Apricot varieties: characteristics and recommendations for selection

Apricots are loved by many for their unsurpassed taste and ability to delight guests in a canned form until the new season. Those who are already a little familiar with this plant, know that the cultivation of fruits will not cause much trouble. Developments of breeders of recent years have allowed to bring varieties that can produce stable yields in the most unpredictable regions of Russia on climate. However, some features of agricultural engineering should be aware when growing apricot.

Apricot loves a mild climate and nutrient rich soil. If you want to grow your own crops, you need to know that you can get a crop of ripe fruit in the fourth year of a young plant. Today there are dozens of new varieties and varieties of apricot tree, some of them can be successfully cultivated in temperate climates.

Apricots will please not only taste, but also have a very significant health benefits. They will saturate the body with the microelements necessary for it, such as potassium and magnesium. A high content of iron in this fruit makes it valuable for anemia and heart disease. Regular consumption of apricots will help those who have problems with the digestive system and the gastrointestinal tract.

Bright fruit stimulates the immune system and improves metabolism, increases efficiency and improves memory. Due to the high content of beta-carotene in fruits, apricot is an excellent means of preventing malignant tumors. At the same time, it is advised to eat quite a bit of this delicacy a day: only 5 fresh or up to 10 dried fruits. An alternative to them can be a glass of juice, of course, natural.

Many gardeners dream of indulging themselves with this honey and healthy fruit of their own cultivation. At the same time, they are tormented by doubts, because they do not know how to choose a variety with a stable harvest and do not get sour fruits due to weather surprises.

When choosing seedlings need to accurately determine the purpose of cultivation of plants. After all, the correct choice of the type of plant depends on the scope of use and methods of further processing of apricots. For example, apricots with not very valuable flavors, hard and pale may be an ideal option for home canning. A handsome honey man with a ruddy side will please with aroma and taste, but will become absolutely unsuitable for heat treatment and preparation for future use.

With a properly selected seedling, you can pamper yourself every year with your favorite delicacy without much effort. The work of breeders who have created many varieties of fruit will help in this. They are derived for different growing conditions and have very different characteristics. All varieties of apricot are traditionally divided into early, mid-ripening and late. Some experienced gardeners harvest throughout the warm part of the year. They achieve this by planting trees in the garden with different ripening periods.

It is precisely the early species of apricots that allow us, in the conditions of the vagaries of the weather in Central Russia with its short and cool summer, to enjoy these tasty fruits. The disadvantage of these varieties is that they very badly tolerate sharp changes in the weather and are afraid of spring frosts. From the diversity of species created by scientists, experienced gardeners and amateurs prefer the most undemanding in the care and valuable in their taste properties.

Apricot "Lel" will enter fruiting in the third year after planting in the ground. An adult plant can be up to 3 meters tall. The branches are quite loose, but the whole crown at the same time looks quite tiny due to the correct proportions. It is not affected by the majority of diseases and is characterized by stable fruiting.

Usually the weight of the fetus reaches 20 grams, the shape is slightly flattened.A fully ripe apricot has a characteristic honey smell and a dark yellow shade that turns into orange. The strength of the skin of the fruit provides valuable shipping qualities. The variety is versatile to use. It is grown for commercial purposes and for home use. Easily removable bone makes the fruit easy to preserve.

The grade "Honey" will please apricots five years after planting in the country. The tree grows low, does not require forming, which reduces the pruning of the crown and its formation to a minimum. It has acceptable disease resistance and tolerates mild cold.

Another early ripe variety "Meliotopolsky" will award early apricots for the third year. Low-growing trees produce excellent quality. The mass of ripe apricot can reach up to 60 grams. The plant is resistant to diseases and pests, but severe frosts are harmful to it.

Large fruits with translucent skin inside have a small bone. The flesh is melting, without coarse fibers, covered with thin, easily removable skin. Aromatic "Melitopol" early suitable for growing for sale and for fresh consumption.

"Tsar" variety will give the first apricots to the fourth year of life. Although it is generally classified as early, the fruits fully mature only at the end of summer. Therefore, for the purpose of cultivation in areas with a short warm period, it is not suitable. The apricot tree is very tall and branchy, reaching a height of 4 meters. The variety does not require special measures for the prevention of diseases, because it is not afraid of them.

