APRICOTS AROUND THE COUNTRY

APRICOTS – A WIDER GEOGRAPHIC POSSIBILITY?

Bob Purvis 7300 Iden Avenue South, Cottage Grove MN 55016

Introduction: The first wild apricots were from Manchuria or western China. Manchurian apricots are small, shrubby trees that bloom early. Their fruits are small, highly variable in quality, and tend to drop as soon as they are ripe. The bulk of U.S. commercial apricot production is in California, with some in WA and Utah, and a little in southwestern MI and western NY. Canadian production is mostly in the Okanagan Valley in southern B.C. and also around Vineland, Ontario. This article is not aimed at Californians but rather is for the rest of us!

At my boyhood home in the western suburbs of Philadelphia, PA we had a small apricot tree, possibly a Moorpark, that occasionally produced a few fruits. Even as a young boy, I liked them but knew little about growing them. In Alaska I became acquainted, after starting the Alaska chapter of NAFEX, with Lawrence Clark, who had a Manchurian apricot tree that regularly bore crops of fruit on the south edge of Anchorage. Later, I found other bearing Manchurians in Anchorage.

In Pullman, WA (1989-92) the WSU Hort Farm had Chinese, Riland, and Perfection apricots. 1990 was an excellent year for apricots, and it was a pleasure to see 8-15 year old trees bearing fruit. I meanwhile planted a Puget Gold tree in our yard in Pullman. During this same time frame I brought virus-indexed apricot scionwood from Canada to be budded by my friend Dan Whitney: Westcot, Debbie’s Gold, Morden 604, Harcot, Harglow, and a few others. I also budded a tree of Jerseycot within a year of its being introduced from Joe Goffreda’s breeding program at Rutgers University in New Jersey.

At our home in Selah, WA from 1992-99 I grew 22 varieties of apricots to include not only the above but others gathered from diverse places: Precious (NY via Ontario), Smith (Oregon), DR-606 (lower Yakima River Valley), Wilson’s Delicious, NY 544, and Double Dandy (Idaho). When we bought our house, I did not know the site suffered from late spring frosts and was very hot in the summertime, hitting 111F in late July 1998.

I became chairman of the NAFEX Apricot Interest Group (AIG) in June 2000. I have distributed various varieties for testing and am in touch with both Dr. Craig Ledbetter (USDA-ARS) and Dr. Goffreda , watching their introduction of new varieties. Although my location 8 miles southeast of St. Paul, MN is a poor one to grow apricots because of the cold winters (to –30F in Dec. 2000) and only 7-8 hours of sun exposure, I harvested in 2006 a fair crop of Jerseycot, M.604, and Debbie’s Gold as well as some Harlaynes, Hargrands, and a few Brookcots.

Apricot trees’ requirements. A sunny location is very important, and a north-facing slope is good because it warms up more slowly in the spring. An east-facing site is considered better than a west-facing site for somewhat the same reason, plus early sun on frosty April mornings. Cold air drainage is important; it’s best to plant on a slope, not in a hollow, but not on a windy hilltop either. The ideal climate would be uniform, moderately cold winters (to –10F is OK for any variety), mild dry springs, warm summers but high heat not required. In fact, Central Asia, Iran, Pakistan and Turkey with their mountainous terrain, moderately cold winters, hot dry summers, and brief springs are nearly ideal and are major producers.

Apricots are among the most drought-tolerant of fruit trees but do better if supplemental irrigation is provided in arid or semi-arid climates. As with other stone fruits, they prefer well-drained soils, but the soils do not have to be sandy. Far more so than sweet cherries, peaches, pears, or apples, apricots tolerate calcareous and alkali soils and are efficient at scavenging boron and phosphorus from the soil. I never saw an apricot tree suffering from lime-induced iron chlorosis (yellow leaves) in Central WA.

