View source for Apricot

{{short description|Cultivated fruit}}
{{About|the trees and their fruit}}
{{use American English|date=March 2022}}
{{Automatic taxobox
|name = Apricot
|image = Apricot and cross section.jpg
|image_caption = Apricot and its cross-section
|taxon = Prunus sect. Armeniaca
|authority = ([[Scop.]]) [[Johann Friedrich Wilhelm Koch|Koch]]
|subdivision_ranks = [[Species]]
|subdivision = See text.
|type_species = ''[[Prunus armeniaca]]'' <small>[[L.]]</small>
|}}

An '''apricot''' ({{IPAc-en|us|ˈ|æ|p|ɹ|ɪ|k|ɒ|t|audio=En-us-apricot-2.ogg}}, {{IPAc-en|uk|ˈ|eɪ|p|ɹ|ɪ|k|ɒ|t|audio=En-uk-apricot.ogg}}) is a [[fruit]], or the tree that bears the fruit, of several species in the genus ''[[Prunus]]''.

Usually an apricot is from the species ''[[Prunus armeniaca|P. armeniaca]]'', but the fruits of the other species in ''Prunus'' sect. ''Armeniaca'' are also called apricots.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last1=Shi|first1=Shuo|last2=Li|first2=Jinlu|last3=Sun|first3=Jiahui|last4=Yu|first4=Jing|last5=Zhou|first5=Shiliang|date=2013|title=Phylogeny and classification of ''Prunus sensu lato'' (Rosaceae)|url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jipb.12095|journal=Journal of Integrative Plant Biology|language=en|volume=55|issue=11|pages=1069–1079|doi=10.1111/jipb.12095|issn=1744-7909|pmid=23945216|bibcode=2013JIPB...55.1069S |access-date=2021-02-16|archive-date=2021-01-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210128010507/https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jipb.12095|url-status=live|url-access=subscription}}</ref> In 2022, world production of apricots was 3.9 million [[tonne]]s, led by [[Turkey]] with 21% of the total.

== Etymology ==
[[File:Apricot Etymology Map.svg|thumb|upright=1.35|Map of the [[etymology]] of "apricot" from Latin via Late and Byzantine Greek to Arabic, Spanish and Catalan, Middle French, and so to English]]

''Apricot'' first appeared in English in the 16th century as ''abrecock'' from the [[Middle French]] {{Lang|frm|aubercot}} or later {{Lang|frm|abricot}},<ref>"[http://www.cnrtl.fr/definition/abricot abricot (French)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170922135756/http://www.cnrtl.fr/definition/abricot |date=2017-09-22 }}".  Centre National de Ressources Textuelles et Lexicales.</ref> from Spanish ''[[wikt:albaricoque|albaricoque]]'' and [[Catalan language|Catalan]] {{lang|ca|a(l)bercoc}}, in turn from Arabic {{lang|ar|الْبَرْقُوق|rtl=yes}}{{lrm}} ({{lang|ar-latn|al-barqūq}}, {{gloss|the plums}}), from Byzantine Greek {{lang|grc|βερικοκκίᾱ}} ({{lang|grc-latn|berikokkíā}}, {{gloss|apricot tree}}), derived from late Greek {{Lang|grc|πραικόκιον}} ({{lang|grc-latn|praikókion}}, {{gloss|apricot}}) from Latin [{{lang|la|persica}} ({{gloss|peach}})] {{lang|la|praecocia'}} ({{lang|la|praecoquus}}, {{gloss|early ripening}}).<ref>{{cite Merriam-Webster|apricot}}</ref><ref>{{Cite American Heritage Dictionary|apricot}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Dean |first=Sam |title=On the Etymology of the Word Apricot |date=9 May 2013 |url=https://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/ingredients/article/on-the-etymology-of-the-word-apricot |publisher=Bon Appetit |access-date=22 October 2018 |archive-date=22 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181022154729/https://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/ingredients/article/on-the-etymology-of-the-word-apricot |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Description ==
{{more citations needed section |date=April 2025 }}
The apricot is a small tree, {{convert|8|–|12|m|abbr=off}} tall, with a trunk up to {{convert|40|cm|abbr=off}} in diameter and a dense, spreading canopy. The [[leaf|leaves]] are [[leaf shape|ovate]], {{convert|5|–|9|cm|abbr=on|frac=2}} long, and {{convert|4|–|8|cm|abbr=on|frac=2}} wide, with a rounded base, a pointed tip, and a finely serrated margin. The [[flower]]s are {{convert|2|–|4.5|cm|abbr=on|frac=4}} in diameter, with five white to pinkish petals; they are produced singly or in pairs in early spring before the leaves. The fruit is a [[drupe]] (stonefruit) similar to a small [[peach]], {{convert|1.5|–|2.5|cm|abbr=on|frac=2}} diameter (larger in some modern [[cultivar]]s), from yellow to orange, often tinged red on the side most exposed to the sun; its surface can be smooth (botanically described as: [[wikt:glabrous|glabrous]]) or velvety with very short hairs (botanically: [[wikt:pubescent|pubescent]]). The flesh is usually succulent, but dry in some species such as ''[[Prunus sibirica|P. sibirica]]''. Its taste can range from sweet to tart. The single [[seed]] or "[[Apricot kernel|kernel]]" is enclosed in a hard shell, often called a "[[Pyrena|stone]]", with a grainy, smooth texture except for three ridges running down one side.<ref name=foc>{{cite web | url=http://efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=102618 |title=''Armeniaca'' |work=Flora of China |publisher=eFloras |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210906165710/http://efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=102618 |archive-date=6 September 2021 }}</ref><ref name=rushforth>{{cite book |last=Rushforth |first=K. |year=1999 |title=Trees of Britain and Europe |publisher=Collins |isbn=0-00-220013-9}}.</ref>{{page needed | date=April 2025}}

