'Ruža', a new apricot cultivar from Serbia

'Ruža' is a new apricot cultivar released by the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Belgrade. It originated as a spontaneous seedling and was introduced in 2014. Evaluation of this cultivar was done in comparison with the control cultivar 'Hungarian Best' over a 3-year period (2012-2014). It flowers late in the season, about 1 day after the control cultivar. It is self-compatible. The maturing time is the first decade of July, about 4 days after 'Hungarian Best'. Productivity is good, 34% higher than in the control cultivar. The fruit is ovate and large (67 g). The ground colour is deep orange, covered with a bright, solid red blush on the sunny side. The flesh is orange in colour, very firm and juicy. It is characterized by a high content of soluble solids (16.3%), a sweet-acidic, harmonic taste and a very strong aroma. The stone is relatively small, making up 4.8% of the fruit weight. It is easily separated from the flesh. The kernel has a sweet taste. Fruits can be kept for longer than a month in cold storage. They are suitable for both fresh consumption and processing. Thanks to its good productive characteristics, this cultivar can be recommended for commercial production in the Belgrade area and other regions with similar ecological conditions.