The best varieties of apricots

Varieties of apricots are numerous and varied. According to the State Variety Commission, 44 types of apricot are grown in Our Country, 65 of them are registered in the State Register. In addition, there are quite a few hybrids, as well as names not included in official reference books. This article will help to understand the whole variety of apricot varieties.

Characteristics of apricot varieties

The classification of apricot varieties is rather arbitrary. However, they are divided according to several criteria. According to the height and type of tree, the following groups are distinguished:

• undersized (up to 3 m);
• medium height (3–6 m);
• tall (over 6 m);
• columnar.

According to the ripening time, apricots are also classified into several groups:

• early (late June – early July);
• mid-early (05–15 July);
• mid-late (July 15–25);
• late (later July 25).

It should be noted that the classification of apricot by ripening time may not be the same in different regions. The same variety, depending on weather conditions, will bear fruit either earlier or later. For example, in Central Asia, apricots ripen almost a month earlier than the same varieties in the Crimea.

According to the purpose of the fruit, all varieties of apricots are divided into the following:

• dining rooms;
• canning;
• universal;
• drying.

Table varieties have a low keeping quality and are used mainly fresh. Canned varieties are more suitable for industrial processing, such as making juice, apricots in their own juice or jam. Drying varieties have a high sugar content and are used mainly for the manufacture of dried apricots. Universal varieties can be used for any purpose.

Apricot does not have a clear classification by color and size of fruits. Their color can vary from almost white to almost black. However, most varieties have a bright yellow or orange fruit color. The size of the fruit depends not only on the variety, but also on the correct agricultural practices, weather conditions, etc. The standard division of apricot varieties by fruit size is as follows:

• very small (up to 10 g);
• small (10–20 g);
• medium (20–30 g);
• above average (31–40 g);
• large (41–60 g);
• very large (over 60 g).

Apricot is a southern plant, so the concept of frost resistance appeared only after the breeding of varieties suitable for cultivation in more northern regions. In the wild, there are such frost-resistant species as the Manchurian apricot and the Siberian apricot, it was they who became the basis for the selection of varieties resistant to cold.

The largest varieties of apricot

Among large-fruited varieties with a mass of fruits from 40 g and above, it is worth noting the following:

• Peran.
• Big early.
• Shalah.
• Dawn of the East.
• Farmingdale.
• Olympus.
• Aviator.
• Red Crimea.
• Hope.

The last four varieties in this list are characterized by increased winter hardiness.

Winter-hardy varieties of apricot

Apricots from this list are characterized by increased resistance to low temperatures. Moreover, not only the trees themselves differ in frost resistance, but also its buds, which are often more prone to freezing.

Among the winter-hardy varieties, the following varieties can be distinguished:

• Cupid hybrid
• Bai
• Hardy.
• Innokentievsky.
• Red-cheeked.
• Darling.
• Honey.
• Monastic.
• Partisan Alpine.
• Snigirek.
• Spassky.
• Triumph North.
• Ussuri

From this list, the Red-cheeked apricot is the most famous and long-cultivated variety. More than 70 years have passed since its introduction, and it still enjoys the love and respect of gardeners.

On the basis of Krasnoshcheky, the following hybrids were bred:

• Red-cheeked Salgirsky.
• Son of Red.
• Nikitsky.
• Nikolaevsky.

Partizansky alpine is the most frost-resistant variety known, its winter hardiness is -50 degrees Celsius.

Varieties of columnar apricots

Columnar trees are the latest achievement of breeders. Such fruit crops take up much less space than ordinary trees due to the compactly formed crown, resembling a column. Usually its height does not exceed 2,5–3 m, and its width is 0,3–0,5 m.

Despite their compact size, the yield of columnar fruit trees is not inferior to other, ordinary varieties. The most famous columnar varieties of apricots are listed below.

