{"title":"Best Apricots for Fresh Eating","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe 4 varieties in our catalog that scored 8 or higher out of 10 for eating out of hand. Scored on flavor, texture and how well the fruit holds its quality, drawing on published tastings, extension trials and the historical pomologies.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAn 8 is Very good on the adapted Beach (1905) grade, a 9 is Very good to best and a 10 is Best. Varieties that scored 6 or 7 are genuinely good at this too, and you will find them under the matching Shop by Use group.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEvery score in this list is sourced. Nothing is here because it is popular, and nothing is here on our word alone. The full evidence, including what each variety scored for every other use and why, is in the use guide.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"morden-604-apricot","title":"Morden 604 Apricot","description":"\u003ch3\u003eOverview\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMorden 604 is one of the earliest and most notable improved, ultra-hardy apricot varieties developed for the prairies. It was released in 1946 by the Agriculture Canada research facility in Morden, Manitoba, and represents a major milestone in cold-climate fruit breeding.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eBreeding Background\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMorden 604 is a cross between:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e‘Scout’ – a seedling of Manchurian apricot\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e‘McClure’ – another hardy cultivar with proven resilience\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe received our first harvest in Summer 2023 in Missoula, and the flavor did not disappoint.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLuke’s tasting notes:\u003cbr\u003e“Creamy, and very sweet. It’s too bad we only got a few this first year. Looking forward to more.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFruit \u0026amp; Flavor Profile\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFlavor: Creamy, sweet, and pleasant\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSize: Large fruit, averaging 4.5 cm (1¾\")\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eColor: Classic apricot tones\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eExceptional Cold Hardiness\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMorden 604 is one of the most cold-hardy apricots available, with buds capable of withstanding -40°F or colder. It rivals (and possibly exceeds) the hardiness of other known cold-climate champions:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDebbie’s Gold: -41°F\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBrookcot: -48°F\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWestcot: -48°F near Bemidji, MN\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSunrise: -50°F+\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe comfortably list this as a Zone 2 apricot, although it can be feast or famine the colder you are in terms of reliably getting a crop due to the blossoms getting damaged from late Spring frosts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eTree Size \u0026amp; Rootstock\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGrafted onto: Full-size, cold-hardy Manchurian apricot rootstock\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMature height: Up to 25 feet if left unpruned\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSizes available: Varies by inventory (see size options when ordering)\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Montana Fruit Trees","offers":[{"title":"Manchurian Full Size: 3-5 ft.","offer_id":42500894556226,"sku":null,"price":49.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Manchurian Full Size: 4-6 ft. Pruned to 5 ft. for Shipping","offer_id":45133941997634,"sku":null,"price":59.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Manchurian Full Size: 6-8 ft. Pruned to 5 ft. for Shipping","offer_id":45133942030402,"sku":null,"price":79.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Manchurian Full Size: 7-9 ft. (One Year Older) Pruned to 5 ft. for Shipping","offer_id":42500894588994,"sku":null,"price":129.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0626\/5687\/2514\/files\/morden-604-apricot-in-hand.webp?v=1789020641"},{"product_id":"westcot-apricot","title":"Westcot Apricot","description":"\u003ch3 style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eOverview\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eWestcot is another standout cold-hardy prairie variety from Manitoba, bred for tough northern climates. Like Morden 604, it’s a cross between ‘Scout’ and ‘McClure’, but was introduced later in 1982 by Agriculture Canada at Morden, MB.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eCold Hardiness \u0026amp; Climate Adaptation\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\" class=\"\"\u003eHardy to: -48°F (proven in Bemidji, MN). Zone: 2. Bloom time is just before Debbie’s Gold. Second only to Sunrise (hardy to -50°F+) in terms of extreme cold resilience amongst named varieties (that we know of).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eSelf-Fertile \u0026amp; High-Yielding\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\" class=\"\"\u003eSelf-fertile, so no pollination partner is required, although greater yields may be obtained if planted with Debbie's Gold, Sungold, Morden 604, or some of the other Prairie Province apricots.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eFrom Bob Purvis:\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\" class=\"\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e“Westcot is sweet (18° Brix), with yellow-orange skin, good for fresh eating and firm enough to can. Tree vigor is moderate, growth habit is irregular but can be trained with spreaders. Average production on two 9-year-old trees in SW Minnesota was 200 lb\/tree in 2010.”