PrunusarmeniacaL.

CommonName Family Synonyms

Apricot Rosaceae Armeniacavulgaris.

KnownHazards

Thisspeciesproduces hydrogencyanide,apoisonthat givesalmondstheircharacteristic flavour.Thistoxinisfoundmainly intheleavesandseedandis readilydetectedbyitsbittertaste. Usuallypresentintoosmalla quantitytodoanyharm,anyvery bitterseedorfruitshouldnotbe eaten[65].Insmallquantities, hydrogencyanidehasbeen showntostimulaterespiration andimprovedigestion,itisalso claimedtobeofbenefitinthe treatmentofcancer.Inexcess, however,itcancauserespiratory failureandevendeath.Oral dosesof50gofhydrogen cyanidecanbefatal(=30gof kernelsor5060kernelsat2mg HCN/gkernel)[301].
Mosttreesgrowingapparently wildhaveescapedfrom cultivationbuttherearepure standsofthetreesinTibeton mountainslopesinsparse forestsatelevationsof700 3000metres[266]. E.AsiaN.China,Mongolia.

http://www.flickr.com/people/21932201@N04

Habitats

Range

EdibilityRating

MedicinalRating Care

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Turkey_apricot_RHS.jpeg

Summary

PhysicalCharacteristics

PrunusarmeniacaisadeciduousTreegrowingto9m(29ft)by6m(19ft)ata mediumrate. Itishardytozone5andisnotfrosttender.ItisinflowerfromMartoApril,and theseedsripenfromJultoSeptember.Theflowersarehermaphrodite(have bothmaleandfemaleorgans)andarepollinatedbyInsects.Theplantisself fertile. Suitablefor:light(sandy)andmedium(loamy)soilsandpreferswelldrained soil.SuitablepH:acid,neutralandbasic(alkaline)soils.Itcangrowinsemi shade(lightwoodland)ornoshade.Itprefersmoistsoil.

Habitats
WoodlandGardenSecondarySunnyEdgeDappledShadeSouthWall.By.WestWall.By. EdibleUses EdibleParts:FruitOilOilSeed. EdibleUses:GumOilOil.

Fruitraw,cookedordriedforlateruse[1,2,3,34].Thebestformsaresoftandjuicywithadeliciousrichflavour[K].WildtreesintheHimalayasyieldabout47.5kgof fruitperyear[194].Thefruitofthewildformcontainsabout6.3%sugars,0.7%protein,2.5%ash,2.5%pectin.Thereisabout10mgvitaminCper100gofpulp[194]. Thefruitisabout5cmindiameterandcontainsonelargeseed[200].Seedraworcooked[183].Bitterseedsshouldbeeateninstrictmoderation,butsweetonescan beeatenfreely[132].Thebitterseedscanbeusedasasubstituteforbitteralmondsinmakingmarzipanetc[4].Anediblegumisobtainedfromthetrunk[64].Theseed containsupto50%ofanediblesemidryingoil[4,57,61,183]. MedicinalUses

MedicinalUses

PlantsForAFuturecannottakeanyresponsibilityforanyadverseeffectsfromtheuseofplants.Alwaysseekadvicefromaprofessionalbeforeusingaplant medicinally. AnalgesicAnthelminticAntiasthmaticAntidoteAntipyreticAntisepticAntispasmodicAntitussiveDemulcentEmeticEmollient ExpectorantLaxativeOphthalmicPectoralSedativeTonicVulnerary. Apricotfruitscontaincitricandtartaricacid,carotenoidsandflavonoids[283].Theyarenutritious,cleansingandmildlylaxative[254.Theyareavaluableadditiontothe dietworkinggentlytoimproveoverallhealth.Thesaltedfruitisantiinflammatoryandantiseptic[283].ItisusedmedicinallyinVietnaminthetreatmentofrespiratory anddigestivediseases[283].Antipyretic,antiseptic,emetic,ophthalmic[194].Theflowersaretonic,promotingfecundityinwomen[218].Thebarkisastringent[254].The innerbarkand/ortherootareusedfortreatingpoisoningcausedbyeatingbitteralmondandapricotseeds(whichcontainhydrogencyanide)[218].Anotherreport saysthatadecoctionoftheouterbarkisusedtoneutralizetheeffectsofhydrogencyanide[238].Thedecoctionisalsousedtosootheinflamedandirritatedskin conditions[254].Theseedisanalgesic,anthelmintic,antiasthmatic,antispasmodic,antitussive,demulcent,emollient,expectorant,pectoral,sedativeand vulnerary[176,218].Itisusedinthetreatmentofasthma,coughs,acuteorchronicbronchitisandconstipation[176,279].Theseedcontains'laetrile',asubstancethat hasalsobeencalledvitaminB17[218].Thishasbeenclaimedtohaveapositiveeffectinthetreatmentofcancer,buttheredoesnotatpresentseemtobemuch evidencetosupportthis[K].Thepuresubstanceisalmostharmless,butonhydrolysisityieldshydrocyanicacid,averyrapidlyactingpoisonitshouldthusbetreated withcaution[218].Insmallamountsthisexceedinglypoisonouscompoundstimulatesrespiration,improvesdigestionandgivesasenseofwellbeing[238]. OtherUses AdhesiveDyeGumOilOilWood. Anediblesemidryingoilisobtainedfromtheseed[57].Usedforlighting[194].Theoilhasasofteningeffectontheskinandsoitisusedinperfumeryandcosmetics, andalsoinpharmaceuticals[4,61].Agreendyecanbeobtainedfromtheleaves[168].Adarkgreytogreendyecanbeobtainedfromthefruit[168].Woodhandsome, hard,durable.Agriculturalimplementsetc[146,194].