=== Phytochemistry ===
Apricots contain various [[phytochemical]]s, such as [[provitamin A]] [[beta-carotene]] and [[polyphenol]]s, including [[catechins]] and [[chlorogenic acid]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Campbell |first1=O. E. |last2=Merwin |first2=I. A. |last3=Padilla-Zakour |first3=O. I. |year=2013 |title=Characterization and the effect of maturity at harvest on the phenolic and carotenoid content of Northeast USA Apricot (Prunus armeniaca) varieties |journal=Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry |volume=61 |issue=51 |pages=12700–10 |doi=10.1021/jf403644r |pmid=24328399|bibcode=2013JAFC...6112700C }}</ref> Taste and aroma compounds include [[sucrose]], [[glucose]], [[organic acids]], [[terpene]]s, [[aldehyde]]s and [[lactone]]s.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Xi |first1=W |last2=Zheng |first2=H |last3=Zhang |first3=Q |last4=Li |first4=W |year=2016 |title=Profiling Taste and Aroma Compound Metabolism during Apricot Fruit Development and Ripening |journal=International Journal of Molecular Sciences |volume=17 |issue=7 |pages=998 |doi=10.3390/ijms17070998 |pmc=4964374 |pmid=27347931 |doi-access=free}}</ref>[[File:Healthy leaves of apricot.jpg|thumb|Apricot leaves]]

== Species ==
Apricots are species belonging to ''Prunus'' sect. ''Armeniaca''. The taxonomic position of ''[[Prunus brigantina|P. brigantina]]'' is disputed. It is grouped with [[Prunus sect. Prunus|plum]] species according to chloroplast DNA sequences,<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Reales |first1=Antonio |last2=Sargent |first2=Daniel J. |last3=Tobutt |first3=Ken R. |last4=Rivera |first4=Diego |date=2010-01-01 |title=Phylogenetics of Eurasian plums, ''Prunus'' L. section ''Prunus'' (Rosaceae), according to coding and non-coding chloroplast DNA sequences |url=https://doi.org/10.1007/s11295-009-0226-9 |url-status=live |journal=Tree Genetics & Genomes |language=en |volume=6 |issue=1 |pages=37–45 |doi=10.1007/s11295-009-0226-9 |issn=1614-2950 |s2cid=31215875 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230116102520/https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11295-009-0226-9 |archive-date=2023-01-16 |access-date=2021-03-29|url-access=subscription }}</ref> but more closely related to apricot species according to nuclear DNA sequences.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Liu |first1=Shuo |last2=Decroocq |first2=Stephane |last3=Harte |first3=Elodie |last4=Tricon |first4=David |last5=Chague |first5=Aurelie |last6=Balakishiyeva |first6=Gulnara |last7=Kostritsyna |first7=Tatiana |last8=Turdiev |first8=Timur |last9=Saux |first9=Marion Fisher-Le |last10=Dallot |first10=Sylvie |last11=Giraud |first11=Tatiana |date=2021-01-05 |title=Genetic diversity and population structure analyses in the Alpine plum (''Prunus brigantina'' Vill.) confirm its affiliation to the ''Armeniaca'' section |url=https://doi.org/10.1007/s11295-020-01484-6 |url-status=live |journal=Tree Genetics & Genomes |language=en |volume=17 |issue=1 |pages=2 |doi=10.1007/s11295-020-01484-6 |issn=1614-2950 |s2cid=230795948 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230116102525/https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11295-020-01484-6 |archive-date=2023-01-16 |access-date=2021-03-29}}</ref>
* ''[[Prunus armeniaca]]'' – common apricot, widely cultivated for its edible fruit and [[apricot kernel|kernel]]
* ''[[Prunus brigantina]]'' – Briançon apricot, native to Europe, cultivated for its edible fruit and oil-producing [[apricot kernel|kernel]]
*''[[Prunus cathayana]]'' – native to [[Hebei]]
* [[Prunus × dasycarpa|''Prunus'' × ''dasycarpa'']] – purple apricot, cultivated in Central Asia and adjacent areas for its edible fruit
* ''[[Prunus hongpingensis]]'' – Hongping apricot, native to [[Shennongjia]], cultivated for its edible fruit
* ''[[Prunus hypotrichodes]]'' – native to [[Chongqing]]
* ''[[Prunus limeixing]]'' – cultivated in northern China for its edible fruit
* ''[[Prunus mandshurica]]'' – Manchurian apricot, native to Northeast Asia, cultivated for its [[apricot kernel|kernel]], the fruits of some cultivars edible
* ''[[Prunus mume]]'' – Flowering apricot or plum blossom, native to southern China, widely cultivated for its beautiful blossom and edible fruit
* ''[[Prunus sibirica]]'' – Siberian apricot, native to Siberia, Mongolia, northern China, and Korea, cultivated for its [[apricot kernel|kernel]]
* ''[[Prunus zhengheensis]]'' – Zhenghe apricot, native to [[Fujian]]