1. Sunny, or Sunny Summer (Sunny Summer). Apricot is medium tall, about 2,5 m high. Self-infertile, requires the presence of a number of pollinating neighbors. Winter hardiness is good, down to -35 °C. Fruiting is extended, falls on August. The fruits are large, weighing 40–60 g, bright orange, golden, with a characteristic blush. Productivity from one tree – up to 15 kg.
2. Gold (Gold). Self-fertile variety of medium early maturity. The height of the tree is up to 2,5 m. Winter hardiness is above average, up to -35 ° С. The fruits ripen in early August. Ripe apricots have an elongated shape, a bright yellow color and a washed out pink blush. Fruit weight 50–55 g.
3. Star. A large-fruited variety, the average fruit weight is about 60 g, there are fruits of 80-100 g each. The tree is self-fertile. It ripens quite late, at the end of August. Apricots are yellow, juicy, with a thin skin and very fragrant pulp. The yield is about 10 kg per tree.
4. Prince March (Prince). Winter-hardy variety with a consistently high yield. Self fertile. Ripens in late July – early August. The fruits are bright orange, uneven in size and weight, from 30 to 60 g. The tree is small in height, its maximum size is 2 m.

Columnar apricots need constant pruning to maintain their shape. Without it, the tree will soon turn into an ordinary one.

Low-growing varieties of apricot

Compact, low varieties of apricots are valued by many precisely for their size, which allows them to harvest without the use of special devices. In addition, these trees take up much less space in the garden, which is important in a limited area.

Undersized varieties of apricots usually include those whose height does not exceed 2,5 m. This height allows you to reach the highest branches from the ground without the help of stepladders and coasters. Undersized apricots include:

• Snegirek.
• Cup.
• Black mouse.

The compact shape and small size allow you to completely cover the tree for the winter, so you can grow them even in areas with an unfavorable climate.

Self-fertile varieties of apricot

Self-fertility, or the ability to self-pollinate, is a very important quality of apricots, especially for growing in the northern regions. Apricot blooms quite early (end of April – beginning of May), and most insects that pollinate plants are inactive at this time.

Among the many varieties of apricots, there are both self-fertile and self-fertile. Self-fertile varieties include:

• Pineapple.
• Hardy.
• Dessert.
• Red-cheeked.
• Lel.
• Melitopol early.
• Rattle.
• Sardonyx.
• Snegirek.
• Triumph of the North.
• Tsarsky.

Self-fertile plants do not pollinate all 100% of the flowers. It must be remembered that the presence of pollinating neighbors in such trees can increase the yield by 2-3 times.

Classification of varieties by maturity

Traditionally, all apricots are divided according to ripening time into early, mid-ripening and late. In addition, there are also ultra-early varieties (ripening at the end of May), as well as varieties with extended fruiting, making it difficult to classify them on this basis.

early ripe

These include apricots, which ripen in June. These are the following:

• Apricot Early.
• Alyosha.
• June.
• Melitopol early.

Early apricots allow you to harvest in early summer. However, it must be remembered that such trees bloom very early, so the risk of freezing flowers when grown in an unfavorable climate is very high.

The middle-ripening

The ripening period of mid-ripening apricots is the second half of July and the beginning of August. These include:

• Academician.
• Veteran of Sevastopol.
• Red-cheeked.
• Royal.
• Monastic.
• Olympus.
• Orlovchanin.
• Polissya large-fruited.
• Shelah (Yerevan).
• Yalta.

Late varieties of apricot

Late varieties of apricots ripen at the end of August, and under adverse weather conditions, this period can stretch until mid-September. Late ones include:

• Spark.
• Red-cheeked Nikitsky.
• Red partisan.
• Kostyuzhensky.
• Melitopol late.
• Special Denisyuk.
• Favorite.
• Edelweiss.

The fruits of late varieties of apricots have good transportability, are well stored and do not lose their attractive appearance for a long time.

Systematization of apricot varieties by fruit color

Most apricot fruits are bright yellow or orange in color. However, there are also other colors, such as white, red and black.

Varieties of black apricots

Dark-colored hybrids appeared as a result of cross-pollination of apricot and cherry plum growing nearby. Such trees have fruits of a dark purple or dark purple color, and they have a very weak velvety characteristic of ordinary apricots.

