How to Grow Apricot Royal

Apricot Royal

Prunus armeniaca 'Royal'

tree

Apricot Royal is a mid-season apricot variety known for producing large, sweet fruits with excellent flavor and a beautiful golden-orange color. This tree is self-fertile, making it ideal for home gardeners who don't have space for multiple pollinators. It's a moderately vigorous tree that reaches 15-20 feet at maturity and is valued for both fresh eating and processing.

Growing Conditions

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Sun: Full sun, 6-8 hours daily minimum

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Water: Moderate, consistent moisture during growing season. Water deeply 1-2 times weekly during fruit development. Reduce watering after harvest. Drought-tolerant once established but produces better fruit with regular irrigation.

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Spacing: 240 inches

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Days to maturity: 1095

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Planting depth: Same depth as root ball; do not bury graft union

Soil

Type: Well-draining loamy soil

pH: 6.0-7.5

Amendments:

Compost Aged manure Perlite for drainage

Growing Zones

Find your zone →

Thrives in zones 5-9, with best performance in zones 6-8

5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 8b 9a

Growth Stages

Planting & Establishment

First year

Young bare-root or container tree with developing root system and initial shoot growth.

Plant in early spring or fall. Mulch around base (3-4 inches) keeping away from trunk. Stake if needed for wind protection. Water regularly the first year to establish roots.

Vegetative Growth

Years 2-3

Tree develops branch structure and foliage; minimal flowering the first 2-3 years.

Prune to central leader or modified vase shape. Remove competing branches. Apply balanced fertilizer in spring. Continue consistent watering and mulching.

Flowering

2-3 weeks in early spring

White to pale pink flowers appear on spurs in early spring before leaves fully emerge.

Protect flowers from late frost with cloth if temperatures drop below 28°F. Thin flowers if crop looks too heavy to avoid stress. Self-fertile but bees improve set.

Fruit Development & Thinning

4-6 weeks after flowering

Small green fruits develop rapidly; thinning reduces size of remaining fruit and prevents overbearing.

Thin fruits when marble-sized (about 4 weeks after bloom) to 2-3 inches apart. Increase watering; apply calcium-rich fertilizer to reduce splitting. Monitor for pests.

Ripening & Harvest

6-8 weeks; harvest June-July in most regions

Fruits enlarge and turn golden-orange with sweet flavor and full color development.

Provide consistent water to prevent fruit cracking. Reduce nitrogen fertilizer. Check ripeness by gentle squeeze and fruity aroma. Harvest when fully colored and slightly soft.

Companion Planting

Plan your garden →

Plant with:

Almonds Peaches Plums Borage Marigolds Lavender

Avoid planting near:

Walnuts Fennel Dill

Common Pests

Remove affected fruits; use sticky traps; apply neem oil or spinosad in late summer
Remove mummified fruits and diseased branches; thin canopy for air circulation; apply sulfur or copper fungicide at bloom and petal fall
Hand-pick infested fruits; apply spinosad or carbaryl starting after petal fall; clean up fallen fruit
Increase irrigation; spray with water to dislodge; use miticide or neem oil if severe
Avoid wounding; prune out infected limbs; apply copper fungicide to cuts in fall

Uses

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Fresh Eating & Table Fruit

Culinary

Apricot Royal produces large, sweet fruits ideal for eating fresh, with a balanced sugar-acid profile and excellent flavor. The fruits are also well-suited to canning, jamming, and drying. [source]

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Preserves & Baking

Culinary

The firm flesh holds up well to cooking and processing, making it excellent for apricot jam, preserves, pies, and dried snacks. The natural pectin content aids jam setting. [source]

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Vitamin A & Antioxidants

Medicinal

Apricots are rich in beta-carotene (vitamin A), which supports eye health and immune function, and contain polyphenol antioxidants that combat oxidative stress. [source]

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Drying for Long-Term Storage

Household

Fresh apricots can be dried in a dehydrator or sun-dried to preserve the harvest for year-round use as snacks or baking ingredients with concentrated sweetness. [source]

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Pollinator & Bird Support

Wildlife

The spring blossoms attract native bees and pollinators, while ripening fruits provide food for birds and wildlife, supporting local ecosystems. [source]

This is not medical advice. LizPlants is not a medical resource. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before using plants medicinally.

Harvest Tips

Pick fruits when fully colored and slightly soft to the touch, typically June-July. Ripe apricots detach easily from the branch. For best flavor, harvest fully ripe (not hard). Fruits continue to ripen slightly after picking but develop fuller sweetness on the tree. Expect 100-150 lbs of fruit from a mature tree under good conditions.

Fun Facts

🌱 Apricot Royal is self-fertile, meaning a single tree can produce a full crop without a pollinator partner, unlike many other stone fruit varieties.
🌱 Apricots bloom earlier than peaches, making them more vulnerable to spring frosts—choose a planting location with good air drainage to minimize frost damage.
🌱 The apricot kernel (pit) inside the stone contains amygdalin, which converts to cyanide in small amounts; while the occasional kernel is safe, they should not be consumed in quantity.

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