Plant Encyclopedia

Other Names:  Morden 604 Apricot

Description:

A hardy apricot featuring showy pink flowers in early spring followed by tasty golden fruit in mid-summer, good for preserves; quite ornamental, ideal for the home orchard; needs full sun and a pollinator, flowers can be damaged by late spring frosts

Edible Qualities

M604 Apricot is a medium-sized tree that is commonly grown for its edible qualities. It produces yellow round fruit (technically 'drupes') with gold overtones and gold flesh which are usually ready for picking in late summer. Note that the fruits have hard inedible pits inside which must be removed before eating or processing. The fruits have a sweet taste and a firm texture.

The fruit are most often used in the following ways:

• Fresh Eating
• Cooking
• Preserves

Features & Attributes

M604 Apricot is blanketed 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 deciduous foliage. The pointy leaves turn yellow in fall. The fruits are showy yellow drupes with gold overtones, which are carried in abundance in late summer. The fruit can be messy if allowed to drop on the lawn or walkways, and may require occasional clean-up.

This is a deciduous tree with a more or less rounded form. 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 plant 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;

• Messy
• Disease

Aside from its primary use as an edible, M604 Apricot is sutiable for the following landscape applications;

• Shade
• Orchard/Edible Landscaping

Planting & Growing

M604 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 variety requires a different selection of the same species growing nearby in order to set fruit.

This tree is typically grown in a designated area of the yard because of its mature size and spread. It 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.

This plant is not reliably hardy in our region, and certain restrictions may apply; contact the store for more information.