The most famous varieties of black apricot are:

• Black Prince.
• Black velvet.
• Melitopol.
• Korenevsky.
• Little mouse.
• Lugansk.

Gardeners are almost unanimous in their opinion that fresh ripe black apricot loses to classic ones in taste and aroma, but significantly surpasses them in canned form.

red apricots

It is customary to call varieties red-fruited in which a bright red blush occupies most of the fruit. These include the following apricots:

• Red partisan.
• Red-cheeked late.
• Nakhichevan red.
• Novrast red.
• -Bulgarian.

Most of these varieties are suitable for cultivation only in areas with a warm climate, because due to the abundance of the sun, this characteristic “blush” is formed on the fruits.

How to choose the right variety

Choosing the right variety for planting is a real challenge, especially for an inexperienced gardener. The further north the growing area, the more nuances must be taken into account and the more work will have to be done to get a crop. Choosing the wrong one can be very costly.

Most apricots begin to bear fruit only 4-5 years after planting. The wrong choice can lead to the fact that the tree simply will not bear fruit, spending all its strength on a constant struggle for survival. In the end, the plant will die or the gardener will get rid of it himself, without waiting for the harvest and wasting several years in the process.

The best varieties of apricot for the Moscow region

When choosing an apricot for planting in the Moscow region, you need to consider several nuances. First of all, this is the location of the landing site. The apricot will not grow in a swampy lowland, on heavy clay, or on the north side of a garden, in a windswept area, or in the shade of a large building.

When choosing seedlings, it is worth giving preference to zoned varieties. They were bred specifically for the conditions of the Moscow region, therefore, they are maximally adapted for landing in this region.

Many gardeners in the Moscow region graft an apricot onto a more winter-hardy plum. This technique allows you to avoid the biggest problem of apricot orchards in the Moscow region – underwarming the bark. The grafting is done on a plum stem at a height of 1,2–1,3 m.

The best columnar varieties of apricot for the Moscow region

More and more gardeners prefer the columnar types of fruit trees. And the apricot is no exception. Few summer residents near Moscow can boast of a large plot size, and columnar trees are the best suited for growing in conditions of land shortage.

It is much easier to work with a small tree, and it will not be difficult to cover it for the winter. Therefore, the chances of a harvest are much greater. The best columnar apricots for the Moscow region are Zvezdny and Prince, the description of which is given above.

Self-fertile varieties of apricot for the Moscow region

Self-fertility again partially solves the age-old problem of suburban summer residents – lack of space. A self-pollinating tree does not require pollinating neighbors. Here are some of the self-fertile apricots recommended for growing in this region:

1. Lel. The undoubted leader among gardeners of the Moscow region, bred in 1986 in Our Country. Early maturing self-fertile variety. The tree grows up to 3 m in height. Fruits are orange in color, weighing about 20 g. Fruiting is plentiful and annual, starting at 3, less often 4 years from the moment of planting. Winter hardiness is good, down to -30 °C.
2. Snegirek. The tree of this apricot grows to a height of only 1,5 m, which greatly facilitates its care. The fruits are medium-sized, 15–18 g, cream-colored with a dark red blush. Productivity is 7–15 kg from one tree. Frost resistance is good, down to -42 °C. Late flowering and frost resistance allows fruit set even with return frosts. Ripens in the second half of August.
3. Northern Triumph. Although this variety is recommended for cultivation in the Central Black Earth Region, it is also successfully grown in the southern regions of the Moscow region. The apricot tree of this variety is quite large and sprawling. The fruits are large, 50–55 g. Productivity is high.
4. Red-cheeked. This apricot tree is the largest of this list. The fruits are orange, velvety, weighing about 50 g. The tree begins to bear fruit from 3–4 years, the yield is high.

Winter-hardy varieties of apricots for the Moscow region

The leader among the most winter-hardy apricots recommended for planting in the Moscow region is Snegirek, already mentioned in the previous part. Red-cheeked is also distinguished by good winter hardiness. In addition to those listed, the following varieties have good winter hardiness:

• Alyosha.
• Aquarius.
• Hardy.
• Countess.
• Darling.
• Honey.