The high-yielding Tsarsky produces fruits weighing approximately 20 grams with a thick rind of bright orange hues, quite often with a scarlet side. Due to the strength of its skin, an apricot can lie ripped off for up to 14 days. It is important at this time to periodically inspect the damaged fruit in order to avoid the disease of others. They are suitable for various types of processing and just like a pleasant dessert.

The fruits of the variety "Leskore" will appear in five years of life of the seedling in the country. They value the variety for stable yield, good frost tolerance and excellent immunity to fungal infections. Large fruits weighing up to 90 grams attract the attention of a juicy and fragrant pith. The peel of medium thickness covers the delicate taste of the tender flesh. The stone is freely separated from the pulp, which allows the use of apricot for harvesting all varieties.

"Khabarovsk" variety produces fruits on 2-3-year-old trees. For several decades he has been pleased with the Far Eastern District with his apricots, but can also be grown in mid-latitudes. The tree is tall, with a powerful crown, extremely hardy.

Fruits reach maturity by the second decade of July. Apricots of a slightly oblong shape usually reach a weight of 30 grams. The skin is velvety, uneven, yellow-green tone with an abundance of small red patches. The kernel without any problems is removed from the sweet-sour sweet-sour pulp. Safety and the possibility of crop transportability are average, because of this it is mainly used for fresh consumption.

Traditionally it is believed that it is the varieties of average ripening periods that are universal and make it possible to grow them in almost any type of climate. Making a choice in favor of mid-season apricot, even a novice gardener has the least chance to make a mistake and choose a plant that is wrongly zoned for a certain climate.

The main common characteristic of such varieties is their increased resistance to low temperatures and lack of moisture. Mid-ripening apricots are used to make dried fruit. They are suitable for heat treatment with different types of preservation, for culinary purposes (desserts), as well as for fresh consumption. Even such a variety of varieties of mid-ripened fruit allows you to select certain favorites, which, according to gardeners and breeders, are worthy of attention.

"Pineapple" variety begins to produce fruit from the fifth year, increasing yields annually. On average, about fifteen years later, about 150 kilograms of fruit are harvested from an adult plant. Very high resistance to most traditional diseases of fruit and frost tolerance make Pineapple one of the favorites of gardeners.

Apricots ripen medium size with a light yellow or whitish skin tone. Spread a very pleasant rich aroma. The range of their use is very wide: from eating fresh to the preparation of desserts, the preservation of various kinds and the preparation of dried fruits.

The variety “Shalakh” will give fruit after four years and will even please your grandchildren, because a large spreading tree lives for about 70 years. The variety is high-yielding. It is also appreciated by gardeners for adaptability to any weather conditions, unpretentiousness in cultivation. The type of soil does not affect the abundance of the crop. In addition, the variety is highly resistant to diseases.

With a rather large average fruit weight of 50 grams, apricots have a very decent appearance and excellent taste properties. Mature fruit has a rich orange color, like orange. Suitable for winter harvesting and fresh consumption.

“Russian” is an excellent grade of apricot, which will surprise with fruits of decent size five years after its appearance on the site. A low tree forms a dense crown. The plant tolerates frost and in fact is not affected by diseases of fruit crops. A tree with the same success can be grown in almost every climate zone.

A fruit weighing more than 100 grams has a thick yellow skin without additional shades of color; it reaches full maturity by the end of July. It is suitable for harvesting in the winter, and to decorate the summer table.

Variety "Saratov Ruby" was created specifically for the northern regions, which is why it can be cultivated with equal success anywhere in Russia. The tree has a stable yield, but requires timely care measures. The plant overwinters well in forty-degree frosts and has a high resistance to all common diseases.

Apricot will consistently delight excellent harvest of fruits with an average weight of 40-50 grams. His bright pink side often stains the entire thick velvety skin. The pulp has excellent taste characteristics. The grade well maintains transportation thanks to a dense thin skin and keeps a qualitative trade dress. Fans of blanks "Saratov Ruby" will appreciate another of its features: during heat treatment, apricot retains its attractive ruddy color.

"Ulyanykhinsky" self-fruited apricot begins to give fruit for 4-5 years. Gardeners love for high yields, extreme stamina and immunity to disease. A dense branched crown crowns a tree about four meters high. The hybrid has good frost resistance characteristics, however, it requires timely additional watering.

