Let me tell you something – when I first started playing ARC Raiders, I had no idea how important these little fruits would be. I mean, who thinks about lemons and apricots when you’re trying to survive in a post-apocalyptic world filled with deadly ARC robots? But trust me, if you want to upgrade your favorite feathered friend Scrappy, you’re going to need to get familiar with these rare resources.
I’ve spent countless hours scouring every map, shaking every tree, and getting killed more times than I’d like to admit while hunting for these elusive fruits. But I’ve finally figured out the best spots and strategies, and I’m going to share everything I’ve learned with you right here.
Why Lemons and Apricots Are So Important in ARC Raiders?
Before we dive into where to find them, let me explain why you should even care about these fruits in the first place. When I first started, I ignored them completely – big mistake!
Scrappy, that adorable rooster hanging out in your workshop, isn’t just there for decoration. As you upgrade him, he becomes an absolute game-changer. The higher Scrappy’s level, the more resources he’ll passively collect for you while you’re out on missions. I’m talking metal parts, fabric, plastic, chemicals, rubber – all the good stuff that you normally have to risk your life to collect.
But here’s the catch: upgrading Scrappy requires specific resources, and lemons and apricots are among the hardest to find. For example, to get Scrappy to level 3, you’ll need 3 lemons and 3 apricots. And it only gets more demanding from there!
The Best Locations to Find Lemons and Apricots
Alright, let’s get to the good stuff. After exploring pretty much every corner of every map, I’ve found some reliable spots where these fruits tend to spawn. Keep in mind that spawn rates can vary, and sometimes you might get unlucky, but these locations have consistently delivered for me.
Olive Grove on Blue Gate – The Holy Grail
If I had to pick just one location to farm lemons and apricots, this would be it. The Olive Grove on the Blue Gate map is, hands down, the best place to find these fruits. Every time I’ve visited this area, I’ve found at least a few fruits, and during Lush Blooms events, it’s absolutely loaded.
What to look for:
- Small trees scattered throughout the grove
- Fruits lying on the ground around the trees
- Trees that you can interact with to shake fruit loose
Pro tip: The Olive Grove can get pretty crowded with other players who are also hunting for these fruits. I’ve learned to either go during off-peak hours or be prepared for some tense standoffs. Sometimes you can even team up with other players – after all, you’re all there for the same reason!
Gardens Between Library and Town Hall on Buried City
This is my second favorite spot, especially if I’m already running missions on Buried City. The gardens situated between the Library and Town Hall buildings usually have several fruit trees that can drop both lemons and apricots.
Why this spot works:
- Multiple trees in a concentrated area
- Close to an extraction metro station (huge plus!)
- Usually less crowded than Olive Grove
Warning: This area is surrounded by tall buildings and ARC robots love to patrol here. I’ve had more than a few close calls while harvesting fruits in this garden. Always keep an eye on your surroundings and be ready to bolt for the extraction point if things get hairy.
Marano Park on Buried City
Marano Park is another solid option, though I find it a bit riskier than the garden area. The park tends to be crawling with ARC robots, and it’s overlooked by multiple buildings where snipers love to set up shop.
When to visit:
- Early in the match when fewer players are around
- During Lush Blooms events for increased spawn rates
- When you’re feeling brave and want a challenge
My strategy: I usually do a quick sweep of Marano Park if I’m in the area, but I don’t make it my primary farming spot unless I’m desperate or the Lush Blooms modifier is active.
Grandioso Apartments Area on Buried City
This is actually one of my safer farming spots. Just to the east of the Grandioso Apartments, you’ll find a pond area where fruit trees tend to spawn. I’ve had good luck finding both lemons and apricots here, and it’s generally safer than Marano Park.
Advantages:
- Less ARC activity compared to other areas
- Good cover from the apartment buildings
- Usually fewer players farming here
South Swamp Outpost – The Hidden Gem
I almost forgot about this spot until I went back through my notes! The South Swamp Outpost, which is west of the Water Treatment Control in Dam Battlegrounds, can be a great place to find both lemons and apricots. It’s not as well-known as some of the other spots, so you might have better luck finding fruits that haven’t been picked clean by other players.
How to Actually Collect the Fruits?
Knowing where to go is half the battle, but you also need to know how to collect these fruits once you find them. I’ve learned a few tricks that have made my farming much more efficient.
Tree Shaking Technique
Most fruit-bearing trees in ARC Raiders can be interacted with. When you approach a tree, you’ll usually get a prompt to interact with it. Do this, and your character will shake the tree, causing any ripe fruit to fall to the ground.
My technique:
- Circle the tree first to check for any fruit already on the ground
- Interact with the tree to shake it
- Quickly collect any fruit that falls
- Move to the next tree and repeat
Ground Collection
Sometimes you don’t even need to shake the trees – the fruits will already be lying on the ground around them. I always make it a habit to do a quick visual sweep of the area before I start shaking trees. Those bright yellow lemons and orange apricots can be pretty easy to spot if you know what you’re looking for.
Basket Hunting During Lush Blooms
When the Lush Blooms map modifier is active, everything changes. This event increases the spawn rate of all Nature items, including our precious lemons and apricots. Even better, small wicker baskets start appearing in Raider Camps and Residential areas, and these baskets often contain multiple fruits.
Lush Blooms strategy:
- Prioritize playing on maps with this modifier active
- Check Residential areas like Santa Maria Houses for baskets
- Focus on areas marked with the Nature icon
- Be prepared for competition – everyone knows about Lush Blooms!