The greatest challenge in growing them is April frosts since they are generally the first of all fruit trees to bloom. The second greatest challenge relates to wintertime dormancy. Temperatures in the mid-40s or higher for several days in Dec., Jan. or Feb. can “de-harden” apricot flower buds. If there’s a sudden drop to 0F, most will survive, but bud kill increases rapidly with each degree below that and approaches 100% for most varieties if temperatures drop below –12F. (Example: in the winter of 2005-2006 central MN had an unusually warm January. We dropped in our yard to –15F, --16F in Cold Spring, about –10F in Hastings MN. Bloom was rather sparse, with a lot of dead flower buds on my Hargrand, Harlayne, and Jerseycot but very few dead ones on the M.604, Debbie’s Gold, and Brookcot.) Note that the New Jersey breeding program is breeding apricots that will stay dormant or whose flower buds will survive at lower temperatures after a mid-winter thaw.

The third challenge relates to disease: as with peaches, the primary issues are brown rot as the fruit comes ripe, and in wetter locations bacterial spot, bacterial gummosis, and coryneum blight. “Water spot”, a fungal infection marked by brown spots on the fruit, is a problem in Minnesota.

The fourth challenge is pests. The worst on the pests are peachtree or dogwood borers that lay their eggs in early July and tunnel around in the cambium, killing young trees and weakening older trees. On the fruit, plum curculio is a major problem east of the Rocky Mountains. Peach twig borer will tunnel into shoot tips at bloom, causing them to flag, and into the nearly ripe fruit, giving a small “worm” in the top of the fruit. I have not had to cope with Oriental fruit moth here or in WA, however.

Although squirrels have been troublesome on our plums, apples, and pears, they have not yet developed a taste for apricots. Note, though, that sweet-pit apricots such as Harcot and Precious are highly attractive to squirrels. Birds can be a problem also, pecking at apricots, although in my experience in WA, flash tape and/or scare-eye balloons will greatly reduce the damage. Dr. Craig Ledbetter, the USDA-ARS apricot breeder in Fresno, CA, believes that apricots have fairly high zinc requirements and that a fall zinc application shortly before leaf drop apparently makes the flower buds more hardy and better developed come spring. A copper spray applied just after leaf drop is beneficial in preventing bacterial gummosis from developing.

Geographical regions, climatic challenges, and cultivars to consider growing. In the northeastern U.S. (NY and New England), the environment is characterized by moderately cold winters, wet springs and summers so cultivars must have both disease resistance and winter hardiness. The Harrow series of apricots are being grown commercially in western NY and are noteworthy for disease resistance, high quality fruit, and fairly good resistance to fluctuating winter temperatures. Flower buds on all are hardy to about –27 to –30F in the dead of winter. ‘Puget Gold’ has proven itself to be fairly well adapted to the climate in Maine. ‘Henderson’ has done well in Massachusetts. Although ‘Afghanistan’ is not reliably winter-hardy in the colder parts of Zone 4, it survives O.K. in MA although occasionally winter-injured. ‘Golden Giant’ from Iowa has done well in coastal Connecticut. ‘Alfred’ and ‘Jerseycot’ should do well in just about any part of NY and New England except where winters drop below –30F regularly. Both ‘Sundrop’ and ‘Skaha’ have been productive in S.E. New York for Dave Strayer, and both ‘Chinese’ and ‘Tomcot’ bear annual crops for Joan Rosenberg on Long Island, NY.

In the Middle Atlantic States (PA, NJ, DE, MD, VA, WV), the primary challenge is fluctuating wintertime temperatures, causing the trees to break dormancy prematurely. ‘Tomcot’ and ‘Puget Gold’ have been fairly productive in western PA, central NJ, DE, and VA. Jerseycot has done exceptionally well in NJ (no kidding). A new introduction from the Rutgers program, ‘Sugar Pearl’, should be available from Gurney’s Seed and Nursery, Henry Fields, and Gardens Alive! in the spring of 2007. The mother tree of it is spreading, stocky, and very resistant to extreme temperature fluctuations. Fruit was medium sized, nearly ripe on July 13, 2005, with good flavor although the color was disappointing (yellowish-green). Still, it appears to be highly promising for the homeowner. ‘Alfred’ should be quite OK for this area in view of its adaptability. Its one drawback is small fruit size, especially if it isn’t thinned. An old Persian variety, ‘Zard’ (Farsi for “yellow”), combines four attributes that have made it an important parent in the NJ program: it has a long rest period, is resistant to fluctuating winter temperatures, blooms very late in NJ, has a high heat requirement, and is fairly productive in NJ and even in low-chill San Jose, CA. It is small but juicy, a “white” apricot, with an edible kernel. Zard has been grown successfully in SW Minnesota (zone 4b) by John Fuerst.

