Apricot, Prunus armeniaca, is khubani, the sweet orange stone fruit of Ladakh, Kinnaur and Kashmir. Ladakh’s Raktsey Karpo apricot carries a geographical indication tag. Dried apricots are cooked into the Hyderabadi dessert khubani ka meetha. Bitter apricot kernels contain amygdalin, which releases cyanide, and have poisoned people who ate them as a health food.
- Botanical name
- Prunus armeniaca L.
- Family
- Rosaceae
- Tamil
- Apricot
- Hindi
- Khubani
- Parts used
- Ripe fruit
- Habit
- Apricot; peach is a cousin, not this fruit
- Last updated
- 2026-10-30
How to recognise Apricot
It is a small, spreading deciduous tree with broad, rounded, finely toothed leaves.
White to pale pink flowers appear on bare branches in early spring.
The fruit is a velvety, orange to yellow drupe with a groove down one side and a smooth, flat stone.
Peach, Prunus persica, has a larger, fuzzier fruit and a deeply pitted stone.
Traditional use of Apricot
Ladakhi and Himalayan food
Apricots are sun-dried on rooftops for winter. Sweet kernels are eaten like almonds, and kernel oil is used for cooking and skin.
Ladakhi practice
Hyderabadi kitchen
Khubani ka meetha, a dessert of stewed dried apricots, is served at Hyderabadi weddings.
Hyderabadi food practice
Modern notes on Apricot
Apricots are rich in provitamin A carotenoids, fibre and potassium. Dried apricots concentrate these.
Bitter apricot kernels, sold as a supposed cancer remedy, have caused cyanide poisoning. Clinical studies found amygdalin useless against cancer and dangerous to take.
Apricot safety
Eat the fruit and only kernels known to be sweet, in small amounts. Never eat bitter kernels.
Ecology and sourcing
It was domesticated in Central Asia and China and spread west along the Silk Road.
It flowers early and is vulnerable to spring frosts in the hills.
In Ladakh it grows at up to about 3,500 metres, in irrigated villages along the Indus.
Related plants
Also in Rosaceae
Questions about Apricot
What is khubani?
The Hindi and Urdu name for apricot, especially dried.
Are apricot kernels safe?
Sweet kernels in small amounts; bitter kernels are toxic.
Where are apricots grown in India?
Mainly in Ladakh, Kinnaur, Kashmir and Uttarakhand.
What is Raktsey Karpo?
A white-seeded apricot variety from Ladakh with a geographical indication tag.
Sources
- Prunus armeniaca L. — Plants of the World Online, Kew (search) (accessed 2026)
- Wikidata item Q37453 (Prunus armeniaca)
Educational page about a plant. It is not medical advice, not a diagnosis, and not an offer to sell. Traditional use is historical. If you need care, ask a licensed clinician. Questions: hello@meevamed.com.