Gold Kist apricot tree with ripe golden-orange apricots among rounded green leaves

Gold Kist Apricot

Prunus armeniaca 'Gold Kist'
Categories:
Fruit Trees  ·  
Stone Fruit Trees
Light
Full sun
Water
Deep, regular irrigation; not a desert low-water tree. Water more frequently during extreme heat and fruit development, allowing the upper few inches of soil to dry between irrigations. Avoid saturated soil.
Size
15-20 ft tall × 15-20 ft wide (pruned to 10-12 ft in managed orchards)
Habit
Upright tree – single-trunk
Toxicity
Toxic — Pets
Description
A low-chill apricot producing medium to large, golden-orange fruit with sweet, flavorful flesh. Suitable for Phoenix-area home orchards where winter chilling is sufficient.
Bloom Time
Late winter to early spring
Deciduous / Evergreen
Deciduous
Special Features
Edible
Growth Rate
Moderate to fast
Growth Habit
Upright tree – single-trunk
Mature Size
15-20 ft tall × 15-20 ft wide (pruned to 10-12 ft in managed orchards)
Flower Color
White to pale pink
Foliage Color
Medium green
Landscape Use
Edible / Orchard
Garden Style
Edible Garden
Soil
Alkaline Tolerant, Sandy / Rocky, Well-Drained
Companion Plants
Low-chill peaches
Toxic — Pets
Pits, leaves & bark toxic (cyanogenic); ripe fruit edible
Care Instructions

Light: Full sun, ideally with protection from intense western afternoon heat. Avoid reflected heat from walls and pavement.

Water: Deep, regular irrigation; not a desert low-water tree. Water more frequently during extreme heat and fruit development, allowing the upper few inches of soil to dry between irrigations. Avoid saturated soil.

Soil: Well-drained loam or sandy loam preferred. Tolerates some alkalinity, but poor drainage and salty soil can cause problems. Mulch the root zone, keeping mulch away from the trunk.

Mature size: Approximately 15–25 feet tall and wide, depending on rootstock; can be maintained around 10–15 feet with pruning.

Bloom: Late winter to early spring, often February in Phoenix. Fruit generally ripens in May to early June, depending on weather.

Evergreen / deciduous: Deciduous.

Growth rate: Moderate to fast with adequate irrigation and nutrition.