In the Southeast and Gulf Coast states (NC, SC, KY, TN, GA, FL, AL, MS, LA, TX), ‘Alfred’ has been reliable in Mississippi and Texas, ‘Jerseycot,’ in NC. These are probably the most reliable cultivars also for the Upper South. Low-chill cultivars such as “Katy’, Goldkist, Newcastle, and Golden Amber may be needed in the coastal areas of the Deep South. Richard and Marie Ashton, Oak Creek Orchard (www.oakcreekorchard.com) list as the late blooming apricots that they grow near Brownwood, TX, 125 miles SW of Fort Worth, the Hunza type apricots, Shaa-kar Pareh (from Iran), Chinese, Tilton, Harglow, and Texas (a very productive local variety). These guidelines for central Texas are probably valid also for OK, AR, and possibly northern LA, MS, and AL, depending on the disease resistance of these cultivars.

In the Upper Midwest, (MN, WI, MI), Dave Griffin and others have found Brookcot, M.604, Debbie’s Gold, and especially Westcot to be fully winter-hardy throughout Zone 3 and even into the warmer parts of Zone 2. Moongold has proven to be consistently more winter-hardy than Sungold although it is not as sweet, but these two cultivars are basically obsolescent in view of better ones now available. Furthermore, unlike the other four, they are not self-fertile. Henderson, Suphany, and DR-606 have proven hardy to –29F in central MN, likewise Jerseycot. Of the Harrow apricots, Harlayne is the most winter-hardy (to –34F on the leaf buds, about –30 on the flower buds), Harogem a close second, Hargrand a close third. Harglow is about as hardy as Hargrand; Harcot, significantly less winter-hardy than any of the others. Harogem is self-fertile and an excellent pollenizer for Harlayne based on Minnesota observations. In SW Minnesota, all of the above can be grown as well as Moorpark and Goldcot. Alfred and Afghanistan have both been grown successfully in central WI in zone 4b. In southwestern MI, at Tree-Mendus Fruit, where apricots are grown commercially, Harcot and Goldrich (a WA State introduction) do well, but so also do all the other Harrow introductions and Goldcot (a Michigan introduction).

In the Lower Midwest (IA, IL, IN, MO, OH), Henderson has done well in Illinois because of its being a late bloomer. Puget Gold looks promising in IL, and Jerseycot has done well in Indiana. These three cultivars along with Alfred are well worth a try, as are Sugar Pearl and any other, future introduction from NJ.Golden Giant, originating in Iowa, is another possibility. In S.E. Missouri, Moses Schroyer told me that he was having good success with both Puget Gold and the Harrow series of apricots.

For the Northern Plains States (ND, SD, MT, NE, WY), the four hardy apricots from the Prairie Provinces (Brookcot, Debbie’s Gold, M.604, and Westcot) would be my choice for areas with a Zone 3 climate. Other choices would be Suphany and Precious, which are nearly as cold-hardy but more tolerant of spring frosts. If you are looking at cooking apricots, Scout or Manchu would be good choices in Zone 3 although Scout is not fully self-fertile. For Zone 4, the Harrow series apricots, Jerseycot, Alfred, Tomcot, and Puget Gold are well worth a try, and in fact Puget Gold is cropping well in Nebraska after enduring temperatures as low as –23F. DR-606, Chinese, and Henderson are worth a try in most of Zone 4, and Tomcot in 4b.

For the Southern Plains States (KS, OK, AR), later bloom and disease resistance are important. I can only extrapolate from a little data from Missouri, where the Harrow series apricots and Puget Gold have been grown successfully, and also suggest Jerseycot, Alfred, Tilton, or Suphany.

