Garden and orchard · Prunus armeniaca
Discovering apricot
Has this tree borrowed Flauschi’s colour? The orange apricots catch Puschel’s eye, and their leaves have a special shape too.
The short answer
Apricots are usually small yellow-orange stone fruits with a seam and finely hairy skin. The leaves are broad, oval to rounded and pointed at the tip. The tree likes warm, sheltered places. A hard stone inside protects the seed.
See the connection
Simplified drawings, not to scale. Not a guide for identifying species.
An imagined Wusel scene
Puschel and Flauschi investigate
Puschel sits on a flat garden stone. Puschel“Orange fruits! Flauschi, did the tree borrow your colour?”
Flauschi shades her eyes with a paw. Flauschi“They are apricots. They like sunshine, but first we take a careful look.”
Puschel notices the pointed leaves. Puschel“I will remember those. Perhaps the next blueberry bush can borrow my colour!”
The fruit
Apricots are usually small yellow-orange stone fruits with a seam and finely hairy skin.
Leaf and plant
The leaves are broad, oval to rounded and pointed at the tip. The tree likes warm, sheltered places.
What makes it special
A hard stone sits inside. Children leave the stone and its seed out of their food.
Try explaining it
What lies inside an apricot?
Choose a), b) or c), then explain your choice.
- a)A core like an apple’s.
- b)Many tiny fruits outside.
- c)One hard stone.
Show the explanation
Correct: c): One hard stone.
Apricots are usually small yellow-orange stone fruits with a seam and finely hairy skin. The leaves are broad, oval to rounded and pointed at the tip. The tree likes warm, sheltered places.
Explore in more detail
Here you will find longer explanations and further details. You can explore them together.
Why can spring flowers still be damaged by frost?
Apricots flower early in the year. Frost afterwards can damage the delicate flowers, and a badly damaged flower may not produce fruit. One warm day does not guarantee a harvest: nights and later weather matter too.
Compare and understand
An apricot is a stone fruit, and its stone surrounds a seed that must not be eaten. Bitter apricot kernels can release dangerous substances; supposed health benefits are no reason to try them. Examine prepared fruit and a stone already removed by an adult.
An optional question for further exploration
You can use the longer explanation above. This is extra, not needed for the first quiz.
An extra question
What colour are ripe apricots often?
Show answer
Yellow to orange.
May we taste unknown berries based on a picture?
Show answer
No. Never taste unknown berries. Adults help identify known edible fruit safely.