The cultivation of apricot (Armeniaca vulgaris Lam.) is possible only in some regions of Poland, but there is still not too much information about trees pruning and forming in our climatic conditions. Studies were carried out in the years 2004–2006 in Przybroda near Poznań. Studies concerned effect of different tree pruning methods on growth and yielding of 3 apricot cultivars: ‘Goldrich’, ‘Hargrand’ and ‘Sirena’. During the first 3 years, tree crowns were shaped in a ‘vase’ form and pruning was carried out on three levels of intensity: intensive pruning, medium-intensive pruning and slight pruning. During the first 3 years after plantation, the effects exerted by the three pruning intensities were studied in reference to the growth, morphology of tree crown, flower buds setting and fruit yield. Obtained results showed that the most intensive pruning system increased width and projection of crowns. It also resulted in beneficial changes in fruiting zone of crowns by increasing number of branched longshoots and shortshoots, and higher length of not branched longshoots and sylleptic shoots. There was also better flower buds setting and yielding of trees pruned intensively. The highest yield was obtained from trees intensively pruned, the best yielded were trees cultivars: ‘Hargrand’ and ‘Sirena’ but the lowest yield was obtained from trees of ‘Goldrich’ cultivar.

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