In the Mountain West (UT, CO, NV, NM, AZ), given that most fruit-growing areas are in Zone 5 or warmer, almost any apricot will survive. There is one apricot that originated in Colorado – the ‘Montrose’ and seedlings thereof -- that is hardy throughout Zone 4. The Hoyt seedling of Montrose, one of the best, is being propagated and sold commercially by Schlabach Nursery in Medina, NY. The apricots from Asia, Suphany, Afghanistan, and Hunza-type apricots should be excellent choices, as would any of the later-blooming apricots such as Jerseycot, Alfred, Harogem, Harlayne, Puget Gold, Tomcot, etc.

The Pacific Northwest (WA, OR, ID) is really two different areas separated by the Cascades. In western WA and OR, with its wet winters and cool lengthy springs, Puget Gold, Tilton, Jerseycot, Harglow, Tomcot, and the Smith apricot would all be good choicest. In central and eastern WA and OR and throughout the fruit-growing districts, all of the above apricots are good choices, but you could certainly grow DR-606 as well. Wenatchee Moorpark did quite well in central WA, ditto Chinese, and Tilton is grown commercially in a few locations in central WA. The prairie-province apricots are less desirable choices because they are smaller, bloom earlier, and are less tolerant of extreme heat. In Selah, I lost my crop of the prairie apricots in 1998 when the above-mentioned ‘cots had a moderate crop. In Idaho, at Homedale ‘Stark Sweetheart’, ‘Wilson’s Delicious’, and ‘Stark Earli-Orange’ have all produced high-quality fruit and moderate crops in fertile soils at an elevation of 2200 feet. The new USDA apricots Apache, Nicole, and Robada are all worthy of trial east of the Cascades, with both Apache (not self-fertile) and Robada noteworthy not just for high-quality fruit but for being late bloomers.

In Alaska, Goldcot has survived and fruited outdoors in Anchorage for about 8 years, but I frankly think that the four apricots from the Prairie Provinces, Precious, or Jerseycot would be better choices. Puget Gold has proven to be marginally winter-hardy in Anchorage, but it would seem to be well worth a try in Kenai, Seward, or Homer. The Prairie Province apricots are surviving and doing fairly well in the Matanuska Valley at the homes of several members of the Alaska Pioneer Fruit Growers, but even they are not quite winter-hardy enough for any location in Fairbanks or the Interior of Alaska where temperatures dip below –45F most winters.

For Hawaii, low-chill apricots are probably the only ones that can bear, and that only at higher elevations. Andy Mariani’s 1994 booklet, Fruit Varieties for the Home Garden, lists Katy, Goldkist, Newcastle, and Golden Amber as requiring only 300 to 400 chilling hours. ‘Suphany’ has been bearing successfully near San Marcos, CA for Ben Pierce, a member of the AIG, where chilling hours are 400-500 hours. In a very low-chill area of Los Angeles, AIG member Brian Brown reported that a local variety, Joe’s Italian Apricot, produces good-quality fruit reliably, as does Flavor Delight aprium; but Katy has been unproductive and Goldkist is still being evaluated. The performance of these in California gives some idea of their suitability or lack thereof in higher elevations in Hawaii.

