Prunus, Apricot 'Sungold'

Sungold Apricot | Prunus 'Sungold'

Height:  15 feet

Spread:  15 feet

Sunlight: full sun

Hardiness Zone:  4a

Brand:  Gertens

Description:

A hardy apricot selection with showy white flowers in early spring followed by delicious golden fruit blushed red in mid-summer, excellent for jam; quite ornamental, needs full sun and a pollinator; flowers can be damaged by late spring frosts

Edible Qualities

Sungold Apricot is a small tree that is commonly grown for its edible qualities. It produces gold round fruit (technically 'drupes') with a orange blush and orange flesh which are usually ready for picking in mid summer. Note that the fruits have hard inedible pits inside which must be removed before eating or processing. The fruits have a sweet taste and a juicy texture.

The fruit are most often used in the following ways:

• Fresh Eating
• Preserves

Features & Attributes

Sungold Apricot is bathed in stunning clusters of fragrant shell pink flowers along the branches in early spring, which emerge from distinctive pink flower buds before the leaves. It has green deciduous foliage. The pointy leaves turn yellow in fall. The fruits are showy gold drupes with a orange blush, which are carried in abundance in late summer. The fruit can be messy if allowed to drop on the lawn or walkways, and may require occasional clean-up.

This is a deciduous tree with a more or less rounded form. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition. This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Messy
• Disease

Aside from its primary use as an edible, Sungold Apricot is sutiable for the following landscape applications;

• Shade
• Orchard/Edible Landscaping

Planting & Growing

Sungold Apricot will grow to be about 15 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 15 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 4 feet from the ground, and should not be planted underneath power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 50 years or more. This variety requires a different selection of the same species growing nearby in order to set fruit.

This tree is typically grown in a designated area of the yard because of its mature size and spread. It should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid.