Summer 2021 - important noticeWe are now accepting pre-orders for delivery from late August for pot grown trees and December for bare-rooted trees. More>
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Goldcot apricot trees

Prunus armeniaca

Goldcot is a modern cold-hardy apricot, which is better suited to the UK climate than most. It is reliable (by apricot standards) and crops heavily, and will tolerate the lacklustre spring and summer weather often found in the UK. If you are desperate to grow apricots in the garden and live away from the south or south-east, this is probably your best choice.

The flavour for eating fresh is only average, but it is excellent for cookery.

Goldcot is a mid-season variety, and ripens in late July in the UK.

Goldcot apricot trees for sale

Pot-grown

All pot-grown trees are suitable for planting out in the garden, some are suitable for growing in containers.

  • PG12-year 7L pot-grown tree Torinel rootstock £39.50
    Large tree (3m-4m after 10 years)
  • PG22-year 7L pot-grown tree Wavit rootstock £39.95
    Large tree (3m-4m after 10 years)

Bare-root

  • BR11-year bare-root tree Wavit rootstock £29.95
    Medium tree (2m-3m after 10 years)
  • BR21-year bare-root tree Torinel rootstock £29.95
    Large tree (3m-4m after 10 years)
Pre-ordering

You can pre-order now for delivery from late August / early September 2021 for pot grown trees (or late November / early December for bare-root). You do not need to pay at this stage - just add items to the basket and checkout as usual.

How to grow

Apricots usually require consistent warm spring and summer weather, but Goldcot is unusual in tolerating more variable weather, making it a good choice for cool temperate climates such as the UK.

Goldcot is also one of the most cold-hardy apricots. It flowers very early in the spring, and is one of the earlier-flowering of the apricots - coming just after Flavorcot.

Goldcot is reliably self-fertile and can be planted on its own - it seems able to set heavy crops even without another apricot tree nearby. 

Advice on fruit tree pollination.

History

Goldcot was developed at Michigan State University, USA, specifically with cold-hardiness in mind. It was released in 1967.

Goldcot characteristics

Growing

  • Gardening skillExperienced
  • Self-fertilitySelf-fertile
  • Flowering group3
  • Pollinating othersAverage
  • Climate suitabilityTemperate climatesMild damp climatesWarm climates

Using

  • Picking monthAugust
  • Picking seasonMid
  • CroppingHeavy
  • Keeping (of fruit)1 week
  • Food usesEating freshCulinaryDual purpose
  • Cling-stoneFreestone

Problems

  • Disease resistanceGood

Climate

    Identification

    • Country of originUnited States
    • Period of origin1950 - 1999
    • Fruit colourOrange