are juicy , orange - red and ripen in recent summertime . It is jolly true and does have some frost tolerance . The .
course compact and suitable for grow in a skunk . It is self - rich , with pallid pink bounce blossom followed by . The .
A self - fertile , modern cultivar that crops well in colder , wetter climates . Quite vigorous . Best used for culinary purposes, … The
The best place to plant an apricot tree is next to a wall or fencing that faces south , Confederacy - west , or west . This style , the tree can be coach to face up these direction and get the most Lord’s Day and heat . Since they flower betimes in the spring , pick a spot that does n’t get clayey or tardy frosts , which can hurt the flower and make it concentrated to harvest . See our guide to place fruit Tree . nanus types , which are often sell as terrace fruit Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , do well in spate but do proficient in a greenhouse that is n’t heated over the winter . In milder regions and/or very warm , sheltered , sunny location , yellowish pink may also crop successfully as complimentary - standing tree diagram . In very cold region , they ’re best grow in an unwarmed nursery or polytunnel . apricot tree like deep , fat , wet - retentive but well - drained soil that is ideally slightly acid to neutral . Avoid planting in poorly drained soil , which can cause the roots to rot . Apricot Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree do n’t do well in light or shallow soil . To make the filth comfortably , add a muckle of garden compost or well - rotted manure . From November to March , when the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree is dormant , is the best clip to plant an apricot tree . Fall is the safe clip because the grunge is still lovesome and damp . See our planting guides below for full details .
How to Grow Apricot from Seed – A Quick Guide on How to Germinate Apricot Seeds
FAQ
Where do apricot tree grow in the US ?
What zone can you grow apricots in ?
Where is the best place to plant an apricot tree ?
Are apricots easy to grow ?
Where do apricot tree produce ?
All apricot trees are best grown in a warm , sheltered gay site in a deep , moist yet well - drained soil , ideally somewhat alkaline . tree diagram rise next to a south - face wall have the benefit of extra security but will blossom earlier as a result .
How do apricot grow ?
Apricots are pass around by bud grafting . The fruiting dowry of the tree diagram is grafted to a root system suitable for regional growth . Apricots begin to fruit two to four years after planting . The apricot harvest take place mid to previous summertime . A single tree will ripen its fruit over a point of about three weeks .
Where should apricots be embed ?
In regions with a late spring , plant life apricot on the north side of a building so they persist sleeping longer and blossom subsequently . In cool summer regions , fan train apricots against a south or southwest fencing or wall or grow them in containers in a nursery or sunroom . Plant apricot in full Dominicus .
Do apricot trees grow well ?
For gold orange or red - blushed , odoriferous , and naughty apricots it ’s best to mature your own . Here is your thoroughgoing guidebook to growing apricot tree diagram . Good Products to Control Animal Pests at Amazon : salmon pink mature good in zone 5 to 9 . Select a cultivar that grows well in your expanse . connect with the nearby Cooperative Extension Service for recommendations .