© Denzil Green  Apricots are a member of the rose family, along
with peaches, plums, cherries, and almonds.  Apricot trees do
best in temperate climates. The average Apricot tree grows 12-15
feet tall (3.5 to 4.5 metres.) From first planting, it takes a
tree about 4 years to become a good producer, and from that
point it will grow fruit for 20 to 25 years. The fruit is almost
perfectly round, smaller in size than a peach and about the size
of a plum. The golden skin will be slightly fuzzy. The fruit
ripens end of July to mid-August (in California, mid-May to
July.) As it ripens, the inner layers become woody and
eventually form the stone. The stone is oval and smooth, and
easily comes out from the fruit, unlike some of the clingstone
varieties of peaches. The stone's centre goes on to form into an
almond-shaped kernel, which is the actual seed of the tree.
Apricot varieties include: New Large Early, Early Moor Park,
Hemskerk, Breda, and Moor Park. Important Apricot producing
countries are United States, New