The apricot variety Calyx, one of the shortest among all, also has good winter hardiness.

What to choose columnar varieties of apricot in the Kuban

The climate of the Kuban is much warmer than in the Moscow region. Negative temperatures are rare for this region, and there are no long frosts.

Any of the varieties of columnar apricots listed above are suitable for growing in such conditions: Star, Prince Mart, Sunny or Gold.

The best varieties of apricot for Siberia

The sharply continental climate of Siberia is very peculiar. It is characterized by short, dry, hot summers, cool off-seasons, and harsh, frosty winters, often with minimal snow. Few fruit trees will thrive in these conditions. However, even here you can grow apricots.

Low-growing

These include apricots, the height of trees of which does not exceed 3 meters. These include the following:

1. Sayan. An adult tree of this variety has a height of about 3 m. It blooms at the end of May. The average fruit weight is 20 g. Productivity is about 15 kg per tree.
2. Mountain Abakan. Compact tree with a spherical crown. Height is about 3 m. Frost resistance is high. The fruits are medium, about 20–30 g, orange, with a blurred blush. Universal purpose. Productivity – 15-18 kg per tree.
3. Northern Lights. It is a low compact tree. Fruits weighing 25–30 g, the harvest ripening period is the second half of August. The yield is about 13–15 kg per tree. Self-infertile, requires pollinators.

Winter hardy

All Siberian varieties have increased resistance to frost. Here are some of these varieties:

1. Siberian Baikalova. Tall (up to 4 m) tree with a wide crown. Blooms in the second decade of May. Self-infertile species that requires a pollinator plant. With good agricultural technology, it gives 15–25 kg of fruit from one tree. The average fruit weight is 27–35 g.
2. East Siberian. A tree with a height of 3–3,5 m. The ripening period is early, the second half of July. The fruits are yellow, from 35 to 70 g. The yield is 15–17 kg per tree.
3. Eastern Sayan. Partially self-fertile variety of medium maturity. Productivity 11-15 kg per tree.

The best varieties of apricot for the Urals

Most of the Ural varieties of apricots are bred at the South Ural Research Institute of Fruit and Vegetable Growing and Potato Growing. Here is some of them:

1. Chelyabinsk early. Medium-sized compact tree. The crown is medium leafy. The fruits are small, 15–16 g. Universal. Self-fertility is partial.
2. Spicy. Medium tree. Fruits 15–16 g, yellow. Partially self-fertile, versatile, high yield.
3. Snezhinsky. Tree of medium height with a dense crown. The fruits are small, 20–25 g, bright yellow with red dots. Partially self fertile. Fruiting begins at 4 years old.
4. Uralic. The tree is small in height, medium leafy and sprawling. The fruits are small, 15–17 g, yellow with a red dot. Partially self fertile. The yield is high. Winter hardiness and drought resistance are good.
5. Kichiginsky. Tree of medium height. Fruits 12–15 g, small, yield up to 15 kg. Self-infertile, requires pollinators.

The best varieties of apricots for central Our Country

For central Our Country, many varieties of apricots have been bred. Here are some recommended for growing in this particular region:

1. Amber of the Volga region. Medium sized tree. The fruits are yellow, even in color, 20–25 g in weight. The ripening period is the beginning of August. Frost resistance is high, drought resistance is average. Self-fertility has not been studied. The yield is highly dependent on weather conditions and can range from 10 to 44 kg per tree.
2. Tsarsky. This apricot can be grown not only in central Our Country, but throughout the Central region. Tree 3–4 m high. Fruits 20–25 g in weight, yellow. The yield is average. Frost resistance is high.
3. Favorite. The tree is medium-sized, about 4 m high. The fruits are medium, weighing about 30 g, bright yellow in color with a beautiful blush. The main disadvantage is late maturation. Often, due to a bad summer, part of the crop does not have time to ripen, and therefore the yield is average.
4. Ulyanikhinsky. The tree is vigorous. Fruits are yellow, 28–32 g, versatile in use. Ripens at the end of July. The yield is good.
5. The son of the red-cheeked. A well-known hybrid derived from the Red-cheeked apricot. A vigorous tree with a densely developed crown. The fruits are medium, 30–35 g in weight, the color of the fruits is orange with a blush. Ripens at the end of July. The yield is highly dependent on the weather and wintering conditions, it can range from 4 to 30 kg per tree.
6. Samara. Tree of medium height. The crown is small, slightly leafy. Fruits are yellow, small, 17–20 g. Frost-resistant. Partially self fertile. The yield of an adult tree can be up to 50 kg.
7. The first-born of Samara (Kuibyshev early). Tall tree up to 5,5 m. The crown is round, wide, strong leafiness. The fruits are light orange, one-dimensional, 18–22 g. The ripening period is the third decade of July. The variety is self-fertile, requires pollinators. Productivity is 15–40 kg from one tree.
8. Iceberg. The tree is small, up to 3 m, compact. Fruits 20–22 g, orange-yellow, spotted blush. Winter hardiness is good.
9. Zhiguli souvenir. A small tree up to 4 m. The crop can be harvested at the end of July, the mass of fruits is 25–30 g. The color is yellow. Productivity under favorable weather conditions can reach up to 45 kg per tree.

self fertile

Among the self-fertile varieties of apricots suitable for cultivation in central Our Country, the already mentioned self-fertile species for the Central Region can be distinguished:

• Hardy.
• Lel.
• Red-cheeked.
• Dessert.
• Triumph of the North.
• Snegirek.

The best varieties of apricots for the Krasnodar Territory

The Krasnodar Territory is a unique territory with many climatic zones due to the difference in altitudes above sea level. Among the species recommended for cultivation in this region, there are strictly zoned ones suitable for cultivation only in mountain valleys.

1. Memory (alasha). Weak tree, not exceeding 2–2,5 m. It ripens in early August. Fruits are medium to large (35–50 g), greenish-cream in color. Productivity up to 25 kg per tree.
2. Shindahlan. Vigorous tree with a broad strongly leafy crown. The fruits are large, cream-colored with a slight pink blush, average weight is 45–50 g. The ripening period strongly depends on the vertical zonality, therefore it stretches from late June to early August.
3. Black velvet. Medium-sized tree with a flat-rounded crown of medium density. The fruits are dark purple, with an average weight of 30 g. The ripening period is average, the end of July. Self-fertility is partial. Frost resistance is high, drought resistance is average.
4. Honobach. Vigorous tree with densely leafy spherical crown. Fruits weighing about 25 g, orange with a slight blush. The variety is early, the harvest can be harvested already in the first decade of July. A feature of the variety is its strict regionalization; it grows well only in mountain valleys.
5. Excellent. Srednerosly tree with a spherical crown. The fruits are medium in size (30–40 g), bright yellow, with a slight blush. Ripens early, in the last decade of June. Winter hardiness is good, productivity is high.
6. Stavropol youth. The tree is medium or slightly above average, with good foliage. The fruits are large, up to 50 g, light yellow, universal purpose. Partially self-fertile, ripens in late July.
7. Advertising. Large powerful tree. The fruits are large, 40–50 g. The yield is very high, a tree of 15–18 years old can produce 70–90 kg of fruit. Self-infertile, requires pollinators. Winter hardiness is good.

Late varieties of apricot for the Krasnodar Territory

• Spark. The height of the tree reaches 4 m. The crown is of medium density. The fruits are bright orange in color, with a beautiful blush. Universal purpose of fruits. Frost resistance is good.
• Krasnodar late. The tree is medium-sized, with a flat crown. Fruits weighing about 30 g, yellow, with a slight blush, universal purpose. Ripening time is late. The yield is high.
• Favorite. Tree of medium height, up to 4 m. The crown is compact. Fruits 30–35 g, orange with a large blush. Frost resistance and good yield.

Conclusion

Varieties of apricots suitable for cultivation in Our Country are not limited to the species presented in this article. There are a large number of hybrids of foreign selection, which can also be successfully grown in our climate. This is especially true for the southern regions of the country.

A good video about the intricacies of growing apricots in the Moscow region can be viewed at the link below.

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