Apricot

he apricot is a small tree, 8-12 m (26-39 ft) tall, with a trunk up to 40 cm (16 in) in diameter and a dense, spreading canopy. The leaves are ovate, 5-9 cm (2.0-3.5 in) long and 4-8 cm (1.6-3.1 in) wide, with a rounded base, a pointed tip and a finely serrated margin. The flowers are 2-4.5 cm (0.8-1.8 in) in diameter, with five white to pinkish petals; they are produced singly or in pairs in early spring before the leaves. The fruitis a drupe similar to a small peach, 1.5-2.5 cm (0.6-1.0 in) diameter (larger in some modern cultivars), from yellow to orange, often tinged red on the side most exposed to the sun; its surface can be smooth (botanically described as: glabrous) or velvety with very short hairs (botanically: pubescent). The flesh is usually firm and not very juicy. Its taste can range from sweet to tart. The single seed is enclosed in a hard, stony shell, often called a "stone", with a grainy, smooth texture except for three ridges running down one side.^[2][3]