Apricots are delicious, soft, stoned summer fruits with a sweet and often tart flavor. There is an extensive range of varieties to choose from, some suited to cold climates and others to warmer ones. It can be fun to discover which is your favorite. As to answering which is the sweetest apricot tree – that is a matter of personal opinion. Here we will take a look at many of the best, sweet cultivars.
What You'll Learn Today
Choosing the Right Apricot Variety
When you’re looking for an apricot tree to plant, there are other things you must consider alongside its sweet taste.
- Tree size
- Suitability for your climate
- Your soil type
- Is it self-pollinating, or does it require a partner tree?
You can discover more about each of these topics in our associated apricot tree articles — see this one about planting an apricot tree, for example.
Remember, however, that apricot trees need to go dormant over the winter months. To do this, they require the temperature to drop below 32°F to 45°F for a set number of hours, depending on the variety.
This is called “chill hours” and varies from more than 800 hours to as little as 300 hours. Trees that require more chill hours are generally best suited to cooler climates, while those requiring fewer chill hours are better for warmer ones.
You can take a look at the Mississippi State Universities Chill Hours Calculator to determine the suitability of your area.
Apricot Varieties Suited to Warmer Climates
To start, let’s begin with some varieties requiring fewer chill hours, making them suitable for places with shorter, warmer winters. Zones 7 to 10.
Royal Rosa Apricot Tree
The Royal Rosa is a very sweet, juicy apricot. It has a honey or candy-like flavor and is a low acid variety. The blossoms are white, and the fruits a golden yellow, with a red blush.
There are dwarf varieties of this cultivar for anyone with a smaller yard. The trees are easy to grow and care for.
- Chill Hours = 400 or Less
- USDA Hardiness Zones = 7 to10
- Height at maturity = 15 to 18 Feet
- Spread at maturity = 15 to 18 Feet
- Pollination = Self Pollinating
Katy Apricot Tree
Katy is an early-ripening variety of apricot tree that is well-suited to warmer climates and makes an ideal tree for growing in the south.
The fruit is of a medium to large size, with a sweet flavor, uniform golden color with some deeper orange tones. Ripe fruit is firm in texture and perfect for making preserves or eating fresh straight from the tree.
The Katy Apricot tree can be harvested very early, from late May to early June. It is a fast-growing tree with white blossom.
This tree is perfect for more temperate climates as it only needs 200 to 300 chill hours.
- Chill Hours = 200 to 300
- USDA Hardiness Zones = 7 to 9
- Height at maturity = 15 to 18 Feet
- Spread at maturity = 15 to 18 Feet
- Pollination = Self Pollinating
Autumn Glo Apricot Tree
The Autumn Glo apricot tree is considered to be one of the best tasting, sweetest, and most tender available.
The blossom in springtime is pink and fragrant. It fruits in late summer and early autumn with attractive yellow-gold fruits which have a peach blush.
A favorite with children, not only for their sweet taste but also for their almost fuzz-free skin and medium-firm texture.
This variety is perfect if you want to pick fresh fruit and enjoy it straight from the tree.
A dwarf variety is also available, which grows to between 10 and 12 feet in height.
- Chill Hours = 500
- USDA Hardiness Zones = 7 to 9
- Height at maturity = 12 to 15 Feet
- Spread at maturity = 12 to 15 Feet
- Pollination = Self Pollinating
Blenheim Apricot
The Blenheim apricot produces large, sweet, juicy fruit with yellow-orange flesh. They are aromatic, having an aroma that some people compare to honeysuckle.
They fruit late in the season and can be eaten fresh, dried, or canned.
The compact, rounded habitat and bountiful pink or white early spring blossom makes them a very decorative tree once they mature.
- Chill Hours = 300 to 500
- USDA Hardiness Zones = 5 to 9
- Height at maturity = 15 to 20 Feet
- Spread at maturity = 15 to 20 Feet
- Pollination = Self Pollinating
Golden Sweet Apricot Tree
The Golden Sweet apricot tree produces large fruits with orange flesh and orangey-gold, smooth skin. They have a sweet flavor and are good for eating fresh, drying, canning, or baking.
This cultivar blooms early and typically gives fruit through July and into early August.
This apricot variety is well suited to the southern states.
- Chill Hours = 450
- USDA Hardiness Zones = 5 to 8
- Height at maturity = 12 to 18 Feet
- Spread at maturity = 12 to 18 Feet
- Pollination = Self Pollinating
Golden Kist Apricot Tree
The Golden Kist apricot has pretty pink, fragrant flowers in early spring. Although it is excellent for growing in southern climates, due to its very low number of required chill hours, it is also quite hardy and can tolerate much colder northern winters too.
This is an early fruiting variety, producing a harvest in June. The fruits are a golden yellow and have a sweet, tart flavor.
For those with a smaller yard, dwarf and semi-dwarf versions are also available. The dwarf trees grow to around eight feet in height, while the semi-dwarfs are closer to 15 feet.
- Chill Hours = 300
- USDA Hardiness Zones = 5 to 8
- Height at maturity = 15 to 25 Feet
- Spread at maturity = 10 to 20 Feet
- Pollination = Self Pollinating
Apricot Varieties suitable for Moderate to Cool Climates
If you live in an area with more winter chill hours, then your choice of apricot trees increases. Here are some favorites.
Harcot Apricot
The Harcot apricot tree is frost-hardy and produces an abundance of pretty pink blossoms during the late spring, followed by medium-sized fruits in mid-summer.
The fruit is a uniform orange color and has a red sun-kissed blush. It is rich in flavor, sweet, and juicy.
