Puget Gold Apricot
Pollination & Compatibility Guide
Puget Gold apricot pollination guide: self-fertile Washington release for cool, maritime springs with Group 3 bloom. Partners and bloom overlap.
Puget Gold Sets Fruit Alone (Partner Optional)
WSU Mount Vernon release (Bob Norton). Adapted to cool, maritime spring weather; self-fertile.
- Ploidy / Pool
- Diploid · Pool C
- Required Companions
- 0 (Self-Fertile)
- Bloom Group
- Group 3 (Mid-Late Spring)
- Harvest Timing
- Late Season
Flowering Period & Overlap Window
Apricots flower before peach, plum and cherry, so bloom overlap and spring frost decide most outcomes. Self-fertility varies by origin: many Mediterranean-type cultivars set alone, while several North American releases need a compatible partner flowering at the same time.
Puget Gold flowers within the apricot Group 2–4 window. Partner-dependent cultivars need a compatible apricot whose flowers overlap in the same days.
Compatible Pollination Partners (22)
| Cultivar | Bloom Group | Overlap Type | Harvest | Primary Uses | Interactive Test |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group 3 | Full Overlap | Early | Fresh Eating, Canning, Preserves | Test Cross | |
| Group 3 | Full Overlap | Mid-Late | Fresh Eating, Canning, Drying | Test Cross | |
| Group 3 | Full Overlap | Late | Fresh Eating, Canning, Drying, Preserves | Test Cross | |
AC Harojoy | Group 3 | Full Overlap | Mid-Late | Fresh Eating, Canning, Freezing, Jam | Test Cross |
Canadian White | Group 3 | Full Overlap | Mid | Fresh Eating, Preserves | Test Cross |
| Group 3 | Full Overlap | Early | Fresh Eating, Freezing, Canning | Test Cross | |
Harogem | Group 3 | Full Overlap | Late | Fresh Eating, Canning, Freezing, Jam | Test Cross |
Nugget | Group 3 | Full Overlap | Mid | Fresh Eating, Drying | Test Cross |
| Group 3 | Full Overlap | Mid | Canning, Drying | Test Cross | |
Robada | Group 3 | Full Overlap | Mid | Fresh Eating, Drying | Test Cross |
Skaha | Group 3 | Full Overlap | Mid | Fresh Eating | Test Cross |
| Group 2 | Full Overlap | Mid | Fresh Eating, Canning, Drying, Preserves | Test Cross | |
| Group 4 | Full Overlap | Early-Mid | Fresh Eating, Canning, Drying, Baking | Test Cross | |
| Group 2 | Full Overlap | Early | Fresh Eating (Hybrid) | Test Cross | |
| Group 2 | Full Overlap | Early | Fresh Eating | Test Cross |
Incompatible Varieties & Exclusions (7)
These cultivars cannot serve as pollinizers for Puget Gold because their flowering does not overlap, their pollen is unsuitable, or they share the same incompatibility group.
apricot incompatibility groups are only partly mapped, so only cultivars documented as reliable donors are offered. Goldbar is not one of them — that is a gap in the data, not evidence it is incompatible.
apricot incompatibility groups are only partly mapped, so only cultivars documented as reliable donors are offered. Goldrich is not one of them — that is a gap in the data, not evidence it is incompatible.
apricot incompatibility groups are only partly mapped, so only cultivars documented as reliable donors are offered. Goldstrike is not one of them — that is a gap in the data, not evidence it is incompatible.
apricot incompatibility groups are only partly mapped, so only cultivars documented as reliable donors are offered. Perfection is not one of them — that is a gap in the data, not evidence it is incompatible.
apricot incompatibility groups are only partly mapped, so only cultivars documented as reliable donors are offered. Rival is not one of them — that is a gap in the data, not evidence it is incompatible.
apricot incompatibility groups are only partly mapped, so only cultivars documented as reliable donors are offered. Sundrop is not one of them — that is a gap in the data, not evidence it is incompatible.
apricot incompatibility groups are only partly mapped, so only cultivars documented as reliable donors are offered. Tomcot is not one of them — that is a gap in the data, not evidence it is incompatible.
Grower Commentary: Puget Gold for Cool Maritime Springs
Puget Gold is a diploid apricot from Washington State University's Mount Vernon programme. Our record lists self-fertility, viable pollen and Group 3 bloom. Its selection for cool, maritime spring weather makes it a candidate where warmth and flight weather are limited at flowering, though a self-fertile tree still benefits from bee activity to move pollen within the flower.
Wet, cool springs are a challenge for any apricot, and cultivar choice does not replace site work. Choose sloping, well-drained ground, keep the canopy open and inspect for blossom and twig disease after prolonged rain. No cultivar chill figure is stored, so compare it with local winter records instead of copying another apricot's estimate.
Puget Gold ripens late in this catalogue, giving a useful extension after the earlier apricots. Thin heavy sets, pick as fruit softens and confirm the rootstock and drainage tolerance with the nursery before planting in heavy or wet soil.
Key Orchard Considerations for Puget Gold
Bred for cool, damp springs; still needs frost drainage.
Extends the picking season beyond earlier Group 3 trees.
Watch blossom and twig disease after prolonged rain.
Take Puget Gold from Planning to Planting
Use Kropigo's free browser tools to model your block density, tree counts, and pollinizer rows, then maintain permanent orchard records row by row.
Pollination Checker
Check Puget Gold against supported cultivars with compatible flowering and pollination data.
Commercial Block Planner
Calculate high-density tree spacing, row geometry, and establishment costs.
Block Record Keeping
Track pruning, chemical thinning, and harvest tallies block by block from the orchard.