Apricot

Apricot (Prunus armeniaca)
Apricot (Prunus armeniaca)

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Common Name(s): Apricot

Scientific Name: Prunus armeniaca

Distribution: Native to eastern Europe and Asia; planted worldwide

Tree Size: 20-40 ft (6-12 m) tall, 1-1.5 ft (.3-.4 m) trunk diameter

Average Dried Weight: 46 lbs/ft3 (745 kg/m3)

Specific Gravity (Basic, 12% MC): .58, .74

Janka Hardness: 1,390 lbf (6,200 N)*

*Estimated hardness based on specific gravity

Modulus of Rupture: No data available

Elastic Modulus: No data available

Crushing Strength: No data available

Shrinkage: No data available

Color/Appearance: Heartwood is light brown, sometimes with a reddish or orangish cast. Darker brown streaks are common. Sapwood is generally thin, and  is slightly paler than heartwood.

Grain/Texture: Fine even texture with moderate natural luster.

Endgrain: Semi-ring-porous; solitary and radial multiples; medium to small pores sometimes arranged in broken earlywood rows, very numerous; mineral/gum deposits occasionally present; parenchyma not visible; medium to large rays, spacing normal.

Rot Resistance: No data available.

Workability: Areas with straight and clear grain are easy to work with hand or machine tools. Care must be taken when surfacing irregular grain or knots to avoid tearout. Apricot glues, turns, and finishes well.

Odor: No characteristic odor.

Allergies/Toxicity: Besides the standard health risks associated with any type of wood dust, no further health reactions have been associated with Apricot. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information.

Pricing/Availability: Not commercially available in lumber form due to very small tree sizes, Apricot is most commonly seen among hobbyists and other small specialty woodworkers and related retailers.  Most commonly sold in turning blanks or other small sections. Prices are likely to be high for a domestic wood.

Sustainability: This wood species is not listed in the CITES Appendices or on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Common Uses: Turned objects, musical instruments, carvings, and knife handles.

Comments: Although Apricot is related to Cherry (Prunus genus), it tends to be heavier and harder than Cherry, and much more scarce. Sizes are very limited, so Apricot tends to be assigned primarily to smaller, more decorative purposes.

Related Species:

Related Articles:

None available.

Scans/Pictures:

Apricot (Prunus armeniaca)
Apricot (sanded)

Apricot (sealed)
Apricot (sealed)

Apricot (endgrain)
Apricot (endgrain)

Apricot (endgrain 10x)
Apricot (endgrain 10x)
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Sieg Gerber

I recently saw a video of turning logs into lumber and got inspired. Just made a coaster out of a piece small piece of Apricot, I am actually shocked how nice the wood looks and it sands so smoothly. Very keen on making more out of Apricot and maybe even some peach.

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Manson Brien

Would apricot be good for making a Bo Staff?

Kevin Henschel

Robert your guitar is beautiful! Have you come across any examples of acoustic guitars made from apricot? I have not been able to find any. I too harvested an apricot tree that I planted at 5 from an apricot I ate from another tree in my backyard. 40 years later It needed to come down and thought can an acoustic guitar be made from my tree.

Robert Hartung

//:0 I made a guitar out of an Apricot tree in my yard that was diseased. Recovered good sections and dried for two years. There were some challenges but I’m very happy with the results.

Robert Hartung

Here are a few shots.

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Robert Hartung

Just realized that I should mention that the guitar neck is not apricot. The fretboard is pau ferro.

Alexey

I’ve just made a chopsticks from apricot wood. Looks so pretty.

Frank H Beurskens

Apricot is divine to turn – finishes glass smooth, turns easy, and color variation draws immediate attention. It does turn black against metal suggesting pretty high tannin content making it a great candidate for ebonizing.

Fyl

Add or presoak in some blacl tea, and you can ebonize just about anything pitch-black

Manny zohar

I had 2 small trees, the i germinated from a tasty apricot, and decided to plant. Never got any fruit, last year I cut one, but since I curve and sculptures in wood, I kept the wood. To my surprise, as I start cutting it to boards I discover how hard and beautiful light color this wood is.

Jack Wong

We had a really large apricot tree which was about 18-20″ in diameter. Had to cut it down due to disease and age. I have carved over 80 serving spoons. The wood is beautiful. I have re-saved a bunch of boards and they are drying in the shed. Plan on making cutting boards, boxes and probably more spoons. I cut two large 18″ rounds which are about 2 inch thick that I plan on making three legged stools as well.

Jack Wong

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Karen Bull

My husband made this clock from apricot wood.

Ken Culley

comment image I got a piece from a tree that had been cut down. It was twisted nearly 50 degrees in a piece only 15″ long but I managed to re-saw in such a way to make it usable. I have made a number of serving spoons. The grain has features that Chris L. describes as “surreal.”

Jack Wong

I concur that apricot wood is a very beautiful wood and have also made over 70 serving spoons. You are the first person that I have found that also carve spoons using apricot wood. Keep up the beautiful work.