\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\" class=\"\"\u003eRipens in mid-July in southern Minnesota. In Missoula, it ripens anywhere from last week of July to first week of August. In Homedale, it was ripe when we filmed our \"\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/G06qBrYmMWU?si=lsS-T4tKwVokPG2F\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Luke Ruffner Robinson of Montana Fruit Tree Co and Bob Purvis of Purvis Nursery and Orchard get together on Bob's farm to discuss cold climate apricot growing \" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eCold Climate Apricot Growing with Bob Purvis\u003c\/a\u003e\" on July 8th 2024.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eFruit Qualities\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\" class=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFlavor:\u003c\/strong\u003e Sweet, 18° Brix\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\" class=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTexture:\u003c\/strong\u003e Firm enough for canning\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\" class=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSkin color:\u003c\/strong\u003e Yellow-orange\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\" class=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUses:\u003c\/strong\u003e Fresh eating, canning, and potentially drying\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eTree Details\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\" class=\"\"\u003eRootstock: Grafted onto cold-hardy Manchurian apricot, which can reach up to 25 feet if left unpruned.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Montana Fruit Trees","offers":[{"title":"Manchurian Full Size: 3-5 ft.","offer_id":42511194357826,"sku":null,"price":49.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Manchurian Full Size: 5-7 ft. (Pruned to 5 ft. for Shipping)","offer_id":45144385945666,"sku":null,"price":69.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Manchurian Full Size: 5-7 ft. (One Year Older) Pruned to 5 ft. for Shipping","offer_id":45144385978434,"sku":null,"price":89.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Manchurian Full Size: 6-8 ft. Pruned to 5 ft. for Shipping","offer_id":45144477073474,"sku":null,"price":79.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Manchurian Full Size: 7-9 ft. (One Year Older) Pruned to 5 ft. for Shipping","offer_id":45144386011202,"sku":null,"price":129.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0626\/5687\/2514\/files\/westcot-apricot-on-tree.jpg?v=1789021309"},{"product_id":"montana-mango-apricot","title":"Montana Mango Apricot","description":"\u003ch3 style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\"\u003eOverview\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\" style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\"\u003eLuke was completely taken aback the first time he tasted this wild, presumably Manchurian apricot seedling, which has been thriving in Missoula for at least 75 years. Introduced to us by our friend Doug Hawes-Davis in 2020, this is hands down the best-tasting Manchurian apricot seedling we've ever tried.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\" style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\"\u003eDespite several setbacks in grafting this variety (entirely due to our own errors), we're thrilled to finally offer it grafted onto Manchurian Apricot, which should be well worth growing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\"\u003eA Flavor That Surprises: Notes of Mango\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\" style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\"\u003eWhen Luke first bit into the fruit, the flavor immediately reminded him of mango. The ripe fruit has a sweet-tart profile with intensely tropical notes and a color to match—rich yellow with an orangish-red blush, just like a mango.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\"\u003eCold Hardiness\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul data-rte-list=\"true\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\" style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\"\u003eHardy to at least -35°F\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\" style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\"\u003eMay be even hardier, though the mother tree grows in a somewhat protected location\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\" style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\"\u003eIt survived the sub -30°F winters of the 1980s, giving us confidence in its resilience\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\" style=\"white-space: pre-wrap;\" data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\"\u003eWhile most Manchurian apricots are known to handle even colder temperatures, we are erring on the side of caution in listing its hardiness until we have more data.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Montana Fruit Trees","offers":[{"title":"Manchurian Full Size: 3-5 ft.","offer_id":42500892000322,"sku":null,"price":49.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Manchurian Full Size: 5-7 ft. (Pruned to 5 ft. for Shipping)","offer_id":45133932953666,"sku":null,"price":69.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Manchurian Full Size: 6-8 ft. (One Year Older) Pruned to 5 ft. for Shipping","offer_id":42500892033090,"sku":null,"price":109.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0626\/5687\/2514\/files\/montana-mango-apricot-harvest.webp?v=1789020640"},{"product_id":"zard-apricot","title":"Zard Apricot","description":"\u003ch3\u003eOverview\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eZard is a heritage Iranian apricot valued in cold and frost-prone climates for one defining trait: it stays dormant longer than most apricots (but also incredible flavor!). That very late bloom habit can dramatically improve cropping reliability in places where winter thaws and early spring warmth routinely trigger premature bloom in other cultivars. Many of the prairie province apricots can withstand colder mid-winter extreme temps, but bloom earlier in the Spring. Zard also stands out as a pale yellow, very sweet apricot with a sweet kernel, placing it in the long Central and West Asian tradition of apricots selected as much for eating quality and drying potential as for hardiness.