Apricot - Armeniaca vulgaris

Common Names: Apricot, ansu apricot, Siberian apricot, Tibetan apricot, Armeniaca vulgaris, Prunus armeniaca, Armenian plum

Latin Name: Armeniaca vulgaris

Origin: Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, South America, North America

Short Introduction

During the first three years after planting, the apricot tree gradually forms a crown and grows its primary branches. Apricots typically grow rapidly and vigorously, producing many shoots—these should be thinned, leaving about five strong shoots to become the main scaffold branches. Pruning during the dormant season is recommended, shortening branches by up to half their original length. In the following two years, further pruning should encourage a low, broad crown, and it is important not to leave scaffold branches too long. By the fourth year, a good harvest is generally expected.

The most common fertilizers for apricots are nitrate, meal, superphosphate, or potassium chloride. Other sources prefer nitrogen-rich fertilizers for optimal, healthy growth. Apricots bloom in early spring (earlier than peaches) on last year's shoots, and the fruit typically ripens in mid-summer.

Apricots thrive best in regions with mild winters. In the Czech Republic, they are well-suited to winegrowing areas, with the most favorable locations in South Moravia, southwestern and eastern Slovakia, up to an altitude of 250 m above sea level, and with an average annual temperature above 9°C. The tree requires protection from cold winds. Apricots grow well in chernozem or brown soil and also do well in loamy or sandy-loam soils. Early spring frosts during flowering are especially harmful, particularly to flowers and young fruits. Apricot trees tolerate even severe winter frosts well.

Detailed Description

A beloved fruit whose kernels are noted for their potential anti-cancer properties.

Botanical Information

The apricot is a relatively small tree reaching 6–12 meters in height, with a trunk diameter of up to 40 cm and a dense crown. The leaves are ovate, 5–10 cm long and 4–8 cm wide, with a rounded base, pointed tip, and delicately serrated margins. The flowers are 2–5 cm in diameter, each with five white or pale pink petals.

The fruit is a yellow to orange drupe resembling a small peach, 1.5–3 cm in diameter, sometimes showing reddish spots when sun-exposed. The skin may be smooth, fibrous, or velvety with very fine hairs. The flesh is usually firm and tends to be more dry than juicy. Its flavor ranges from sweet to slightly tart or acidic. The seed is enclosed in a very hard, stony shell.

Origin and Distribution

The apricot originally comes from China. It reached Europe via Armenia, as reflected in its Latin name. The Czech name for apricot also carries this Armenian reference. In the Czech Republic, the apricot was introduced from present-day Italy, across Slovenia, Styria, and Austria.

Usage / Dosage

Apricot fruit is widely used in culinary traditions. In Central Asia and Mediterranean countries, apricot kernels can serve as an almond substitute. Italian liqueur amaretto and amaretti biscotti are flavored with apricot extract, which is sometimes more popular than almond. Apricots are consumed fresh or preserved in jams and marmalades—known for their signature sweet-tart flavor and pleasant aroma. Dried apricots are a favorite snack, and fully ripened fruit is often collected for fermentation and distillation into apricot brandy.

The apricot is an important plant in Traditional Chinese Medicine, where a tale about the physician Dong Feng tells that he accepted payment only as a promise to plant apricot trees in his orchard once a patient recovered, resulting in vast apricot groves and an abundance of medicinal ingredients.

The fruit is highly nutritious, cleansing, and mildly laxative. In folk medicine, it is used in blends to promote overall vitality. In Armenian medicine, salted apricot fruits are given for their anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and pain-relieving qualities. In Vietnam, apricots are utilized for treating respiratory and digestive ailments. Flower infusions are traditionally used to enhance female fertility. The bark has astringent properties and, combined with the root, may be used to address food poisoning and cyanide intoxication.

Folk remedies employ bark decoctions externally for inflamed skin and possible skin irritation. Seeds are used as infusions or decoctions for pain, asthma, coughs, colic, worms, to promote expectoration and sleep. Other herbal references mention their use for asthma attacks, chronic bronchitis, and constipation. In different cultures, apricot infusions are used for arthritis, jaundice, and generally to reduce inflammation.

Bitter apricot kernels contain laetrile—a substance related to amygdalin and sometimes called vitamin B17. It has been claimed to have a positive effect in cancer therapy, especially based on studies involving prostate and bladder cancer models in animals. It has been shown that laetrile can inhibit uncontrolled cell division in laboratory settings.

At low dosages, laetrile has been reported to stimulate respiratory function, improve digestion, and give an overall sense of well-being. Apricots are rich in vitamin A and beta-carotene, making them potential candidates for preventing age-related macular degeneration. Studies also suggest they may support sight in retinitis pigmentosa and moderately broaden the field of vision.

Certain flavonoids present in apricot fruit and kernels have notable antioxidant activity. Antioxidants naturally form in the human body, especially when exposed to certain oxidative stressors, but can also be added through the diet. These plant-based flavonoids appear to combat free radicals produced in the human body.

Active Compounds

The apricot fruit and kernel are high in citrates, tartrates, carotenoids, and flavonoids. Notable minerals include sodium, iron, calcium, and phosphorus.

The most significant and therapeutically intriguing compound is laetrile, chemically related to amygdalin and featuring a cyano group in its molecule.

The effectiveness of amygdalin stems from the fact that cancerous or diseased cells are 'hungry' and attracted to sugars. Amygdalin is a cyanogenic glycoside, which, under the influence of moisture and enzymes, is broken down into hydrogen cyanide and sugars—two glucose molecules. This 'sweetness' attracts the cancerous cell, which absorbs it, but is left with the hydrogen cyanide that can destroy it. This process does not affect healthy cells, which are not as greedy.

Traditional Dosage

Consuming 2–3 apricots per day is generally enough for a daily dose of some vitamins.

As for apricot kernels, no recognized source defines an adequate dosage or regimen. Medical literature advises reducing the amount in older adults and those with cardiovascular illnesses. Dosage should suit the therapeutic purpose and not exceed the maximum amount. There are documented cases of toxicity with intake as high as 220 grams of seeds. Children should not consume apricot kernels.