Prunus armeniaca Royal - Apricot Tree

Prunus armeniaca 'Royal' is an old variety that is very vigorous and productive. It produces large, round, yellow fruits with an excellent flavour. It blooms in March-April and quickly and evenly produces apricots from late July to August with fine, melting, juicy, sweet, highly aromatic, and tasty flesh. This tree has good hardiness, and is resistant to diseases and pests. It can grow in cooler regions. It is a self-fertile variety, but will still benefit from the proximity of a pollinating variety. Plant it in a warm, sunny location with well-drained, light and even calcareous soil. Its vigour and irregular habit require more pruning to obtain a higher quality harvest.

The apricot tree is native to Central and Eastern Asia. It has been cultivated in China since 3,000 BC. Prunus armeniaca was introduced to the Mediterranean basin from Armenia, hence its name. 

'Royal' comes from a seedling of the 'Peach of Nancy' apricot, created by the director of the Luxembourg Gardens in 1813. Its first fruits were offered to King Louis XVIII. 'Royal' is a variety with good and regular productivity, and early flowering. It produces very large fruits. Their skin is yellow with red speckles, covering fine, melting, juicy, aromatic, and tasty flesh. It is ideally eaten raw. The fruits do not transport well. The harvest takes place from late July to late August. A sunny, south-facing location, protected from winds, will encourage fruiting. 'Royal' has a spreading and irregular habit, with slender and upright growth. Its branches have vertical growth. The leaves are dentate, heart-shaped, and have a long petiole. It can reach up to 5m (16ft) in height with a similar diameter. It starts producing after 3 years and becomes fully mature after 7 years. Flowering occurs in April, before the appearance of the leaves. The flowers are carried by the previous year's branches. The flower has 5 pink petals and purple sepals. The flowering is fragrant, but lasts only a short time. The semi-early fruiting ripens in July. 'Royal' is self-fertile, but it will be more productive if planted near pollinating varieties.

Apricots are consumed fresh or dried. They can be used in jams, tarts, and compotes, or preserved in syrup. They are also found in savoury dishes. Apricot juice is often mixed with a touch of peach juice to balance the natural acidity of the apricot.

For transportation reasons, our tallest scions may be pruned before shipment. They are suitable for all common training methods: cordons, espaliers, goblets, half-standards, and low standards. They are not suitable for high standards. Please contact us if you would like more information or advice on training your fruit trees.