== Cultivation ==
[[File:Preparing apricots. Alchi Monastery, Ladakh.jpg|thumb|Preparing apricots in the grounds of [[Alchi Monastery]], [[Ladakh]], India]]
[[File:Packard apricots.jpg|thumb|[[David Packard]]'s apricot orchard in [[Los Altos Hills, California|Los Altos Hills]], preserved by the [[David and Lucile Packard Foundation]], is one of the few remaining in [[Santa Clara County, California|Santa Clara County]], where apricots were a major crop before the [[urban sprawl]] of [[Silicon Valley]].]]

=== Origin and domestication ===

==== ''Prunus armeniaca'' ====
{{main|Prunus armeniaca#Origin, domestication and diffusion}}
The most commonly cultivated apricot ''P. armeniaca'' was known in [[Armenia]] during ancient times, and has been cultivated there for so long that it was previously thought to have originated there, hence the epithet of its scientific name.<ref name="ishs121_36">{{cite web |url=http://www.actahort.org/books/121/121_36.htm |title=VII Symposium on Apricot Culture and Decline |publisher=International Society for Horticultural Science |access-date=2012-06-22 |archive-date=2003-05-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030521122201/http://www.actahort.org/books/121/121_36.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> However, this is not supported by genetic studies, which instead confirm the hypothesis proposed by Nikolai Vavilov that domestication of ''P. armeniaca'' occurred in [[Central Asia]] and [[China]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal|last1=Liu|first1=Shuo|last2=Cornille|first2=Amandine|last3=Decroocq|first3=Stéphane|last4=Tricon|first4=David|last5=Chague|first5=Aurélie|last6=Eyquard|first6=Jean-Philippe|last7=Liu|first7=Wei-Sheng|last8=Giraud|first8=Tatiana|last9=Decroocq|first9=Véronique|date=2019|title=The complex evolutionary history of apricots: Species divergence, gene flow and multiple domestication events|url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/mec.15296|journal=Molecular Ecology|language=en|volume=28|issue=24|pages=5299–5314|doi=10.1111/mec.15296|pmid=31677192|bibcode=2019MolEc..28.5299L |s2cid=207833328|issn=1365-294X|access-date=2021-02-17|archive-date=2020-06-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200623104145/https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/mec.15296|url-status=live|url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite journal|last1=Bourguiba|first1=Hedia|last2=Scotti|first2=Ivan|last3=Sauvage|first3=Christopher|last4=Zhebentyayeva|first4=Tetyana|last5=Ledbetter|first5=Craig|last6=Krška|first6=Boris|last7=Remay|first7=Arnaud|last8=D’Onofrio|first8=Claudio|last9=Iketani|first9=Hiroyuki|last10=Christen|first10=Danilo|last11=Krichen|first11=Lamia|date=2020|title=Genetic structure of a worldwide germplasm collection of ''Prunus armeniaca'' L. reveals three major diffusion routes for varieties coming from the species' center of origin|journal=Frontiers in Plant Science|language=English|volume=11|page=638|doi=10.3389/fpls.2020.00638|issn=1664-462X|pmc=7261834|pmid=32523597|doi-access=free|bibcode=2020FrPS...11..638B }}</ref> The domesticated apricot then diffused south to [[South Asia]],<ref name=":2" /> west to [[West Asia]] (including Armenia), [[Europe]] and [[North Africa]], and east to [[Japan]].<ref name=":1" />

==== ''Prunus mume'' ====
{{main|Prunus mume#Origin}}
Chinese flowering plum (''[[Prunus mume|P. mume]])'' is another widely cultivated apricot species native to southern China, usually for ornamental uses. Despite the common name, it is more closely related to apricots. This species has been introduced to Japan and Korea. 

=== Cultivation practices===
[[File:Dried apricot fruits in the field (Fergana, Uzbekistan).jpg|thumb|Drying apricot fruits ([[Fergana]], [[Uzbekistan]])]]

Apricots have a chilling requirement of 300 to 900 [[chilling unit]]s. A dry climate is good for fruit maturation. The tree is slightly more cold-hardy than the [[peach]], tolerating winter temperatures as cold as {{convert|-30|°C}} or lower if healthy. However, large differences are observed between cultivars in frost resistance.<ref name="FH">{{cite journal | vauthors = Bakos J, Ladányi M, Szalay L  | title = Frost hardiness of flower buds of 16 apricot cultivars during dormancy | journal = [[Folia Horticulturae]] | volume = 36 | issue = 1 | pages = 81–93 | date = April 2024 | pmid = | doi = 10.2478/fhort-2024-0005| publisher = Polish Society of Horticultural Science | s2cid =  | doi-access = free }}</ref> They are hardy in [[Hardiness zone#United States hardiness zones (USDA scale)|USDA zones]] 5 through 8. A limiting factor in apricot culture is spring [[frost]]s: They tend to flower very early (in early March in western Europe), and spring frost can kill flowers or before flower buds in different stages of development.<ref name="FH"/> Furthermore, the trees are sensitive to temperature changes during the winter season. In China, winters can be very cold, but temperatures tend to be more stable than in [[Europe]] and especially [[North America]], where large temperature swings can occur in winter. [[Hybrid (biology)|Hybridization]] with the closely related ''[[Prunus sibirica]]'' (Siberian apricot; hardy to {{convert|-50|°C}} but with less palatable fruit) offers options for breeding more cold-tolerant plants.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Prunus+sibirica |title=Prunus sibirica Siberian Apricot PFAF Plant Database |work=pfaf.org |access-date=2013-11-17 |archive-date=2021-11-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211116010950/https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Prunus+sibirica |url-status=live }}</ref> They prefer well-drained soils with a pH of 6.0 to 7.0.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Apricots |url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/fruit/apricots/grow-your-own |access-date=2023-01-27 |website=www.rhs.org.uk |language=en-gb}}</ref>

Apricot cultivars are usually [[grafting|grafted]] onto plum or peach rootstocks. The cultivar [[wiktionary:scion|scion]] provides the fruit characteristics, such as flavor and size, but the [[rootstock]] provides the growth characteristics of the plant. Some of the more popular US apricot cultivars are 'Blenheim', 'Wenatchee Moorpark', 'Tilton', and 'Perfection'. Some apricot cultivars are self-compatible, so do not require pollinizer trees; others are not: 'Moongold' and 'Sungold', for example, must be planted in pairs so they can pollinate each other.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Herrera |first1=Sara |last2=Lora |first2=Jorge |last3=Hormaza |first3=José I. |last4=Herrero |first4=Maria |last5=Rodrigo |first5=Javier |date=2018 |title=Optimizing Production in the New Generation of Apricot Cultivars: Self-incompatibility, S-RNase Allele Identification, and Incompatibility Group Assignment |journal=Frontiers in Plant Science |volume=9 |page=527 |doi= 10.3389/fpls.2018.00527|pmid=29755489 |pmc=5935046 |issn=1664-462X|doi-access=free |bibcode=2018FrPS....9..527H }}</ref>

Hybridisors have created what is known as a "black apricot" or "purple apricot", (''[[Prunus dasycarpa]]''), a hybrid of an apricot and the cherry plum (''[[Prunus cerasifera]]''). Other apricot–plum hybrids are variously called [[Pluot|plumcots, apriplums, pluots, or apriums]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-01-10 |title=Adorable Apricots – The Essential Guide to probably everything you need to know about growing Apricot – Prunus armeniaca |url=https://www.permaculturenews.org/2023/01/10/adorable-apricots-the-essential-guide-to-probably-everything-you-need-to-know-about-growing-apricot-prunus-armeniaca/ |access-date=2023-01-27 |website=The Permaculture Research Institute |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== Pests and diseases ===
{{Main|List of apricot diseases}}

Apricots are susceptible to various diseases whose relative importance differs in the major production regions as a consequence of their climatic differences. For example, hot weather as experienced in California's Central Valley often causes pit burn, a condition of soft and brown fruit around the pit.<ref>{{cite book | last = Ingels| first= Chuck |display-authors=etal | title=The Home Orchard: Growing Your Own Deciduous Fruit and Nut Trees|isbn=978-1-879906-72-3 | page=27 | year=2007 | publisher=University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources}}</ref> Bacterial diseases include bacterial spot and crown gall. Fungal diseases include brown rot caused by ''[[Monilinia fructicola]]'': infection of the blossom by rainfall leads to "blossom wilt"<ref name=Hessayon2004>{{cite book|title=The Fruit Expert|author=Hessayon, D.G. |author-link = D. G. Hessayon|publisher=Expert Books|year=2004|location=London}}</ref> whereby the blossoms and young shoots turn brown and die; the twigs die back in a severe attack; brown rot of the fruit is due to ''Monilinia'' infection later in the season. Dieback of branches in the summer is attributed to the fungus ''[[Eutypa lata]]'', where examination of the base of the dead branch reveals a canker surrounding a pruning wound.<ref name=Munkvold2001>{{cite journal|last1=Munkvold|first1=Gary P.|title=Eutypa Dieback of Grapevine and Apricot|journal=Plant Health Progress|year=2001|volume=2|issue=1 |page=9|doi=10.1094/PHP-2001-0219-01-DG|doi-access=free|bibcode=2001PlaHP...2....9M }}</ref> Other fungal diseases are [[Dibotryon morbosum|black knot]], ''Alternaria'' spot and fruit rot, and [[powdery mildew]].<ref>[http://www.apsnet.org/publications/commonnames/Pages/Apricot.aspx Diseases of Apricot] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160624050543/http://www.apsnet.org/publications/commonnames/Pages/Apricot.aspx |date=2016-06-24 }}. The American Phytopathological Society</ref> Unlike peaches, apricots are not affected by [[leaf curl]], and bacterial canker (causing sunken patches in the bark, which then spread and kill the affected branch or tree) and silver leaf are not serious threats, which means that pruning in late winter is considered safe.<ref name=Hessayon2004 />

===Kernel===
{{Main|Apricot kernel}}
Due to their natural [[amygdalin]] content, culinary uses for the kernel are limited. Oil made from apricot kernels is safe for human consumption without treatment because amygdalin is not oil soluble. Ground up shells are used in [[cosmetics]] as an exfoliant.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Southey |first1=Flora |title=Are fruit seeds the new nuts? |url=https://www.foodnavigator.com/Article/2021/05/14/Are-fruit-seeds-the-new-nuts-Meet-the-start-up-upcycling-fruit-kernels-into-oil-flour-and-alt-milk |website=foodnavigator.com |date=14 May 2021 |publisher=Food Navigator |access-date=9 May 2022 |archive-date=24 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220524084606/https://www.foodnavigator.com/Article/2021/05/14/Are-fruit-seeds-the-new-nuts-Meet-the-start-up-upcycling-fruit-kernels-into-oil-flour-and-alt-milk |url-status=live }}</ref> As an exfoliant, it provides an alternative to plastic [[microbeads]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Pierre-Louis |first1=Kendra |title=800 Trillion Plastic Microbeads Go Down Drains Every Day |url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/800-trillion-plastic-microbeads-go-down-drains-every-day/ |website=pbs.org |date=8 October 2015 |publisher=PBS |access-date=9 May 2022 |archive-date=9 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220509180540/https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/800-trillion-plastic-microbeads-go-down-drains-every-day/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
{| class="wikitable floatright" style="width:14em; text-align:center;"
! colspan=2|Apricot production – 2022
|-
!  style="background:#ddf; width:50%;"| Country
!  style="background:#ddf; width:25%;"| <small>millions of [[tonne]]s<br/></small>
|-
|{{TUR}} ||0.80
|-
|{{UZB}} ||0.45
|-
|{{IRN}} ||0.31
|-
|{{ITA}} ||0.23
|-
|{{ALG}} ||0.20
|-
|'''World''' ||'''3.86'''
|-
|colspan=2|<small>Source: [[FAOSTAT]], [[United Nations]]<ref name=faostat/></small>
|}

=== Production ===
{{See also|List of countries by apricot production}}In 2022, world production of apricots was 3.86 million [[tonne]]s, led by Turkey with 21% of the total (table). Other major producers (in descending order) were [[Uzbekistan]], [[Iran]], [[Italy]], and [[Algeria]].<ref name="faostat">{{cite web|url=http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QC|publisher=Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Statistics Division (FAOSTAT)|title=Production Quantities of Apricots by Country in 2022; Crops/World Regions/Production Quantity/Year from picklists|date=2024|access-date=28 May 2024}}</ref> [[Malatya]] is the center of Turkey's apricot industry.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Denker |first1=Joel |title='Moon Of The Faith:' A History Of The Apricot And Its Many Pleasures |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/06/14/481932829/moon-of-the-faith-a-history-of-the-apricot-and-its-many-pleasures |website=npr.org |date=14 June 2016 |publisher=National Public Radio |access-date=9 May 2022 |archive-date=8 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190808231633/https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/06/14/481932829/moon-of-the-faith-a-history-of-the-apricot-and-its-many-pleasures |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Toxicity ==
Apricot kernels (seeds) contain [[amygdalin]], a poisonous compound. On average, bitter apricot kernels contain about 5% amygdalin and sweet kernels about 0.9% amygdalin. These values correspond to 0.3% and 0.05% of [[cyanide]]. Since a typical apricot kernel weighs 600&nbsp;mg, bitter and sweet varieties contain, respectively, 1.8 and 0.3&nbsp;mg of cyanide.<ref>{{Cite web |date=27 April 2016 |title=Apricot kernels pose risk of cyanide poisoning {{!}} EFSA |url=https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/press/news/160427 |access-date=2023-01-27 |website=www.efsa.europa.eu |language=en}}</ref>

== Uses ==
Apricot kernels can be made into a [[plant milk]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Cornall |first1=Jim |date=10 March 2022 |title=The latest in dairy alternatives: Taiwan company debuts apricot kernel drink |url=https://www.dairyreporter.com/Article/2022/03/10/the-latest-in-dairy-alternatives-taiwan-company-debuts-apricot-kernel-drink |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220314091711/https://www.dairyreporter.com/Article/2022/03/10/the-latest-in-dairy-alternatives-taiwan-company-debuts-apricot-kernel-drink |archive-date=14 March 2022 |access-date=9 May 2022 |website=dairyreporter.com |publisher=Dairy Reporter}}</ref> Apricots are commonly consumed either as raw fruit or after dehydration as a dried fruit.

=== Nutrition ===
{{stack begin}}
{{nutritionalvalue
| name=Apricots, dried
| kJ=1010
| water=31 g
| protein=3.9 g
| fat=0.5 g
| carbs=63 g
| fiber=7 g
| sugars=53 g
| calcium_mg=55
| iron_mg=2.66
| magnesium_mg=32
| phosphorus_mg=71
| potassium_mg=1160
| sodium_mg=10
| zinc_mg=0.29
| manganese_mg=0.235
| vitC_mg=1
| thiamin_mg=0.015
| riboflavin_mg=0.074
| niacin_mg=2.589
| pantothenic_mg=0.516
| folate_ug=10
| vitA_ug=180
| betacarotene_ug=2160
| vitB6_mg=0.143
| vitE_mg=4.33
| vitK_ug=3.1
| note=[https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/173941/nutrients Link to USDA Database entry]
}}
{{stack end}}
{{stack begin}}
{{nutritionalvalue
| name=Apricots, raw
| kJ=201
| water=86 g
| protein=1.4 g
| fat=0.4 g
| carbs=11 g
| fiber = 2 g
| sugars=9 g
| calcium_mg=13
| iron_mg=0.4
| magnesium_mg=10
| phosphorus_mg=23
| potassium_mg=259
| sodium_mg=1
| zinc_mg=0.2
| manganese_mg=0.077
| copper_mg=0.056
| vitC_mg=10
| thiamin_mg=0.03
| riboflavin_mg=0.04
| niacin_mg=0.6
| pantothenic_mg=0.24
| vitB6_mg=0.054
| folate_ug=9
| vitA_ug=96
| betacarotene_ug=1090
| lutein_ug=89
| vitE_mg=0.89
| vitK_ug=3.3
| note=[https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2710815/nutrients Link to USDA Database entry]
}}
{{stack end}}
In a reference amount of {{cvt|100|g}}, raw apricots supply 48 [[Calories]]<!-- please leave capital - it means  kilocalories--> and are composed of 11% [[carbohydrate]]s, 1% [[Protein (nutrient)|protein]], less than 1% [[fat]], and 86% water (table). Raw apricots are a moderate source of [[vitamin A]] and [[vitamin C]] (11% of the [[Daily Value]] each).

=== Dried apricots ===
{{Main|Dried apricot}}

Dried apricots are a type of [[traditional dried fruit]]. Dried apricots are 63% carbohydrates, 31% water, 4% protein, and contain negligible fat. When apricots are dried, the relative concentration of micronutrients is increased, with vitamin A, [[vitamin E]], and [[potassium]] having rich contents (Daily Values above 20%, table).

== In culture ==
[[File:深大寺のあんず飴 Apricot candy of Jindai-ji Temple (4061067396).jpg|thumb|Candied apricots (''anzu'') on [[monaka]] wafers at [[Jindai-ji (Tokyo)|Jindai-ji Temple]] in [[Tokyo]], [[Japan]]]]

