Apricot Trees are trees in section Armeniaca (Old World apricots) or section Penarmeniaca (New World apricots) of subgenus Prunus of genus Prunus of the Amygdaleae tribe of the Amygdaloideae subfamily of the rose family. The genus Prunus also contains cherry trees, peach trees, plum trees, and almond trees.
More distantly related, but also in the Amygdaloideae subfamily of the rose family, is the Maleae tribe, which includes apple trees, pear trees, hawthorn trees, cotoneaster, photinia, and Toyon.
The only New World apricot (and thus the only California native apricot) is the Desert Apricot (Prunus fremontii), which is native to the San Diego area.
Common Apricot (Prunus armeniaca), often called simply Apricot, is a deciduous tree from central Asia that was domesticated at least three millennia ago and is now by far the most commonly cultivated apricot species. It usually grows 25 to 40 feet tall. Not only is its fruit edible, but its kernels can be eaten like almonds. Common Apricot has "perfect" flowers (containing both male and female parts in the same flower). It is ranked 2 out of 10 on the Ogren Plant Allergy Scale, indicating that it is a safe choice for hay fever sufferers. It is planted on Elm Street.
Japanese Apricot (Prunus mume), also called Japanese Plum but genetically an apricot rather than a plum, is a deciduous tree from southern China (not from Japan, despite its common names). It has been domesticated for millennia and is the species referred to in much Chinese, Hong Konger, Japanese, Korean, Taiwanese, and Vietnamese literature about "plum blossoms," as well as being commonly used in "plum sauce," "plum juice," and "plum wine" in those countries. Despite all these references to it as a "plum," it is very identifiably an apricot, with yellow-orange ripe fruits that have a fairly typical apricot flavor. It usually grows 13 to 33 feet tall. Japanese Apricot has "perfect" flowers (containing both male and female parts in the same flower). It is one of the parents of the hybrid Purple-leaf Plumcot (Prunus × blireiana), which is planted at the Woodland City Cemetery.