Bearing characteristics and cultural tips. As a new shoot grows on an apricot, you find in the axil of a leaf petiole a narrow leaf bud flanked by one or more flower buds. The flower buds begin to differentiate into their respective parts in early August, so this is an important time for having adequate water and nitrogen fertilizer. Apricots are theoretically capable of bearing as 1-year-old trees on 2-year-old rootstocks, but this rarely happens. I had a fair crop of apricots in Selah in 1994 on trees that were grafted or budded between 1990 and 1991, so it is more realistic to expect fruit in the trees’ 3^rd or 4^th season in the ground. Some cultivars that seem to be more precocious than others include Goldcot and Harglow, but I know of no apricot varieties that take more than 5 years to come into production under average conditions. As with other fruits, the low-vigor, spreading, self-fertile cultivars typically are earlier to produce. Apricots come into bloom on 2-year and older wood (spurs) first, and slightly later on 1-year-old wood. Most varieties are self-fertile, but even so it’s best to plant two different varieties for cross-pollination. Thin the fruit when it’s the size of a dime or quarter to one per spur. The spurs are typically fruitful for 3-4 years and will remain fruitful longer if you thin the fruit to one per spur. Although it is OK to prune the trees in late winter or early spring, some experts say that pruning in mid to late May after the apricots are set is better because the trees will heal their wounds more quickly. You may want to nip off the shoot tips if they are still actively growing in Aug. or Sept. to redirect the tree’s growth into the flower buds that are forming. Even in Zone 6, I’ve seen winterkill on extremely thin, late-season shoot growth. Unless you have a very weak-growing tree, nitrogen is best applied in small quantities in August, so as not to provoke rank vegetative growth that shades the fruit in May and June.

Phosphate applications are rarely necessary except for newly planted trees and in fact, could be harmful in inhibiting zinc uptake. Apricots do respond to potassium applications, according to some studies. Zinc, calcium, and boron, whether applied as a foliar spray (best for zinc and boron) or to the soil (as lime or gypsum) are all very important elements.

Summary. There is considerable interest in apricot growing all over the U.S., based on letters and e-mails that I get, because of the difficulty of finding good-quality apricots in the supermarket. More so than most fruits, apricots tend to be rather site-specific. Cultivars that do well in certain parts of the country may be difficult or impossible to grow in other parts. This is one of the goals of the AIG, to find apricots that are adaptable to various parts of the U.S. and Canada. The breeding program in NJ has introduced at least three apricots – Orange Red (NJ 32), Jerseycot, and now Sugar Pearl; and four others are in advanced testing (J-1-139, NJA-105A, H-80-77, and J-21-107). Over time I have identified apricot cultivars that are widely adaptable to various climates: Alfred, Chinese, Goldcot, Jerseycot, Puget Gold, Stark Sweetheart, Tomcot, and Moorpark. The self-fertile cultivars are generally the most prolific ones—and most sorely in need of thinning several weeks after bloom! You need to identify the key barriers to growing apricots in your area, other than spring frosts. Is it lack of chilling units, extreme cold in midwinter, fluctuating winter temperatures, high rainfall, or disease pressure? There are apricots now that can handle most if not all of these issues.

“Well drained” is the key adjective describing soils and air flow for good apricot sites. Apricots can grow in a wide variety of soils (coarse or fine-grained) if they are well drained. They are highly tolerant to drought of calcareous, alkali soils although they, as with other fruit trees, do not tolerate high levels of sodium in the soil. There are products available now such as Agro-K’s potassium dextrose-lactose (KDL) that can impart at least 2-3 degrees of additional frost tolerance to apricot trees, but they must be applied only at the label rate and not overdosed, or foliar burn will result. Under-tree sprinkling is worth doing in dry climates (e.g., central WA, where it saved at least one crop for me).

Cultivar availability is one major barrier to more widespread growing of apricots. I have on a small scale propagated Brookcot, Debbie’s Gold, Morden 604, and Westcot as well as Precious, Alfred, Afghanistan, Henderson, Suphany, and Jerseycot trees for sale and have some of these available for next spring. When I move to Idaho in 2007, my hope is to concentrate on propagating apricots yards away from where the Stark Sweetheart originated. Most nursery catalogs (with the exception of C & O, Van Well, and Willow Drive Nursery in WA, and Schlabach’s and Adams County Nursery in NY and PA respectively) offer only 1-4 apricot cultivars unless they are in areas where apricots could be grown commercially. The NRSP-5 repository at Prosser, WA is a good source of dormant scionwood and also of summer budwood and has several dozen apricot cultivars in its collection. As with any other fruit, look in your neighborhood for bearing apricot trees and if the fruit is good, propagate it (on Manchurian apricot seedling initially because of its good compatibility and anchorage). Let me know, as chair of the Apricot Interest Group, if you find something noteworthy.