Apricots - Best for flavour?

[MinnesotaApricot]

The best-tasting apricot varieties won’t survive well in the UK because they are adapted for arid climates. Most US commercial varieties are developed for California because that’s where they are grown. Quality breeding programs also need to incorporate genetics for disease resistances and (if applicable) frost resistance.

Better varieties for the UK will be those those that perform well in the Pacific Northwest and New England. Top picks by growers here are OrangeRed and Tomcot flavor-wise, and, for hardiness, Hoyt Montrose, Alfred, Puget Gold, Rutger’s releases, and the Harrow Series.

Bob Purvis is on of the foremost apricot experts in the world and can help you identify varieties that have performed well in the UK. You can contact him by email.

"Best" apricot for New England (6b)?

If you want small-ish tree, then you can try Pixie Cot, the genetic dwarf. I planted it this spring. I cannot tell anything about it yet, except that it definitely grows more slowly then my Chinese sweet pit apricot. And I wanted a really small tree, because it grows under the wires.

Scotts Stone Fruit Experiences Through 2022

There were some requests for an update to my last stone fruit report in 2015 … here it is! One thing I should mention is many of these are unusual types, I get excited about something different. I grew many flat peaches, honey peaches, red-fleshed peaches, white apricots, etc. Many of these unusual kinds I still like. I also grew a great many heirlooms, a few were interesting but over the years I have phased out most of them due to various flaws. For the first ten or so years of my orchard …

Apricots