Apricot Trees

Species: Prunus armeniaca

History: These seedlings are grown from local Ontario apricot seeds we collected. 

Why We Grow It: We are always happy to promote greater biodiversity and growing your own seedlings is a great way to get something unique! Apricots tend to stay fairly true to type so odds are the resulting fruit will be good for fresh eating. After seven years or so, the first of our seedlings have fruited and the fruit is excellent!

If you prefer the certainty of named varieties, these seedlings would also be good for feeding wildlife or planting along fence lines. 

History: Debbie's Gold was introduced by Aubins Nursery in Manitoba in 1980.

Why We Grow It: Debbie's Gold is a relatively new but promising apricot variety for us. It is very cold hardy and late blooming, which improves the chance of a crop in our climate. It produces small fruit with a rich apricot flavour with spicy notes.

History: Goldcot was bred by researchers in Michigan's snowbelt with the goal of creating a hardier apricot that could withstand harsher winters. They succeeded and Goldcot apricots were introduced in 1967. 

Why We Grow It: Both an early and notably hardy cultivar, Goldcot is known to be productive and dependable. The flesh of the fruit is drier than other apricots and has a slight tangy taste that is good for both fresh eating and canning. The tree has a natural semi-dwarf growth habit, great for anyone looking for a smaller apricot tree.

History: Montrose's parent tree was discovered growing in Montrose, California, by Lloyd Rosenvold after he purchased the land in 1952. He was surprised to find a large apricot tree growing quite high up on a hill in an area where the winters could get quite cold, yet the tree still produced large crops of excellent fruit. When he moved to Idaho in 1966, Rosenvold took seeds from the apricots of this tree to see how they would fare in an even colder climate. The best of these trees he named 'Montrose.'

Why We Grow It: Montrose produces medium to large freestone apricots that are yellow with a pleasant red blush. They have an excellent sweet flavour and even the pit is edible, being similar to an almond. Most importantly for us, these trees are quite hardy and bloom late, making them more reliable in our climate compared to other varieties. 

History: Moorpark apricots were introduced formally some time in the 1700s at the estate of Lord Anson, a Royal Navy officer. They seem to have had a rich history previously, in Italy and England as early as the mid 1500's. They we so enjoyed, Jane Austin mentions it in her classic novel, Mansfield Park. The variety was named after Lord Anson's estate, Moor Park, and has became a staple cultivar ever since.  

Why We Grow It: Moorpark apricots are a particularly popular variety due to their large fruit. The bright orange fruit is sweet and juicy, excellent fresh off the tree. They are also great for canning and drying. 

History: Veecot apricots were one of several developed at Vineland, Ontario to survive in a southern Ontario climate. 

Why We Grow It: This apricot is an intense dark orange colour when ripe and the flesh is juicy and smooth-textured. It has a pleasant sweet taste that is good for fresh eating and preserving. 

History: Harlayne apricots were developed at the Harrow Research and Development Centre in Ontario and released in 1980. It is one of several specifically bred to survive in a southern Ontario climate and of the Harrow apricots it was the most cold hardy.

Why We Grow It: Harlayne is a cold hardy variety that can tolerate temperatures of -30°C. It is a medium-sized apricot and freestone. The skin is a bright orange with an attractive red blush and the flesh is sweet, making it great for fresh eating along with canning or preserving. Unlike most of our apricots, Harlayne requires a pollinator.

History: Velvaglo was one of several varieties developed in Vineland, Ontario, in an effort to create apricots that could survive in our southern Ontario climate.

Why We Grow It: Velvaglo produces high quality fruit with juicy, flavourful flesh. This variety is a good choice for farmer's markets or roadside sales as well as canning.