I have a older Apricot tree that has produced about 6 pieces of fruit in 10 years.(it makes a great Shade) I'm wondering if the tree is too old?
I have pruned and watered it faithfully. My wife says cut it down. Can it be salvaged?
This tree and a dozen other fruit trees were on the propery when I bought it. I also have 2 apple trees with 2 varieties of apples on each, that produced a ton of fruit.

I’ve no idea where you’re located (thus my personal request in the please read first thread under ‘Viron’ - viewtopic.php?f=1&t=4 – regarding giving a location)… If it’s the Willamette Valley of Oregon, you’re prettymuch out of luck for a fruit-setting apricot tree. …further up the Columbia toward Hood River or The Dalles, perhaps the tree is “too old,” though I don’t know how old they get.

I believe the problem in the Willamette Valley is the fact they bloom so early it’s usually still (if occasionally extremely) wet and generally cold, thus little if any pollination. I’m not sure how ‘self fertile’ they are, either. Most fruit trees set far better with a pollinator; some don’t need one; and others won’t set without one. Again, I’m not sure how dependant Apricot trees are on an outside pollen source. …If anyone checks in to inform us it’s most likely lack of pollination – grafting on a pollinating variety could work… Though you'd still need the 'bee action.'

I can’t be much of a help. The nursery man I ignored decades ago warned me against buying an Apricot for ‘this valley’ and I didn’t listen. The tree lasted less than one year, which may have been Stark Brother’s fault, as they reimbursed me for its cost. But I’ve not tried again and as a longtime member of this organization, have met very few owners and seen very few producing Apricot trees on my travels to various home orchards and farms. My dad treks up the Columbia River for his Apricot fix…

If it’s still blooming, it’s trying; and if the blooms are pretty, the foliage is healthy and the bark’s still in tact, I’d leave it. It might surprise, or reward you. But if it’s not in good condition and is simply taking up space you could have a Desert King Fig sitting it – and beginning to ripen it’s consistent fruit about now -- I’d remove it.

In the Seattle area, there is no fruit tree that I can think of that is LESS likely to produce fruit than an apricot tree. They do notoriously poorly here in our mild climate West of the Cascades....but they do nicely East of the Cascades.

Not sure why. I would suspect early blooming as being the problem before I would suspect pollination. Sometimes the winter chilling degree days that is required for a particular variety is also a factor but I don't know much about that.

Different subject: I have been seeing a lot of apple and pear trees that are not producing year after year and they should be producing and I want to find out why....but that is is for another thread as another topic on another day.

One thing I am pretty sure of is this: old trees that have any health at all are usually capable of producing fruit.....it is not how old the tree is, but whether you have 2 to 5 year old young branches coming off of it that determines your fruit.

Thank you for your response. I am in Northern California in a somewhat coastal area, Sebastopol. This area was mostly known for Apples, now grapes. All of which do fine in the area. Even my pear tree does great. Apricot not fine.