Westcot Apricot

Description:

A hardy apricot for the backyard orchard with showy pink flowers in early spring followed by tasty yellow fruit blushed red in mid-summer, good for jam; needs full sun, well-drained soil and a pollinator; flowers can be damaged by late spring frosts

Ornamental Features:

Westcot Apricot is covered 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 foliage throughout the season. The pointy leaves turn yellow in fall. The fruits are showy orange drupes carried in abundance in late summer, which are excellent for fresh eating and making jams and jellies but which can be messy if allowed to drop on the lawn or walkways. This variety requires a different selection of the same species growing nearby in order to set fruit. The smooth brown bark is not particularly outstanding.

Landscape Attributes:

Westcot Apricot is a deciduous tree with an upright spreading habit of growth. 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 tree 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;

• Disease
• Messy

Westcot Apricot is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Orchard/Edible Landscaping
• Shade

Plant Characteristics:

Westcot Apricot will grow to be about 30 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 25 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 tree 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 is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.