- Chill Hours = 700
- USDA Hardiness Zones = 5 to 8
- Height at maturity = 15 to 25 Feet
- Spread at maturity = 15 to 25 Feet
- Pollination = Self Pollinating
Wenatchee Apricot Tree
The Wenatchee apricot tree is frost and moisture resistant. It gives big fruit yields and is unusual in that it may even produce a few fruits in its first year.
Large, pale-yellow fruits are sweet and delicious with firm flesh.
- Chill Hours = 700
- USDA Hardiness Zones = 5 to 9
- Height at maturity = 12 to 18 Feet
- Spread at maturity = 15 to 20 Feet
- Pollination = Self Pollinating
Puget Gold Apricot
Puget Gold apricot trees were a variety from the Pacific Northwest. They bloom in late spring and produce a heavy crop of large, orange-skinned, elongated fruits in very late summer.
The fruits are sweet and not too acidic, making them ideal for eating right off the tree or for drying and canning.
- Chill Hours = 600
- USDA Hardiness Zones = 5 to 9
- Height at maturity = 10 to 15 Feet
- Spread at maturity = 10 to 10 Feet
- Pollination = Self Pollinating
Tomcot Apricot
An early bloomer, Tomcot Apricot trees stay in bloom for a long time so they are good for areas where there can be a late frost.
You can expect large, pale orange fruits with sun-blushed skin that is somewhat glossy. They have a sweet, slightly tart flavor perfect for eating fresh or for baking.
- Chill Hours = 600
- USDA Hardiness Zones = 5 to 8
- Height at maturity = 12 to 15 Feet
- Spread at maturity = 12 to 15 Feet
- Pollination = Self Pollinating
Tilton Apricot Tree
This cold-hardy variety, Tilton, is another late bloomer. It has pretty pink blossom and gives a heavy late summer crop.
It bears heart-shaped fruit with golden skin that has a red blush. They have a distinctively sweet, yet tart, flavor, and tender, juicy qualities making them ideal for drying, canning, and eating fresh off the tree.
- Chill Hours = 600 to 700
- USDA Hardiness Zones = 5 to 8
- Height at maturity = 15 to 25 Feet
- Spread at maturity = 12 to 20 Feet
- Pollination = Self Pollinating
Chinese Apricot Tree
The Chinese apricot tree is a semi-dwarf variety that sometimes goes under the name of “Mormon Apricot”. It is a late bloomer giving an abundant, midsummer crop of small to medium-sized fruits.
The fruit is orange-skinned with a red blush, and they are juicy, sweet, and mild-tasting with firm flesh.
- Chill Hours = 700
- USDA Hardiness Zones = 5 to 8
- Height at maturity = 15 to 20 Feet
- Spread at maturity = 12 to 15 Feet
- Pollination = Self Pollinating
In this video, you can see a variety of apricot trees that do well in zones 5 through 9:
Apricot Varieties suitable for Colder Climates
Now let’s take a look at some apricot varieties suited to cold climates as far north as zone 4.
Canadian White Blenheim Apricot Tree
The Canadian White Blenheim is an unusual apricot as it has golden-orange skin but distinctive white flesh, as its name suggests.
The Canadian White Blenheim is an award-winning apricot that often wins in taste trials. It is syrupy sweet, juicy, and firm.
It blooms in late spring, and fruit is ready to harvest by late summer.
- Chill Hours = 700
- USDA Hardiness Zones = 4 to 7
- Height at maturity = 12 to 15 Feet
- Spread at maturity = 10 to 15 Feet
- Pollination = Self Pollinating
Perfection Apricot Tree
The well-named “Perfection” apricot tree bears an abundant number of extra-large fruits. The fruit is juicy, tender, and sweet, perfect for plucking directly from the tree.
Because the trees are small, you’ll be able to grow several together in a limited space.
- Chill Hours = 500
- USDA Hardiness Zones = 4 to 8
- Height at maturity = 6 to 8 Feet
- Spread at maturity = 6 to 8 Feet
- Pollination = Self Pollinating
Moorpark Apricot Tree
Another tree with a super sweet apricot is the Moorpark. It is described as being exceptionally sweet and delicious with a classic apricot flavor.
This resilient and hardy cultivar produces large golden-yellow fruits with deep orangey-yellow flesh.
It is suitable for growing further north, as the blossom is resistant to frost.
- Chill Hours = 600 to 700
- USDA Hardiness Zones = 4 to 8
- Height at maturity = 12 to 15 Feet
- Spread at maturity = 12 to 15 Feet
- Pollination = Self Pollinating
Harglow Apricot Tree
The Harglow apricot tree is a Canadian variety that is a very late bloomer. It’s resistant to areas where late frosts can be a problem for other varieties.
It grows very sweet and delicious, medium size, bright orange fruit with orange flesh.
- Chill Hours = 600
- USDA Hardiness Zones = 5 to 8
- Height at maturity = 12 to 15 Feet
- Spread at maturity = 12 to 15 Feet
- Pollination = Self Pollinating
Goldcot Apricot Tree
The Goldcot is a heavy producer of midsummer fruits. It blossoms late, so avoiding the coldest winter conditions.
Fruits are golden yellow and have red speckles. They are round and medium to large size with a tangy, sweet flavor, and firm but juicy consistency.
Dwarf varieties are ideal for smaller spaces and grow to around 8 feet in height.
- Chill Hours = 800
- USDA Hardiness Zones = 4 to 8
- Height at maturity = 15 to 20 Feet
- Spread at maturity = 8 to 10 Feet
- Pollination = Self Pollinating
Conclusion
It is possible to grow apricots almost anywhere in the United States, providing you choose a cultivar with suitable characteristics.
Depending on your pallet, you may prefer one of the super sweet, smooth-skinned varieties, or possibly something that is both sweet and tart.
Correct care and management of your apricot trees are essential to enjoy a successful harvest. You can learn more about how to care for apricot trees and solve problems with fruiting by reading some of our other articles.
