Tomcot Apricot
Pollination & Compatibility Guide
Tomcot apricot pollination guide: partner-recommended Group 2 cultivar with conditional partial set and Harglow bloom-overlap caution.
Tomcot Needs a Compatible Apricot Partner
peaches-apricots.md names Tomcot explicitly as 'a good candidate for an explicit confidence flag' — this entry is that flag. Tomcot needs at least one compatible pollinizer from bloom group 1–3 to set a reliable crop. It is often sold as self-fertile, and it will set a reduced crop alone in reported self-fertile in most North American evaluations, but regional disagreement exists — plan for a pollinizer (Harglow) regardless — but that is climate-dependent, not genetic, so plan a pollinizer.
- Ploidy / Pool
- Diploid · Pool C
- Required Companions
- 1 Compatible Partner
- Bloom Group
- Group 2 (Early-Spring)
- Harvest Timing
- Early 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.
Tomcot flowers within the apricot Group 1–3 window. Partner-dependent cultivars need a compatible apricot whose flowers overlap in the same days.
Compatible Pollination Partners (19)
| Cultivar | Bloom Group | Overlap Type | Harvest | Primary Uses | Interactive Test |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group 2 | Full Overlap | Mid | Fresh Eating, Canning, Drying, Preserves | Test Cross | |
| Group 2 | Full Overlap | Early | Fresh Eating (Hybrid) | Test Cross | |
| Group 2 | Full Overlap | Early | Fresh Eating | Test Cross | |
Katy | Group 2 | Full Overlap | Early | Fresh Eating | Test Cross |
Royal Rosa | Group 2 | Full Overlap | Early-Mid | Fresh Eating | Test Cross |
Supercot | Group 2 | Full Overlap | Early | Fresh Eating, Canning | Test Cross |
Wenatchee Moorpark | Group 2 | Full Overlap | Mid | Fresh Eating, Canning, Drying | Test Cross |
| 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 |
Incompatible Varieties & Exclusions (6)
These cultivars cannot serve as pollinizers for Tomcot 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.
Grower Commentary: Tomcot and the Confidence Flag
Tomcot is a diploid apricot with Group 2 bloom and viable pollen. Our record lists one required partner but also a conditional partial set without one: it is reported self-fertile in most North American evaluations, yet regional disagreement exists. The source guidance flags it for explicit confidence, and the safe planting plan is to include a pollinizer regardless.
Harglow is the pollinizer named in the source note, but the record places Harglow in Group 4 and Tomcot in Group 2. That is a poor match on paper, so verify flowering dates locally before relying on it. Choose a partner that genuinely overlaps Tomcot's early bloom, and do not treat the partial-set note as a guarantee.
Tomcot ripens early. Early flowers are exposed to frost, so site drainage comes first. Thin heavy sets, keep airflow through the canopy and confirm rootstock and drainage with the nursery. Record set and bloom dates for several seasons before removing the partner.
Key Orchard Considerations for Tomcot
Conditional partial set exists, but plan for a pollinizer.
Harglow is Group 4 while Tomcot is Group 2; verify overlap.
Early flowers need cold-air drainage first.
Take Tomcot 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 Tomcot 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.