Apricot
Can I Grow Harcot?
Harcot is the cold-climate apricot breakthrough — developed in Harrow, Ontario for northern growers. It combines good hardiness with excellent flavor and later bloom that dodges more frosts.
Growing Requirements
Chill Hours
700
Hardiness Zones
4-5-6-7-8
Harvest
Late July
Results
Enter your zip code to see if Harcot will thrive in your area.
You checked if it'll grow. Now make sure you remember what happens when it does.
Pruning dates, harvests, spray schedules, what worked. The gardeners who get the most from their trees are the ones who kept records.
Start your free tree logFree for up to 30 plants. No card needed.
About Harcot
Harcot is the cold-climate apricot breakthrough — developed in Harrow, Ontario for northern growers. It combines good hardiness with excellent flavor and later bloom that dodges more frosts.
Harcot requires 700 chill hours — the number of hours between 32°F and 45°F during winter dormancy. Without enough chill, the tree may fail to flower properly or produce poor fruit.
⚠️ Common Challenges
Still blooms early enough for frost damage in bad years; fruit is soft and doesn't ship well.
❌ Common Misconception
Can I grow Harcot in Zone 9 or warmer?
No. While Harcot is listed for zones 4-8, it requires 700 chill hours to produce fruit. Warm zones like 9+ typically receive only 200-400 chill hours. The tree may survive but will not fruit reliably. Consider low-chill alternatives like Anna apple (200h) or Tropic Snow peach (200h) instead.
If you plant it, write it down.
Variety, rootstock, planting date — and every pruning and harvest after that. Future you will thank you.
Free for up to 30 plants. No card needed.
Other Apricot Varieties
Chill hour data from Open-Meteo Historical Weather API. Variety information compiled from university extension services.