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOrigin \u0026amp; History\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eZard is an old apricot cultivar from Iran with no documented modern breeding-program parentage; it is treated as a traditional cultivar rather than a named cross. The name Zard comes from Persian زرد, meaning yellow, and it is closely tied to the Persian word for apricot, زردآلو (zard-ālū). In other words, Zard is not a marketing name—its identity is embedded in the Persian language itself, reflecting both color and cultural familiarity. Zard’s late bloom behavior is repeatedly attributed to a combination of high chilling requirement and a need for substantial spring heat before budbreak, which helps explain why it avoids false-spring bloom events and later frosts better than many even cold hardy apricots.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFruit \u0026amp; Uses\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eZard produces medium-sized, pale yellow fruit that are notably sweet when fully ripe, but also other wonderful flavor notes. This is Luke's favorite apricot he has ever tried, along with Montana Mango. A distinctive, well-attested trait is its large pit with a sweet kernel, which is unusual enough to merit mention because it connects Zard to traditional West and Central Asian apricots where kernels are sometimes valued. Zard is excellent for fresh eating at full ripeness and is also a strong candidate for drying and preserves in climates where the fruit can be ripened thoroughly on the tree.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGrowth Habit\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eZard has a very upright growth habit, tending toward narrower branch angles unless trained early. That upright structure makes training important in snow, wind, and heavy-crop regions—opening the canopy and building strong scaffold angles early will pay off long-term with better light penetration, easier pruning, and reduced breakage risk.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eSpacing\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe offer Zard on Manchurian full-size rootstock, which is the most cold hardy apricot rootstock in our experience. in multiple size variants. On standard Manchurian apricot rootstock, a spacing of approximately 15 feet between trees is a proven, practical baseline that balances canopy development with adequate light and airflow. If you want a larger tree with less pruning over time, give it more room; if you plan to prune annually and keep the canopy tighter, 15 feet remains a dependable standard spacing for managed trees.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003ePollination\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eZard is self-fertile and can set fruit as a standalone tree, but fruit set can be improved and stabilized by cross-pollination, especially in marginal spring conditions when weather reduces pollinator activity. Other late flowering cultivars we offer that overlap wit Zard's bloom window include Dr. 606 and Precious. That said, the prairie province apricots should also overlap.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCold hardiness\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eZard’s main reliability advantage is late bloom, but it also has a real, concrete cold-performance datapoint: it has been documented to withstand −33°F in southwestern Minnesota and still bear a full crop. y to wood survival but to functional flowering and fruiting after a severe winter event. Like all apricots, true “limit temps” depend on dormancy state, site conditions, and winter pattern, so the most defensible approach is to anchor hardiness to documented events and observed performance rather than optimistic generalities. Purvis notes that its mid-winter extreme hardiness is in the low -40Fs. Zone 3b and 3a protected sites (out of risk of frost pooling\/depressions and good air flow).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eOther Notes\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA fascinating detail about Zard is how directly it ties into Persian language and fruit culture: زرد means yellow, and زردآلو is the common Persian word for apricot, reinforcing that Zard is a deeply rooted, traditional cultivar identity rather than a modern reinvention. On disease resistance, there are no trustworthy, variety-specific claims that Zard has exceptional resistance to major apricot diseases. The most accurate framing is to manage it like other apricots: emphasize airflow and sun, avoid overly lush nitrogen-driven growth, protect trunks in harsh microclimates, and prioritize pruning hygiene to reduce canker and rot pressures in stressful years.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Montana Fruit Trees","offers":[{"title":"Manchurian Full Size: 3-5 ft.","offer_id":42511544713282,"sku":null,"price":49.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Manchurian Full Size: 5-7 ft.","offer_id":42511544680514,"sku":null,"price":69.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Manchurian Full Size: 4-6 ft. (One Year Older) Pruned to 5 ft. for Shipping","offer_id":42751578046530,"sku":null,"price":84.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Manchurian Full Size: 6-8 ft. (One Year Older) Pruned to 5 ft. for Shipping","offer_id":45144936710210,"sku":null,"price":109.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0626\/5687\/2514\/files\/zard-apricot-on-tree.jpg?v=1789021379"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.montanafruittrees.com\/collections\/best-apricots-for-fresh-eating.oembed","provider":"Montana Fruit Trees","version":"1.0","type":"link"}