apricot (Prunus armeniaca)
First place champion apricot in Penrose.
Species info:
Leaves: Alternate, pinnately compound, with serrated medium to dark green leaflets. Fall color ranges from yellow to orange-rust to reddish purple.
Leaflets: Typically 11–17 per compound leaf, each 1–3 inches long, finely serrated.
Leaf Surface: Smooth above, slightly paler beneath.
Bark: Attractive golden-amber to gray-brown, with prominent pale lenticels; becomes slightly scaly with age.
Flowers: Small, white, fragrant clusters (3–4 inches across) appearing in May after leaf-out.
Fruit: Small (¼ inch) orange-red pomes in dense clusters; some cultivars bear red, yellow, orange, or pink fruit. Fruit often bends branches under its weight and is relished by birds. Edible for humans and used in syrups, teas, or preserves.
Botanical: Prunus armeniaca
Family: Rosaceae
Mature Height: ~20 feet in Colorado
Canopy Spread: Up to 25 feet; develops a broad, wide crown in full sun
Foliage Type: Deciduous broadleaf
Flower: Early blooming, mildly showy
Fruit: Self-fruiting, edible fruit
Fall Color: Good, but variable
Tree Shape: Rounded crown; often wide-spreading if unpruned
Growth Rate: Moderate
Water Use: Moderate; prefers consistent moisture but not waterlogged soils
Hardiness: Zones 4–9
Soil Preference: Adaptable to a wide range of soils; performs best in well-drained loams. Sensitive to poorly drained, wet soils.
Sun Exposure: Full sun; essential for fruit production and crown development
Wildlife Value: Fruit attracts birds, squirrels, raccoons, and pollinators during bloom
Wood: Moderately hard; used occasionally for small woodcraft
Pests/Pathogens: Susceptible to typical stone-fruit pests including peach tree borer, aphids, Cytospora canker, and is host to green peach aphid which vectors several viral diseases that affect potatoes
Planting Recommendation: Recommended for most sites, including at higher elevations. Please be aware that this species and other prunus species are subject to a quarantine in Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, Rio Grande, and Saguache Counties to remove the over-wintering host for green peach aphid which vectors several diseases in potatoes. Visit the Colorado Department of Agriculture for a complete list of prohibited prunus species.
Information Sources:
Front Range Tree Recommendation List
Michael Dirr, Manual of Woody Landscape Plants (University of Georgia, 1990)
