Summer Delight Aprium is a late-ripening apricot-plum hybrid developed by renowned breeder Floyd Zaiger, bringing together the best traits of two stone fruits into a single tree. It produces medium-sized, golden-yellow freestone fruit with juicy, yellow flesh and exceptional flavor, ripening in late July through August when many other stone fruits have already finished. Hardy in zones 7-10 and reaching 15-20 feet at maturity, this tree takes 2-5 years to begin bearing but rewards patient growers with reliable crops of firm, delicious fruit that stands out for its later ripening window and minimal blushing on the skin.
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Full Sun
Moderate
7-10
240in H x 240in W
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Moderate
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Floyd Zaiger's decades of hybrid breeding work culminated in varieties like Summer Delight, which combines apricot sweetness with plum complexity in a tree that actually performs reliably for home growers. The golden fruit stays golden when fully ripe rather than blushing deeply, giving it a distinctive appearance and signal that ripeness has arrived. Late-season ripening means you'll be harvesting when most other stone fruits are finished, extending your homegrown fruit season into high summer.
Summer Delight apriuums are eaten fresh off the tree, where their firm freestone flesh and juicy character shine best. The yellow flesh and balanced flavor make them suitable for fresh fruit salads and summer table eating when stone fruit abundance peaks in late July and August.
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Summer Delight apricotsums are ready to harvest in late July through August when the skin has turned golden-yellow with little or no red blush. The fruit should yield slightly to gentle pressure when ripe, and freestone fruit will separate cleanly from the pit. Harvest by gently twisting and lifting the fruit from the branch, or clip with pruners if the fruit resists.
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“Summer Delight Aprium represents the successful work of Floyd Zaiger, a legendary fruit breeder whose hybridization program created some of the most beloved stone fruit varieties for home gardeners. By crossing apricot (Prunus armeniaca) with plum (Prunus salicina), Zaiger developed a new category of fruit called apricotsums or apriums, with Summer Delight standing out as a late-ripening selection. This variety has transitioned from nursery innovation to becoming established among backyard growers and homesteaders who appreciate both its unique flavor profile and extended ripening season.”