Apricot: The Armenian Plum — Origin, History, and How to Grow

The apricot (Prunus armeniaca) is sometimes called the "Armenian plum" — a misnomer that captures a real piece of its history. The fruit originated in Central Asia (modern Kazakhstan and northwestern China) but became famous in classical antiquity through Armenian commerce, and Pliny the Elder named it Prunus armeniaca, "plum from Armenia."

Origin and native range

Wild apricots grow today in the foothills of the Tian Shan mountains of Kazakhstan and northwestern China — the same region that produced the wild ancestors of the apple and the peach. Cultivation began in this region 3000-4000 BCE.

History and spread

Apricots reached Persia and Armenia via the Silk Road by 1000 BCE. Alexander the Great's armies carried them into Greece around 300 BCE; the Romans planted commercial orchards throughout the empire. The Arab expansion of the 7th-8th centuries spread apricots across North Africa and into Spain. Spanish missionaries brought apricots to the Americas in the 1700s; the California apricot industry was established by Spanish settlers and dominated U.S. production through the 20th century.

Where apricots grow today

Turkey is the world's largest producer (especially dried apricots from the Malatya region). Iran, Uzbekistan, Italy, Algeria, and Spain follow. The United States (California and Washington) is a major fresh-fruit producer. The Hunza Valley of Pakistan is famous for its centenarian residents and its prized apricots — the dried Hunza apricot is considered among the world's finest.

How to grow apricots

1. Climate: USDA Zones 5-9. Apricots flower very early (often the first stone fruit to bloom) which makes them vulnerable to late spring frosts — choose a site protected from cold morning sun in late winter.
2. Soil: Well-drained loam, pH 6.5-8.0. Tolerates more alkaline soils than other stone fruits.
3. Sun: Full sun, 8+ hours.
4. Pollination: Many cultivars are self-fertile; some benefit from cross-pollination. Check the cultivar.
5. Spacing: 4-5m between trees.
6. Watering: Deep weekly soak; reduce watering 2-3 weeks before harvest to concentrate flavor.
7. Fertilizing: Light spring feed.
8. Pruning: Annual open-center pruning in summer (not winter).
9. Frost protection: Apricot blooms freeze easily. Plant on a north-facing slope to delay flowering, or use frost-fan / sprinkler protection during late-spring frost nights.
10. First fruit: 3-5 years.

Varieties

• Blenheim — classic California apricot, intensely flavored, harvest mid-June. Famous for drying.
• Moorpark — heritage English cultivar, very sweet.
• Tilton — Western U.S. standard.
• Goldrich — late-season, large fruit, very productive.
• Mormon (Chinese) — extremely cold-hardy, suitable for Zone 4.
• Hunza — small but intensely flavored, the famous Pakistani dried variety.

Nutrition

A fresh apricot is about 17 calories, high in vitamin A (beta-carotene) and vitamin C. Dried apricots are a concentrated source of iron, potassium, and fiber. Apricot kernels (the seed inside the pit) contain amygdalin, which the body converts to cyanide — eating large quantities of raw kernels can be toxic. Treat them as flavoring, not a snack.

Bottom line

A delicate fruit with a tough lineage. Plant in a frost-protected site in any temperate zone — fresh apricots eaten off your own tree are unlike anything you can buy.