The apricot is the [[national fruit]] of [[Armenia]], mostly growing in the [[Ararat plain]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Lehmann |first1=Maike |title=Apricot Socialism: The National Past, the Soviet Project, and the Imagining of Community in Late Soviet Armenia |journal=[[Slavic Review]] |date=2015 |volume=74 |issue=1 |pages=13 |doi=10.5612/slavicreview.74.1.9 |s2cid=155915149 |quote=The apricot, being the Armenian national fruit...}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Grigoryan |first1=Marianna |title=Apricot Farmers Struggling in Armenia amid Crop Failure |url=https://eurasianet.org/node/61408 |agency=[[EurasiaNet]] |date=25 June 2010 |access-date=15 July 2018 |archive-date=14 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180714222018/https://eurasianet.org/node/61408 |url-status=live }}</ref> It is often depicted on souvenirs.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Schleifer |first1=Yigal |title=More on Armenia's Bitter Apricot Harvest |url=https://eurasianet.org/s/more-on-armenias-bitter-apricot-harvest |agency=[[EurasiaNet]] |date=2 July 2010 |access-date=15 July 2018 |quote=As a symbol of national pride the image of apricots is included in Armenian souvenirs. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180714222051/https://eurasianet.org/s/more-on-armenias-bitter-apricot-harvest |archive-date=14 July 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The Chinese associate the apricot with education and medicine. For instance, the classical word [[wikt:杏|杏]] [[wikt:壇|壇]] (literally: "apricot [[altar]]") (xìng tán 杏坛) which means "educational circle", is still widely used in written language. [[Zhuang Zhou|Zhuangzi]], a Chinese philosopher in the fourth century BC, told a story that [[Confucius]] taught his students in a forum surrounded by the wood of apricot trees.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ctext.org/zhuangzi/old-fisherman |title=《莊子·漁父》 |publisher=Ctext.org |access-date=2012-06-22 |archive-date=2013-05-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130522232728/http://ctext.org/zhuangzi/old-fisherman |url-status=live }}</ref> The association with medicine in turn comes from the common use of apricot kernels as a component in [[traditional Chinese medicine]], and from the story of Dong Feng (董奉), a physician during the [[Three Kingdoms period]], who required no payment from his patients except that they plant apricot trees in his orchard upon recovering from their illnesses, resulting in a large grove of apricot trees and a steady supply of medicinal ingredients.<ref>{{Cite journal|pmc=1376720|title=Chinese Confucian culture and the medical ethical tradition|last=Guo|first=Zhaojiang|date=1995|volume= 21 |issue= 4| pages= 239–246| pmid=7473645|journal=Journal of Medical Ethics|doi=10.1136/jme.21.4.239}}</ref> The term "expert of the apricot grove" (杏林高手) is still used as a poetic reference to physicians.{{citation needed|date=August 2019}}

The fact that apricot season is short and unreliable in Egypt has given rise to the common [[Egyptian Arabic]] and [[Palestinian Arabic]] expression ''[[filmishmish]]'' ("in apricot [season]") or ''bukra filmishmish'' ("tomorrow in apricot [season]"), generally uttered as a riposte to an unlikely prediction, or as a rash promise to fulfill a request.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Al Qasimi|first1=Nouf |title=There's an old Arabic proverb: You can have apricots tomorrow |url=https://www.thenationalnews.com/lifestyle/food/there-s-an-old-arabic-proverb-you-can-have-apricots-tomorrow-1.396914 |website=[[The National (Abu Dhabi)|The National]] |date=16 August 2012 |access-date=18 August 2023}}</ref> This [[adynaton]] has the same sense as the English expression "[[when pigs fly]]".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Al Qasimi|first1=Nouf |title=Mish Mish |url=https://jfi.org/year-round/jfi-on-demand/mish-mish#:~:text=The%20affable%20character's%20name%20originated,something%20that%20will%20never%20happen. |website=Jewish Film Institute |access-date=18 August 2023}}</ref>

In [[Middle Eastern cuisine|Middle Eastern]] and [[North African cuisine]]s, apricots are used to make [[Qamar al-Din]] ({{lit|link=yes}} "Moon of the faith"), a thick apricot drink that is a popular fixture at [[Iftar]] during [[Ramadan]]. Qamar al-Din is believed to originate in [[Damascus, Syria]], where the variety of apricots most suitable for the drink was first grown.<ref>{{Cite news| last = Robertson| first = Amy| title = All Over The World, Thirsty Muslims Have Their Ramadan Go-To Drinks| publisher = NPR| access-date = 2018-05-22| date = 2017-06-08| url = https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2017/06/08/530893651/all-over-the-world-thirsty-muslims-have-their-ramadan-go-to-drinks| archive-date = 2019-08-07| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190807175000/https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2017/06/08/530893651/all-over-the-world-thirsty-muslims-have-their-ramadan-go-to-drinks| url-status = live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news| last = Denker| first = Joel| title = 'Moon Of The Faith:' A History Of The Apricot And Its Many Pleasures| publisher = NPR| access-date = 2018-05-22| date = 2016-06-14| url = https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/06/14/481932829/moon-of-the-faith-a-history-of-the-apricot-and-its-many-pleasures| archive-date = 2019-08-08| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190808231633/https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/06/14/481932829/moon-of-the-faith-a-history-of-the-apricot-and-its-many-pleasures| url-status = live}}</ref>

In [[Jewish culture]], apricots are commonly eaten as part of the [[Tu BiShvat seder|Tu BiShvat seder]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Administrator |date=2018-01-21 |title=The Tu B'Shevat Seder |url=https://anglo-list.com/tu-bshevat-seder/ |access-date=2023-01-27 |website=Anglo-List |language=en-US}}</ref>

The Turkish idiom ''bundan iyisi Şam'da kayısı'' (literally, "the only thing better than this is an apricot in Damascus") means "it doesn't get any better than this".{{Citation needed|date=January 2021}}

In the [[U.S. Marines]] it is considered exceptionally bad luck to eat or possess apricots,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://amtrac.org/1atbn/Interest/Apricots.asp |title=Taste for Apricots Canned at Cua Viet |publisher=US Marines Armored Tractor Division |author=S.SGT. Bob Donner |access-date=2017-09-02 |archive-date=2017-09-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170906133954/http://www.amtrac.org/1atbn/Interest/Apricots.asp |url-status=live }}</ref> especially near tanks.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.26thmeu.marines.mil/News/News-Article-Display/Article/516281/apricots-aavs-no-happy-pair/ |title=Apricots, AAVs no happy pair |author=Cpl. Derek A. Shoemake |date=October 27, 2000 |access-date=September 2, 2017 |archive-date=September 2, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170902141914/http://www.26thmeu.marines.mil/News/News-Article-Display/Article/516281/apricots-aavs-no-happy-pair/ |url-status=live }}</ref> This superstition has been documented since at least the [[Vietnam War]] and is often cited as originating in [[World War II]]. Even calling them by their name is considered unlucky,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB1046642100123140320 |title=Superstitions Abound at Camp As Soldiers Await War in Iraq |author=Michael M. Phillips |date=March 3, 2003 |access-date=September 2, 2017 |archive-date=September 2, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170902150634/https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB1046642100123140320 |url-status=live }}</ref> so they are instead called "cots",<ref>{{cite book|title=War Slang: American Fighting Words & Phrases Since the Civil War|url=https://archive.org/details/warslangfighting00dick|url-access=registration| author=Paul Dickson |date=1994 |page=[https://archive.org/details/warslangfighting00dick/page/267 267]|publisher=Pocket Books|isbn=9780671750220}}</ref> "Forbidden fruit" or "A-fruit".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sicard |first=Sarah |date=2021-05-23 |title=Why tankers are terrified of apricots |url=https://www.militarytimes.com/off-duty/military-culture/2021/05/20/why-tankers-are-terrified-of-apricots/ |access-date=2023-01-27 |website=[[Military Times]] |language=en}}</ref>

American [[Astronaut|astronauts]] ate dried apricot on the [[Apollo 15]] and [[Apollo 17]] missions to the moon.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bendix |first=Aria |title=From applesauce in a tube to 'space noodles,' here's how astronaut food has evolved from the 1960s to today |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/astronaut-food-in-space-timeline-2019-7 |access-date=2024-04-23 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery widths="150px" heights="120px">
File:Dried date, peach, apricot, and stones. From Lahun, Fayum, Egypt. Late Middle Kingdom. The Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, London.jpg|Dried date, peach, apricot, and stones. From Lahun, Fayum, Egypt. [[Middle Kingdom of Egypt|Late Middle Kingdom]]. [[Petrie Museum|The Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology]], London
File:Marillenblüten.jpg|Blooms of an apricot
File:Apricot kernel (endocarp + seed).jpg|Apricot kernel (endocarp and seed)
File:Dried apricot 01 Pengo.jpg|Dried apricot, with dark color due to absence of [[sulfur dioxide]] treatment
File:Сибирский абрикос.jpg|[[Prunus sibirica]] (Siberian apricot; hardy to {{convert|-50|°C|F}} but with less palatable fruit)
File:Turkey.Pasa Baglari005.jpg|Apricot tree, [[Turkey]]
File:Apricots Drying In Cappadocia.JPG|Apricots drying on the ground in [[Cappadocia]]
File:Syrian apricot paste 01.jpg|Syrian apricot paste
File:Packaging apricot fruits in Surkhandarya (Uzbekistan).jpg|Packaging apricot fruits in [[Uzbekistan]]
File:Dried process of apricot fruits.jpg|Drying apricot fruits
File:Marelica Kečkemetska ruža - zreli plodovi na grani.jpg|'Kecskemét Rose' - a pale and juicy apricot cultivar

</gallery>

== See also ==
* [[Barack (brandy)]]; [[apricot brandy]]
* Apricot plum, ''[[Prunus simonii]]''

== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Apricots}}
{{Cookbook|Apricot}}
* {{Cite EB1911 |wstitle= Apricot |volume= 2 |page=230 |short=1}}
* {{Wiktionary-inline}}

{{Taxonbar|from1=Q21378744|from2=Q15949803}}

[[Category:Prunus subg. Prunus|Armeniaca]]
[[Category:Apricots| ]]
[[Category:Crops originating from China]]
[[Category:Edible fruits]]
[[Category:Fruits originating in Asia]]
[[Category:Garden plants of Asia]]
[[Category:Prunus]]
[[Category:Drupes]]