What is "aprium"

n. (context neologism English) A plum-apricot cross, with characteristics of both fruits.

An aprium is a relatively recent hybrid fruit developed in the late 1980s by Floyd Zaiger. Apriums are complex crosses of plums and apricots, requiring several generations of crosses to create a new fruit.

Comprised genetically of one-fourth plum and three-fourths apricot, the aprium, like the pluot, is derived from another hybrid fruit called a plumcot.

Apriums resemble apricots on the outside. The flesh is usually dense. Apriums are noted for their sweet taste, due in part to their high content of fructose and other complex sugars. The flavor is a mix of apricot and plum aromas. Apriums are usually only available in the United States during the month of June, unlike the pluot, which can be seen in produce sections as far as into the fall season.

Planted trees (in Santa Clara County, San Jose, California) grow quickly and are smaller compared to other common home-grown apricots. The fruit is smaller (1/2 the size of a Katy apricot), gold with red coloration. The fruit often develops cracks in the skin and would be difficult to sell in stores.

Semi-mature fruit is hard and does not ripen if picked before completely mature. The taste of ripe apriums is an intense apricot taste with a hint of orange flavor. The fruit is drier and less juicy than most apricots.

The fruit is moderately resistant to brown rot fungus, and few insects are attracted to the tree.

"Aprium" is a registered trademark of Zaiger's Genetics.