Golden Amber Apricot History
GOLDEN AMBER APRICOT
L. E. Cooke Patent #3067 (Filed September 18, 1969)
Willard Clayton Hill had a Tilton Apricot orchard on Caldwell Ave, Visalia, California. He told Bob Ludekens about one tree in his orchard that flowered over a 30 day period and produced apricots ripening for 30 days. The extended time was not good for commercial plantings but is what a homeowner would want. When a tree has fruit ripening all in a few days, most is lost by the homeowner as they prefer to pick their fruit over a longer period, similar to berries.
Golden Amber produces the large fruit similar to a Tilton and is great for hot areas as it is the only late (July) fruiting apricot that does not pit burn in the May/June/July 100° weather of our san Joaquin Valley. The fruit is strong flavored and freestone that makes great halves with no soft flesh in the pit area from heat.
The 30 day bloom period is an advantage in the areas with late spring freezes. The spring freeze may get some flowers but others still fruit.
The tree is not a showy flowering trees since the bloom is spread over 30 days but has a high quality fruit in areas with late spring freeze and 100° May/June heat that pit burns most apricots. Golden Amber produces very large solid fruit with great flavor. The variety is a top choice like Tilton for dried apricots as they make good halves with strong flavor. Also it is excellent as frozen fruit and great on waffles in the winter. Tilton and Golden Amber are the only apricots Mrs. Robert Ludekens chooses to pick with 18 varieties close to their home.
1. Prolonged progressive blooming.
2. Prolonged progressive fruiting.
3. Pit burn resistant.
4. Large size fruit.
5. Excellent flavor.
6. Self fertile.
7. Good halves for drying, freezing, etc.
Robert Ludekens 12-26-2013