The specific epithet armeniaca refers to the country of Armenia, yet genetic studies prove the apricot was not born there but domesticated in Central Asia and China thousands of years ago. This botanical misnomer is the first clue to a long history of trade and cultural exchange that began before written records. The most commonly cultivated apricot, Prunus armeniaca, was known in Armenia during ancient times, leading early scholars to believe it originated there, but Nikolai Vavilov's hypothesis has since been confirmed by modern science. The domesticated apricot then diffused south to South Asia, west to West Asia including Armenia, Europe and North Africa, and east to Japan, creating a vast network of agricultural influence. In 2023, world production of apricots reached 3.7 million tonnes, with Turkey leading the global market with 20% of the total, followed by Uzbekistan, Iran, Italy, and Algeria. The fruit's journey from the steppes of Central Asia to the tables of the world is a testament to its resilience and adaptability, surviving the harsh winters of Siberia and the hot summers of the Mediterranean.
A Tree That Defies The Elements
The apricot tree is a small, hardy plant that can reach heights of up to 10 meters, featuring a round canopy and a spread similar to its height. Its flowers are white or pinkish, about 5 centimeters wide, appearing before the leaves early in the spring, often as early as March in western Europe. This early blooming is a double-edged sword, as spring frosts can kill the flowers or the flower buds in different stages of development, making the tree sensitive to temperature changes during the winter season. In China, winters can be very cold, but temperatures tend to be more stable than in Europe and especially North America, where large temperature swings can occur in winter. To combat these challenges, plant breeders have created what is known as a black apricot or purple apricot, Prunus dasycarpa, a hybrid of an apricot and the cherry plum. Other apricot-plum hybrids are variously called plumcots, apriplums, pluots, or apriums, offering new possibilities for cultivation in diverse climates. The tree is slightly more cold-hardy than the peach, tolerating winter temperatures as cold as 20 degrees Celsius below zero if healthy, with large differences between cultivars. They are hardy in USDA zones 5 through 8, and apricot cultivars are usually grafted onto plum or peach rootstocks to ensure the best growth characteristics.The Poison Within The Pit
Apricot kernels contain amygdalin, a poisonous compound that can release cyanide when ingested, posing a significant risk to human health. On average, bitter apricot kernels contain about 5% amygdalin and sweet kernels about 0.9% amygdalin, which corresponds to 0.3% and 0.05% of cyanide respectively. Since a typical apricot kernel weighs 600 milligrams, bitter and sweet varieties contain, respectively, 1.8 and 0.3 milligrams of cyanide. This toxicity has limited culinary uses for the kernel, yet oil made from apricot kernels is safe for human consumption without treatment because amygdalin is not oil soluble. Ground up shells are used in cosmetics as an exfoliant, providing an alternative to plastic microbeads, and the kernels can be made into a plant milk. Despite the dangers, the fruit itself is a succulent orange-yellow drupe tinged with red, with a single seed enclosed in a hard shell. The fruit is consumed both fresh and dried, and apricots are used in dishes including cakes, tarts, and jam, and in savoury dishes, for example in stuffing. In Austria, they are the basis of Marillenknödel, sweet apricot dumplings, while in Mediterranean cuisine, a cooling drink is made by dissolving apricot paste in water.