Robada
Prunus armeniaca Robada is a large-fruited apricot. The orange fruits are usually flushed with red, and will ripen in the middle / late July in the UK.
Robada is one of the best apricots for spring blossom - the flowers are a little bit larger than most, and the bright white petals retain a hint of pink veins.
Robada apricot trees for sale
1-year bare-root
tree
on Weiwa rootstock£38.75
Mature height: 3m-5m after 10 years
Can be trained on to become a large free-standing fruit tree, or a half-standard fruit tree, or a large fan-trained fruit tree.
Available next season
Growing and Training
Robada is a hardy apricot, suitable for most situations - but like all apricots it does need warmth, shelter, and is best planted in full sun.
History
Robada was developed in California ... however it is one of the more reliable varieties for the UK climate.
Robada characteristics
- Gardening skillAverage
- Fruit persistenceNormal ripening
- Self-fertile?Self-fertile
- Pollinating othersAverage
- Pick seasonMid
- Picking monthJuly
- Keeping1-3 days
- Food usesEating freshCulinary
- PruningDo not prune
- Country of originUnited States
- Period of origin2000
- Fruit colourOrange / Red
More about apricot trees
Frankly, apricot trees are not that easy to grow in the UK. Our summers are not always hot enough, our spring weather is often too wet, and our winters are not cold enough. However with luck and care they make a really interesting addition to the home orchard.
For best results plant apricot trees in a sheltered spot in full sun, or train them as fans against a south-facing wall or fence. Well-drained soil is best, avoid areas where water pools over the winter. Avoid pruning apricot trees if you can, but promptly cut back and remove any signs of dieback on branches.
It's then just a matter of hoping for a nice sunny spring and a hot dry summer, followed by a nice cold winter! All apricots are self-fertile so you only need to plant one (although planting several different ones together will improve the crop). If you find there are lots of fruitlets after the blossom has finished, be ruthless in thinning them out - you will get a better crop and better flavours as a result.
Apricots also have excellent nutritional and medicinal properties, and contain more concentrations of beneficial compounds than most other fruit. They are one of the best natural sources of Vitamin A.