Yellow-colored fruit with an average weight of 30 grams of regular shape is covered by a rather thick peel with a slight velvety coating. The taste properties of apricot are highly appreciated.The tender texture of fragrant, full-sap pulp is attractive for eating fruit from wood. Successfully obtained from the fruits of the variety "Ulyanykhinsky" jams, juices and other types of homemade preparations.

Extremely fruitful apricot "Royal" will bear fruit in two years. Its productivity depends on the age of the plant, at which up to 150 kilograms of valuable fruits are obtained from a tree as much as possible. The culture is not afraid of diseases and well survives the cold of the middle zone, but it is threatened with freezing at a temperature of about -20 degrees.

The self-fertile "Triumph of the North" begins to bear fruit after five years. In some cases, after two years, the ability of self-pollination of the plant is noted. The variety has excellent frost resistance and is well resistant to major diseases. If you give him a little time, he will thank for the excellent harvest.

Fruits with an average weight of 55 grams have extremely tender juicy flesh. The characteristic apricot flavor and good shipping qualities make Triumph very attractive as a product. Apricots are good for consumption in any form - for squeezing juice or when canning, as a summer delicacy, but jam is made from especially fragrant.

Self-cured and very unusual variety "Black Prince" - a mixture of varieties of apricot and plum. A highly branched plant, similar to a bush, may have thorns. Light pink flowers bloom, which gives a special decorative charm to any garden. The variety is very sunny and does not like drafts, but it is undemanding to the type of soil. An excess of moisture also has a bad effect on culture, which can be characteristic of areas with close groundwater. The tree is resistant to most diseases.

In August, maroon fruits with a bluish tint ripen, the mass of which, depending on the growing region, can vary from 40 to 90 grams. Unusual and taste of juicy pulp with a slightly tart sourness. With a relatively low demands of the plant, it will provide a stable yield. Gather the fruit, not allowing them to ripen, otherwise the skin will crack and the fruit will be damaged. Therefore, the variety is unsuitable for transportation, but it is highly valued as a raw material for jam, jelly and other types of traditional home-made preparations.

Another exotic variety, Black Velvet, was bred as a result of crossing black apricot from America with cherry plum. Partially samoplodnoe tree produces fruit in the fourth year. The middle-grown apricot tree has a round, open crown. Culture is very tolerant of winter frost and confronts many types of diseases.

Unusual dark purple fruits grow weighing 30 grams and differ in two-color pulp from other varieties. The stone is well separated from the inside, pink in the center of the fruit and yellow closer to the skin. The fruits are very fragrant and juicy with a sweet and sour taste. Black Velvet is distinguished by good portability of shipments. With the same success, it can be eaten directly from the branch and used in various household preparations.

Apricot "Kichiginsky" is suitable for the middle band. Begins to produce fruits from the fifth year after planting, and, unlike its southern counterpart, endures cold. Srednerosloy tree is rapidly increasing the beautiful crown and in the spring completely covered with buds, which looks very beautiful. Breeders promise a stable harvest of small-sized fruits annually.

Apricots with an average weight of up to 20 grams have a thin skin and juicy flesh with a light pleasant sourness. Fruits ripen by the end of July, well transported.Easily detachable bone makes the fruit comfortable in the process of making jam and compotes.

Variety "Manchurian" brought from China, so grows well in the Primorsky Territory. Apricots can be seen five years after planting in the ground. The tree grows very high, in some cases up to 16 meters, with a spreading crown, covered with large pink flowers. Such a blooming apricot will certainly attract attention to your garden. The plant is tolerant to cold if planted in a high enough place. A very undemanding variety will produce a large crop that will reach technical ripeness at the end of July.

Apricot fruits are small, flat-oval, yellow in color with orange specks on the skin. They are rarely eaten from a branch, as they have a characteristic bitterness, and their flesh is not juicy. But from the fruits are excellent jams, compotes and fragrant jam.

"Son of Krasnoshcheky" - a very interesting variety, bred from southern trees especially for the climate of the middle zone. Fruits will appear in the 4-5th year of growth. The plant is very strong, medium, with a powerful crown, will require a lot of space in your garden. Differs variety resistance to disease and frost resistance. Carrying frost up to -30 degrees, the plant is sensitive to spring frosts, which can kill the kidneys. Productivity each year may be different and depends on how well the buds survived the winter.

Fruits ripen not simultaneously, but in several stages. The collection will last from the end of June to the beginning of August. Apricots grow the correct oval shape weighing from 30 to 60 grams depending on climatic zones and conditions of leaving. The peel is bright orange, fluffy, under a sunlight gets a dark pink shade. The flesh is also orange, very juicy and fragrant. Taste is highly appreciated even by professional tasters. The small bone exfoliates well from the pulp.

The core of the sweetish taste that distinguishes the "Son of the Red Cheek" from its parent with a bitter core bone. Appointment of apricots - from fresh consumption to the manufacture of marmalade, jams, preserves. The flesh will not turn to mush as a result of heat treatment and will not lose its orange color.

Late varieties of apricots are characterized by increased resistance to extremely low temperatures, elongated ripening periods and good fruit preservation. The crop ripens at the end of the summer, and in the spring the flowering plants do not die from the sudden return of frosts, as they bloom already in stable, warm and dry weather.

The variety “Pervays” was bred in Armenia. Trees are practically not susceptible to diseases and are well endured by frosts. This is an unpretentious, not requiring special care apricot.

The grade gives large fruits of bright orange color with ruddy side. The taste and aroma of fresh apricots invariably make it one of the favorite desserts on any table. Fruits are poorly suited for freezing and harvesting for the winter due to the high degree of pulp fiber.

The variety "Canned" fruits four years from planting. A low tree has a highly branched crown. The apricot, though calmly enough, is experiencing cold, but it will bring a greater return of the crop when cultivated in regions with relatively mild winters.

The grade "Favorite" differs in unpretentiousness to conditions of cultivation and stable fructification. Harvest can be collected already in the 2-3rd year of the tree life. The tree is 3-4 meters tall with sprawling, medium pubescence with a crown resistant to frost.

Usually the weight of the fragrant and attractive fruit reaches 30 grams. Apricots rounded with a fleecy orange skin are covered with a pronounced blush. Taste properties are excellent, the flesh is elastic and juicy, the stone is easily separable. The fruits are extremely fragrant and transportable, which makes them a valuable crop for breeding for sale. Apricot is good in marmalades, jams and as a dessert on the table.

A noteworthy Iskra variety will produce apricots in four years. Tall trees with spreading branches will bring a bountiful harvest. They do not get scared of thirty-degree frost, and are equally grown in most regions, with the exception of the Far North. Apricot trees of the Iskra variety are also attractive for their carelessness.

The fruits grow medium in size, weighing up to 50 grams and ripen by the end of August. Juicy crispy flesh exudes a sweet aroma. The variety is perfect for storage and any method of processing.

Variety "Melitopol" later will please residents of areas with a cold climate. The tree will grow in small sizes. Young shoots and bud buds will carry spring frosts. Try apricots will turn out in the third year of the tree. The variety is relatively resistant to diseases and pests, but requires timely processing.

The plant will stably bear fruit, giving juicy large apricots weighing 55 grams. Fruits with strong skin ripen at the end of the summer season and will be pleased with the absence of hard fibers. The variety is good for universal use: fresh, frozen, as canned food. Use it for the preparation of dried fruit. Apricot is suitable for cultivation for commercial purposes.

Rare variety "Countess" forms tall trees with voluminous crown. The plant is frost-resistant, but the inflorescences do not tolerate the sudden return of spring frosts. You will see fruits for 3-4 year after planting.

Apricots ripen at the end of August. Fruit weighing 25-35 grams has a thin fluffy light yellow skin that becomes browned on the sunny side. The flesh of the fruit is juicy with a pleasant sweet-sour taste. It is very easy to extract the stone, which makes the variety very attractive for processing.

Today, thanks to talented breeders, even residents of the northern regions of the country have a great opportunity to enjoy this southern fruit from their own garden. Many popular varieties have analogues for planting in regions with more severe climatic conditions. Of course, the taste and size of the fruits of trees growing in the south and in colder areas will differ. In addition, much depends on the proper and timely care for the plant, saving it for the winter. With all this, you should not be afraid of difficulties: modern hybrids are cold-resistant, have a high resistance to diseases, giving a stable crop.

