Shaa-Kar-Pareeh

Apricot

Size

Medium to large

Shape

Round; light yellow-white skin with a rose/red-pink blush when ripe

Flavor

Exceptionally sweet, low-acid, plum-like flavor with just a touch of acidity for balance

Texture

White to light-gold flesh, more plum-like than a typical apricot

Ripening window

Early season (late May - mid-June)

Best uses

Fresh eating, canning, preserves

Pollination

Self-fertile - no pollinator needed

Tree size

12-16 ft (can be summer-pruned to ~8 ft)

Notes

Persian heirloom (Shekar Pareh/Shekarpareh, "sugar piece" in Farsi), dating to the 1800s. Technically an aprium (apricot x plum hybrid) rather than a pure apricot (Prunus armeniaca) - worth knowing if you're tracking straight apricots separately. Chill requirement 350-400 hours, zones 6-9/10 - low-chill and precocious (bears in 1-3 years), but also an early bloomer, which combined with the low chill puts it at real risk of late-frost bloom loss in a Texas spring; site it somewhere that doesn't collect cold air. Disease- and crack-resistant with only moderate brown rot susceptibility.