Prunus armeniaca Seeds | Apricot
LATIN NAME: Prunus armeniaca
COMMON NAME: Apricot
Plant Profile
Prunus armeniaca, better known as Apricot, is a deciduous tree in the family Rosaceae. It grows steadily into rounded, spreading form, and it stands warm, dry summers and cool winters well. It likes sun, and deep, well-drained soil. While it flowers, it feeds a quiet procession of bees and hoverflies. All of this makes Apricot a satisfying plant to grow and to get to know.
Science & Biotechnology
The apricot’s kernel contains amygdalin, the cyanogenic glycoside notorious in its semi-purified form as ‘laetrile’ — promoted for cancer, shown ineffective in the Mayo Clinic trials, and banned in the United States; several cases of cyanide poisoning from kernel consumption are on record. Regulatory limits on bitter apricot kernels exist in the EU and elsewhere. The fruit itself is blameless and nutritious, rich in beta-carotene; the seed’s chemistry is simply a reminder that ‘natural’ and ‘safe’ are independent variables, and that seed chemistry often exists to stop exactly what we are doing — eating it.
Botanists studying Rosaceae regularly include Prunus armeniaca in comparative work, and the species also appears in horticultural trials aimed at gardeners and growers. Apricot is never far from studies of warm-temperate stone fruits, and armeniaca species appears in work on early-ripening cultivars and golden-fruit chemistry. Contemporary seed practice means a grower can raise it confidently with standard techniques.
Uses & Benefits
Beyond its ornamental appeal, Apricot has the practical versatility that makes a plant worth growing from seed year after year. In warm orchard, apricot opens pale blossom into the first of the spring, then shades the golden fruits through the summer. Velvety fruits serve tables and drying racks, blossom feeds early bees, and tree makes fine orchard, garden tree and preserve fruit. It thrives in deep, well-drained, sunny ground. It takes hold quickly and asks for no special treatment from then on.
The rose family’s great fruit genus gives plums, cherries, peaches, apricots and almonds, all carotenoid- and polyphenol-rich; in Chinese medicine the kernels and fruits, from Xing Ren for coughs to Yu Li Ren for regularity, are classical herbs, always processed to manage their cyanogenic compounds.
Growing from Seed
Raising Apricot from seed is straightforward. Broadcast the seed thinly over a fine, free-draining compost, sieve a little more compost on top, and water with a fine rose. The seed responds well to a cool, moist stratification period, which helps it break dormancy evenly. Transplant the sturdiest seedlings to their permanent spots and let them develop without disturbance.
Our Take
Apricot repays a little patience at sowing time with plenty of garden presence later.
Related Reading
Readers interested in Apricot frequently explore these as well: