Chinese Apricot
About
Apricot - Chinese, Prunus armeniaca 'Chinese', is an early bearing, heavy producing variety that is recommended for difficult climates prone to late spring frosts. Cold hardy, frost hardy, and sets heavy crops of small to medium size sweet fruit. The fruit is of good quality with a yellow to medium-orange skin and flesh. Chinese Apricot is one of the earliest ripening fruits and blooms very early; needs well-drained, moderately fertile soil. It is best to thin fruit early in season to maximize size and quality. Their generally freestone quality makes them easy to prepare for canning, drying, or use in baked goods. For canning, use fruits that are firm; use fully ripe fruits for fresh eating or drying. The trees are gorgeous in spring with white or pink blossoms, and ornamental in summer with their furrowed bark and heart-shaped, glossy leaves, red when new and dark green when mature. Apricots contain carotenoids which are antioxidants that help prevent heart disease, reduce "bad cholesterol" levels, and protect against cancer.