The most valuable varieties for cultivation in the climate of central Russia are included in the State Register of Achievement of Plant Breeders. Most of them are suitable for breeding throughout the territory of central Russia and, in particular, in the suburbs.

Apricot "Iceberg" is an early variety. Good winter hardiness is considered its valuable quality. Apricot is bred for cultivation in the Central region. An average sized tree grows fast. Crop yield is obtained in the third year of cultivation. A thin velvet of orange peel with scarlet patches covers a small fruit of the classical form. Fragrant and juicy pulp will satisfy exacting taste.

Apricot "Akademik" ranked as a mid-season species. High resistance to cold allows it to survive in the forty-degree frost.Powerful trees begin to produce fruits fairly quickly. "Akademik" is rightfully considered to be one of the most large-fruited varieties of the Far East with high yields. Large yellow apricots contain an inside with fibers, but rather tender, with a sweet-sour taste. Variety bred for universal use, tolerates a long road and unpretentious to the vagaries of nature.

Early apricot "Alesha" because of its high winter-hardy qualities found a place in areas in central Russia. The fruits are tied in the third year. Small-sized yellow apricots with cartilaginous pulp are covered with slightly pubescent skin. The sweet-tart taste of the fruit is familiar to residents of the middle lane. It makes apricots suitable for different types of processing.

The quality of seedlings of the Amur variety determines the time of their entry into the fruiting period (3-4 years). The tree grows slowly, well resistant to cooling and lack of moisture in the soil, prefers elevated places. The variety requires well-drained soil and timely treatment of diseases. Fruits belonging to the mid-ripening type, small size, round shape, covered with yellow skin with a noticeable blush. The flesh is elastic, with ripening tender, orange hue. Apricots have a good sweet and sour taste.

The grade "Favorite" ripens in average terms. The fast-growing tree pleases with apricots for the third summer. Excellent resistance to bacteria and diseases, the frost-resistant qualities of this dessert variety allow it to be planted in the East Siberian District. Medium-sized fruits have a heart shape and felt-like pubescence. Yellow with red spotted skin covers melting in the mouth, even somewhat flourish sweet flesh.

A good gift for lovers of new products will be the monastic sapling. Apricot tree will delight lovers of stable returns of the crop. We'll have to wait three years before the first fruiting. At this time, the tree will not cause much trouble. Breeders took care of its survival in the harsh conditions of the Russian winter. The late-ripening variety is ready for processing and fresh consumption at the end of summer, just as the garden becomes empty and all the berries and most of the fruit have moved away. At the cottages near Moscow, there are already plantings of this "pioneer" among the medium-sized apricot varieties that warm their yellow-pink sides in the July sun.

The variety “Orlovchanin”, a mid-season universal application, begins to produce crops in the third year. A tree is often of medium height with a luxurious crown. The advantages of the variety include its partial self-fertility, winter hardiness, good immunity to pests. It is preferable to grow Orlovchanin in the Central Black Earth region. Oval, slightly flattened fruit with yellow skin have an average weight of 30 grams. The flesh is yellow, with a barely perceptible sourness, well separated from the bone. The fruits of "Orlovchanin" are very widely used.

The hybrid of mid-ripening “Advertising” has table purpose and regionalization by the Stavropol Territory. A tall, strong tree produces a stable crop of large apricots. Valuable differences of the variety are resistance to cold and diseases of fruit crops. Oval yellow fruits under the rays of the sun acquire a bright blush. Under the average thickness of slightly pubescent skin is a juicy yellowish flesh, slightly fibrous, slightly crunchy. Valuable are the excellent taste characteristics, good adaptability to storage and transportation and the versatility of the use of apricots varieties "Advertising".

Late apricot "Samara" has small fruits. However, its versatility and resistance to frost do not disregard seedlings. Fruits appear in the fourth year of the tree. When planted on the Middle Volga, the plant gives a constant yield of apricots of excellent quality. Dark yellow pulp is characterized by juiciness and elasticity.Apricots are distinguished by high transportability and excellent taste and consumer characteristics. The variety has long been known and suitable for novice gardeners, as it does not need special care for growing.

Apricot "Sibiryak Baikalova" is derived in Eastern Siberia. The tree gives the first fruits usually in the third year. This versatile, cold-tolerant early maturing variety is represented by medium-length trees with a branchy crown. Orange oval fruits with a light blush on fluffy peel provide a good harvest. Fibrous dark orange flesh gives enough sweet juice.

For residents of the Central part of Russia, apricot "Aquarius", very similar in type to the well-known and well-proven "Lel" variety, will do. We can say that scientists took into account all the shortcomings of the old variety and brought out a new one based on it, but with improved characteristics of the fruit. Late-ripening fruits grow larger in size, have a honey smell. They even will delight connoisseurs for their excellent rich taste and pleasing the eye with a dense yellow-orange color with a scarlet side.

Apricot "Red-cheeked" is very popular. According to experienced gardeners, it can be grown with almost no restrictions in many parts of Russia. It is considered an excellent variety for cultivation in the suburbs. Unpretentiousness in leaving, frost resistance and high tolerance of weather surprises made him a favorite of many summer residents.

Properly and timely caring for a tree, it is not difficult to get an excellent harvest. The tree is highly growing and can reach four meters in height. Powerful sprawling crown allows the plant to resist strong winds. Seedlings easily take root, love the sun and poorly perceive waterlogging of the soil, although in general they are undemanding to the type of soil. Thick bark protects the tree from damage and various diseases.

Fruiting begins in the third year of the plant. The variety is isolated as a long-lived, so it will please more than one generation of your family. Apricot "Krasnoshchy" came to us from Central Asia. Then the breeders brought out many of his hybrids, capable of surviving not only in the south, but also in the capricious weather conditions of the Middle Band. Today the variety is very highly valued and competitive even among fruits of European origin.

Despite the unpretentiousness of the variety, you should know some of the features of planting and rules of plant care, so that in the future it will be pleased with the generous collection of juicy apricots. To place a seedling, they dig a hole that is suitable for the area of ​​its root system so that the ends of the side roots do not stick out. So the tree will take root better, take root faster and enter a phase of active growth.

It is best to plant a tree in the second half of autumn. You can do this in the spring, but with mandatory sustained onset of warm nights. The bottom of the pit is filled with fertile soil, you can use complex ready-made fertilizers. Good water spilling is needed both before and after planting. Sapling bury up to the radical neck, which is lightly powdered with soil. The ground needs to be well compacted and from above to warm the roots of planting foliage. In order for the young tree to settle down, it is poured over with three buckets of water, and after a week they apply complex fertilizer.

In the further care of the seedling, it is important not to forget to periodically break through the soil in the root zone, since the plant does not like the excess moisture in the ground. Regular loosening will provide sufficient air flow to the roots and soil drainability, which will allow the tree to grow better. The crown of the apricot tree is formed from the first year, and the lower part of the trunk and the base of the thickest branches are painted with lime in the autumn. For the health of the garden pet, it is important to conduct regular spraying against pests.The procedure is carried out in the spring before flowering and in the autumn after the foliage has fallen.

Apricot is distinguished by large fruits of the correct round shape with a scarlet blush, for which the variety got its name. Late flowering periods provide flower buds and fruit ovaries with safety from returning spring frosts. The variety is mid-season. The fruits are ready to eat in July.

Harvesting is not immediately, but in several visits. This allows you to avoid subsidence and overripening of the fruit. The apricots remaining on the tree are still poured. Such a stepped type of harvesting solves an important storage problem, since apricot can ripen on a branch for 2-3 weeks. For different applications, fruits of different degrees of maturity are torn off. In the preparation of dried fruits take overripe fruits. For food fresh - moderately ripened without visible damage. For further transportation of the crop, it is removed, barely begun to sing, light yellow in shade. For recycling fit any of them.

Apricot "Red-cheeked" has a pleasant taste and a characteristic sweetish aroma. The fruits of the variety are good in various winter preparations, because even after heat treatment they do not lose their delicate taste and aroma. Fresh fruits will delight its juiciness and pleasant taste.

Positive feedback from a large number of experienced gardeners set up a consistently positive way. Whichever variety is chosen for specific geographic and climatic conditions, it is worth remembering a simple thing. Breeders have adapted the whimsical southern plant to the harsh conditions so that even with the investment of little time and effort to care for the plant, you can get a good harvest of fruits that will saturate the body with vitamins until next season.

See a video review of apricot varieties in the video below.