Desert-Apricot, Prunus fremontii

Closeup photo of the white flower of a Desert-Apricot, with the sun shining through its green leaves
Desert Apricot in Flower

Anyplace where the western mountains meet the Anza-Borrego desert is a good place to look for Desert Apricot. This is a shrub which grows to a height of about 12 feet. If you can catch it on one of the few days in spring when its fragrant flowers appear, you likely will consider yourself lucky.

One good place to look for Desert Apricot is next to the jeep trail into Plum Canyon. People wonder why they called it is called Plum Canyon if that is where so much Desert Apricot grows. It may help to realize that Desert Apricot's scientific or Latin name is Prunus fremontii. A prune is a dried plum. And so why is it called Desert Apricot? See the photo of the fruit below.

Prunus fremontii is a Rosaceae.

Photo of a Desert Aprilcot shrub in fruit.
In late spring, the Desert Apricot's fruit appears