 True Name/ Common Name:
Apricots – Prunus armenica Description of Look and Flavor: An 8-12 meter tree that flowers white or pink. The fruit resembles a small peach because of their slightly furry, golden skin that blushes red, but they have very little tang and a ton of sweetness. Growth Period/ Harvest –
They can handle plenty of cold in the winter, but apricots flower early so spring frosts can severely hurt a harvest. The season runs from the end of May through the beginning of July. Nutritional Info –
Apricots have about 50% of our daily beta carotene which is an active agent in cleaning arteries and fighting cancer. Our bodies also turns beta carotene into vitamin A which keeps the eyes healthy and moist. Plus apricots are packed with iron to strengthen the blood. Other Uses –
There is an alternative treatment for cancer that is just extracts from apricot seeds. History –
We think apricots originated in China near the Russian border . Most modern American apricots are directly descended from the trees brought here by Spanish missionaries. Myths and Legends –
Many believe apricots are an aphrodisiac, although not the military men, especially the tank drivers. To them apricots are a serious matter that is never to be discussed and always to be avoided. They believe that every tank that broke down in ww2 had some kind of apricot rations on board and that even today when a tank breaks there has been some connection with the fruit. So be careful the next time you deliver fresh fruit to a military tank. They may not appreciate the gesture. |
