THE APRICOT TREE
In local dialect “Lu Viricoculu” o “L’Armelà”
Prunus armeniaca L.
Rosaceae
The apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) is a very ancient fruit tree, and it has been cultivated for millennia because of its sweet and juicy fruits. It comes from central Asia, but it has spread in Europe thanks to the Romans. They appreciated it because of the sweet taste of its fruits and its beneficial properties.
🌿BOTANICAL FEATURES
🔹 Appearance: medium-sized tree (up to 6-8 m) with a broad and rounded crown.
🔹 Leaves: oval-shaped, bright-green leaves with serrated margins.
🔹 Blossom: it is white-pinkish and blooms during the spring, before the leaves.
🔹 Fruits: round or slightly oval-shaped drupes, with fuzzed, yellow-orange peel often with red nuances.
🔹 Pulp: sweet, juicy and fragrant, with a woody kernel. Inside it there is a bitter or sweet seed, according to the variety.
🔹 Ripening: from May to July, depending on the area and the cultivar.
🍑 STORY AND INTERESTING FACTS
📍Asiatic origin: apricot trees were cultivated for the first time in China and central Asia, more than 4000 years ago. Its scientific name (armeniaca) comes from Armenia. This tree is thought to have been introduced from there into the Mediterranean basin.
🏛From ancient times to the present
✔️ The Romans called it “Armenian apple” and they propagated its cultivation throughout the empire.
✔️ During the Middle Ages, it was cultivated in monastery gardens, and it was prized for its taste and healing properties.
✔️ Since the 16th century, it has spread widely across Europe, and it has become a symbolic fruit of summer.
📜 Literary Quotes
William Shakespeare mentions this fruit in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Act III, Scene I), when Titania, the queen of the fairies, orders her servants to pick some apricots for her:
“Be kind and courteous to this gentleman,
Hop in his walks and gambol in his eyes;
Feed him with apricocks and dewberries,
With purple grapes, green figs, and mulberries.”
👉Here, apricots are described as refined, a symbol of sweetness and wealth.
📜 FUN FACT
The apricot in Marche Region is often called “viricoculu” in the local dialect. This name is very similar to the one of another type of tree, called “biricoccolo”, which is an odd crossbreed between cherry-plum and apricot trees.
We do not really know if the dialect term inspired the varietal name of “biricoccolo,” but we invite you to observe the different specimens to understand their similarities and differences and, above all, to taste their gorgeous fruits.
These contents were written and researched by the owners of the SiGi Agricultural Company in collaboration with the students of the Agricultural Technical Institute of Macerata.
If you would like to contribute to expanding the descriptions of these varieties, you can send an e-mail to info@agricolasigi.it
We launched the e-museum of ancient fruits thanks to a social farming project of the Marche region. The translation is by komalingua
This project enabled five young people with cognitive impairments, aged 20 to 25, to work on the farm. They were selected by psychologists and Anffas social workers, supported by the professional educator Il Faro and supervised by UniMc researchers. Coldiretti Marche handled communication and distribution.
This unique and challenging project led to the creation of both a physical and virtual museum of ancient fruits in SiGi’s garden. This is not only a great honor but also a significant commitment that we are willing to continue with everyone’s support. You can contribute to our projects by choosing our products, or you can do so directly here:
