Originally cultivated in China and Central Asia before spreading to South and West Asia, North Africa, Japan, and eventually Europe, apricots are accustomed to growing in climates where they receive plenty of sunlight every day.
But even so, you might find yourself asking questions such as “why do apricots grow best in full sun?” and “how important is it really that my apricot trees get enough sunlight?” Well – let’s talk about it!
Apricot trees need full sun in order to have enough energy to absorb nutrients and reach their full growth potential.
Full sun is incredibly important when it comes to the healthy development of flowers, which in turn are vital to the production of fruit. Plenty of sunlight is also important for fruit ripening.
In this article, we will further expand upon these points and also give you some helpful tips and additional information in the hopes that this might help you take care of your own apricot trees.
3 Reasons Why Apricot Trees Grow Best In Full Sunlight
While there are plenty of reasons why apricots grow best in full sun (which in the agriculture and gardening world means getting a minimum of six hours of direct sunlight on a daily basis), we’ve listed here some of the more important reasons! Let’s get to it!
1. Better Overall Growth
As you likely already know, sunlight is important for all plants and trees; the process of photosynthesis that they use to produce energy, absorb nutrients, and perform many other vital functions depends upon receiving an adequate amount of sunlight.
And while some apricot tree cultivars can adapt to grow in partial shade, for the most part the majority of apricot trees need plenty of sunlight to grow, remain healthy, and reach their maximum potential.
Like with most trees that prefer full sun, apricot trees that get adequate sunlight typically exhibit better growth and healthier foliage in comparison to apricot trees that do not receive enough direct natural light.
2. Development of Flowers
As mentioned above, apricot trees need plenty of direct sunlight in order to grow properly and perform key biological functions. One of these processes is the development of flowers.
Not only are the lovely blossoms that bloom on apricot trees aesthetically pleasing with a pleasant aroma, but they are also absolutely vital when it comes to the production of fruit (something which we will discuss next).
Apricot trees that do not receive sufficient sunlight will often not bloom correctly, which in turn will have an impact on both your tree’s aesthetic appearance (something that can indeed be disappointing, particularly if you chose your apricot tree for landscaping purposes) as well as its overall productivity in terms of fruit.
3. Fruit Production & Ripening
Stone fruits such as apricots are also known by the more formal botanical name – Drupes. A Drupe, by definition, is a fruit that consists of soft flesh around a hardened pit.
Since most varieties of apricot trees are self-pollinating, you shouldn’t need to worry about fertilization when it comes to fruit production (although in some cases cross-pollination can help increase overall productivity). You do, however, need to make sure that your trees receive plenty of sunlight in order for fruit to form.
This is because (as we stated a moment ago) you need plenty of sunlight in order for your apricot trees to bloom. And apricot flowers, in turn, are absolutely necessary for the production of fruit.
You Need Flowers To Produce Fruit
After all, apricot fruit is only ever produced as a result of flowers blooming. The flower then transitions into the reproductive stage once sufficient pollination has occurred! In fact, botanically speaking, the pits of these stone fruits are in fact the transformed ovaries of the apricot flowers themselves.
Therefore, if your tree never flowers or those flowers don’t develop correctly due to a lack of direct sunlight, your tree will not produce fruit properly.
Furthermore, plenty of sunlight is important for not only fruit production but also fruit ripening. If your tree is not receiving enough direct sunlight it can become stressed, which in turn can lead to the apricots themselves not ripening properly.
However, do be aware that new apricot trees will likely not flower or produce fruit and that this is nothing to be alarmed about. New trees, particularly young saplings, can take anywhere from two to four years to begin successfully producing fruit.
Care Tips For Growing Your Own Apricot Trees: Besides Sunlight, What Else Is Important?
While making sure that your apricot tree gets enough sunlight is undoubtedly one of the most crucial parts of not only keeping your tree healthy but also ensuring optimum fruit production, there are plenty of other factors to keep in mind as well.
Given that, we’ve listed here for you some of our top care tips for growing and maintaining apricot trees.
Also, check out our article about trees that can damage your home, and guess what – apricots are actually a safe choice!
Pick The Right Tree For You
We’ll be discussing this particular subject more in-depth momentarily, but to start with it’s important to understand that there are quite a few different varieties of apricot trees.
You should make sure to select the type that will do best in your climate and planting conditions – and if you need help with this, contacting a professional will be your best plan of action.
Make Sure Your Tree Gets Enough Water
One of the most common stressors for apricot trees is drought; not getting enough water can have a seriously negative impact on your tree’s overall health as well as its ability to grow and produce fruit so always do your best to ensure adequate watering.
Generally speaking, a good rule of thumb with apricot trees is to make sure they get an inch of water weekly.
In most cases, drip irrigation is the preferred method of watering for fruit trees such as apricots because it allows you a greater level of precision while also helping to get water directly to your tree’s root zone without splashing the bark and leaves.
Ensure Proper Drainage
While apricot trees need plenty of water to remain healthy and productive, it’s also of critical importance that the soil they reside in does not become waterlogged. Soggy soil can result in serious damage to your tree’s roots, which in turn can have a negative impact on your trees overall health and wellbeing.
If a tree’s roots are damaged, it will not be able to absorb oxygen and key nutrients; this can result in stunted growth, wilting, and other problems that have the potential to become long-term issues if not addressed.
If necessary, consider using a soil amendment to promote better soil drainage.
To learn more about apricot trees and how they can grow in rocky soil – click to check out our article!
Use Specialized Fertilizers To Encourage Growth And Fruit Production
Depending on the quality of your native soil, sometimes using a fertilizer designed for fruit trees can help encourage more robust growth while also bolstering fruit production.
Products such as Dr. Earth 708 P Organic 9 Fruit Tree Fertilizer and Winchester Gardens Fruit and Citrus Fertilizer Spikes can be very helpful when it comes to ensuring that your apricot tree gets all the nutrients it needs to remain healthy and provide you with plenty of delicious fruit.
Make Sure Your Tree Is Well-Established Before Allowing It To Produce Fruit
As mentioned above, young and newly planted apricot trees will typically not produce fruit for the first couple of years; they need time to mature.
That being said, sometimes you will see trees younger than two years begin to flower in preparation for producing fruit. While you can let this occur, if your tree is still quite young it’s strongly recommended that you remove the blossoms before they fully bloom and begin the fruit formation process.
Why Should You Remove The Blossoms Early?
This is because allowing an apricot tree to flower before it is sufficiently mature has the potential to weaken the overall health of the tree.
The reason is that a great deal of energy and nutrients goes into the formation of flowers and fruit, which in turn can have a detrimental effect on a young tree that is not yet fully established in its environment.
Since that energy would be more useful for foliage growth and overall development at this stage of the tree’s life, it’s better to nip those flowers in the bud (rather literally in this case!).
If you are unsure of your tree’s age or want to verify that it is mature enough to safely bear fruit, don’t hesitate to consult with an arborist or a fruit tree specialist.
Thin Out The Fruit If Necessary
Once your tree is fully mature and begins producing fruit, in all likelihood (and assuming your tree is healthy) your tree will begin producing a lot of fruit.
Depending on what size you want this fruit to ultimately be, you may want to thin the fruit out as it comes in; thinning out the fruit helps to prevent overcrowding and will allow the fruit left remaining on the branches of your tree to grow larger.
Be Aware Of Your Tree’s Temperature And Dormancy Requirements
Some varieties of apricot trees require a period of dormancy or a certain number of chilling hours before they can flower and produce fruit; likewise, sometimes certain cultivars need temperatures high enough to break dormancy and flower.
Make sure you do your research to determine what your tree needs and when during the year to expect it to both go dormant and reawaken to bloom.
Growing Apricot Trees Indoors: Can It Be Done?
Many people often ask “can apricot trees be grown indoors?”. Since these trees need plenty of sunlight, it’s a perfectly reasonable question, albeit one with an answer you might not expect: yes! Apricot trees can be grown indoors!
When growing apricot trees indoors, it’s strongly recommended that you select a dwarf cultivar rather than a full-size variety.
This is because you will be growing your tree in a pot or other large container, and dwarf trees are more suited to that than full-size trees.
Additionally, there is rarely space for a full-size fruit tree in the average person’s home, making dwarf cultivars the obvious choice for that reason as well.
For more on growing fruit indoors, check out our helpful guide of the 7 best indoor fruit trees!
That’s A Wrap!
As you can see, while there can be a bit of variation in care depending upon the specific cultivar you choose to grow, it’s very important for all types of apricot trees to get plenty of direct natural light.
As a reminder, some reasons for why apricot trees grow best in full sun include (but are not limited to) the following:
- Better overall health and growth
- Better flowers during blooming season (trees that do not get enough sun often don’t flower correctly)
- Better fruit productivity
- Fruit ripens faster and more thoroughly
Additionally, when growing your own apricot trees, it’s advisable to keep in mind the following tips:
- Select the right cultivar for your climate and region (for example, choose one of the more cold-hardy varieties if you live in an area that experiences colder temperatures)
- Plant your tree in a location where it will receive six to eight hours of direct sunlight a day (and if growing your apricot tree indoors, place it in or near a south-facing window)
- Make sure your tree gets enough water (an inch a week is the norm)
- Ensure good drainage; waterlogged soil can cause root damage
- Give your tree the necessary time to mature before bearing fruit
- Fertilize as necessary to ensure optimal growth and encourage flower/fruit production
- If you want larger apricots, thin out the fruit so they have more space to grow on the branches
- When in doubt (or if your tree begins to do poorly without explanation) consult with an arborist. Books such as The Fruit Gardener’s Bible: A Complete Guide to Growing Fruits and Nuts in the Home Garden and Backyard Fruit Production can also be a good resource for anyone looking for extra reading material on the subject of growing fruit trees such as apricots at home.
We hope that you found this information helpful for understanding not only why full sun is important for apricot trees but also what other steps you should take to keep your own trees healthy and productive.
References:
Person. (1995, August 18). Apricot: 20: Handbook of Fruit Science and Technology: V. M. Ghorpa. Taylor & Francis.
Khasawneh, A. E.-R., Alsmairat, N., Othman, Y. A., Ayad, J. Y., Al-Hajaj, H., & Qrunfleh, I. M. (2022, May 26). Controlled-release nitrogen fertilizers for improving yield and fruit quality of young Apricot Trees. Scientia Horticulturae.
Ruiz, D., Campoy, J. A., & Egea, J. (2007, June 23). Chilling and heat requirements of apricot cultivars for flowering. Environmental and Experimental Botany.