Advanced Tips for Efficient Farming
I’ve picked up some advanced techniques that have really improved my fruit-farming success rate. These might seem like small things, but trust me, they make a huge difference.
Tracking Your Progress
One of the best things I discovered is that you can actually track lemons and apricots through the Scrappy upgrade menu. Here’s how:
- Go to your Workshop
- Click on Scrappy’s icon
- Select “Train Scrappy”
- Look for the upgrade requirements
When you do this, the game adds a small diamond icon to the top right of lemons and apricots in your inventory and in containers. This makes them SO much easier to spot when you’re looting!
Safe Pocket Storage
I learned this lesson the hard way after losing a backpack full of rare fruits to a well-placed ARC sniper. Always, ALWAYS store your lemons and apricots in your safe pocket if you have one. Free loadouts don’t get a safe pocket, but if you’ve unlocked it, use it!
Why this matters:
- If you get killed, you keep items in your safe pocket
- These fruits are too valuable to risk losing
- It’s heartbreaking to spend 30 minutes farming only to lose everything
Map Awareness and Timing
I’ve found that certain times and situations are better for fruit farming:
Best times to farm:
- Early in the match when fewer players are around
- During Lush Blooms events (obviously)
- When you’re already in the area for other objectives
- Off-peak hours when servers are less crowded
Worst times to farm:
- Late in the match when extraction is imminent
- During intense firefights in the area
- When you’re low on health or resources
All the Uses for Lemons and Apricots
Now that you know how to find them, you might be wondering what you can actually do with these fruits. I’ve discovered several uses beyond just upgrading Scrappy.
Scrappy Upgrades
This is the main reason most people hunt for these fruits. Here’s what I’ve found about the upgrade requirements:
Scrappy Level 3: 3 Lemons + 3 Apricots Scrappy Level 5: 12 Apricots + 12 Mushrooms + 3 Comfortable Pillows
The higher levels get pretty demanding, which is why it’s so important to have reliable farming methods.
Crafting Recipes
I was surprised to discover that these fruits can be used in crafting too! Here are the recipes I’ve found:
Fruit Mix: 1 Lemon + 1 Apricot + 1 Prickly Pear Unexpected Initiative Quest: 1 Water Filter + 3 Lemons + 1 Water Pump
The Fruit Mix is particularly useful for certain quests and can be traded with other players if you have extras.
Trading and Economy
While I haven’t personally done much trading, I know that lemons and apricots are valuable commodities in the ARC Raiders economy. Many players are willing to trade other rare resources or even in-game currency for these fruits, especially if they’re trying to upgrade Scrappy quickly.
2026 Common Mistakes to Avoid
I’ve made plenty of mistakes while learning to farm these fruits efficiently. Let me share some of the big ones so you can avoid them.
Ignoring Safe Pockets
I already mentioned this, but it’s worth repeating. I lost a full inventory of fruits early on because I didn’t know about safe pockets. Don’t be like me – use your safe pocket!
Focusing on Only One Map
When I first started, I only farmed on Blue Gate because I heard Olive Grove was the best spot. But I was missing out on great opportunities on Buried City. Different maps have different advantages, and sometimes the less popular spots are actually more productive.
Not Checking All Locations
I used to just run to Olive Grove, grab what I could, and leave. But I’ve learned that trees don’t always spawn in the same places every match. Now I do a thorough sweep of all possible locations on each map to maximize my chances.
Playing During Peak Hours
Farming during peak server hours means more competition. I’ve had much better success playing during off-peak times when there are fewer players competing for the same resources.
My Personal Farming Route
After all this trial and error, I’ve developed a personal farming route that works really well for me. Here’s what I typically do:
- Check the map modifiers first – If Lush Blooms is active, I drop everything and go farming
- Start with Olive Grove on Blue Gate – This is my primary spot, so I hit it first
- Move to Buried City gardens – If Olive Grove is picked clean, I head here
- Check Grandioso Apartments area – This is my backup safe spot
- Quick sweep of Marano Park – Only if I’m feeling brave or desperate
- End with Residential areas – For basket hunting during Lush Blooms
This route usually takes me about 15-20 minutes, and I typically come away with at least 3-5 fruits, sometimes more if I get lucky with spawns.
Frequently Asked Questions
How rare are lemons and apricots really?
They’re definitely on the rarer side – I’d classify them as uncommon green items. Apricots seem to be slightly rarer than lemons in my experience, but both can be tough to find in large quantities.
Do fruits respawn during a match?
From what I’ve observed, once fruits are collected from an area, they don’t respawn during the same match. You need to move to different locations or wait for a new match.
Can I grow my own fruit trees?
Unfortunately, no. The game doesn’t currently have a farming or cultivation system, so you’re limited to finding naturally spawned fruits.
What’s the maximum number of fruits I can carry?
This depends on your inventory space and loadout. I typically try to collect as many as I can find and store them in my safe pocket for safekeeping.
Are there any other fruits I should be collecting?
Yes! Keep an eye out for olives and prickly pears too. Olives are used for higher-level Scrappy upgrades, and prickly pears are needed for the Fruit Mix crafting recipe.
Final Thoughts
Finding and using lemons and apricots in ARC Raiders might seem like a small part of the game, but trust me, upgrading Scrappy is absolutely worth the effort. The passive resource collection he provides at higher levels can be a game-changer, especially for solo players or small groups.
I hope this guide helps you on your fruit-farming adventures! Remember to be patient, stay safe out there, and don’t get discouraged if you have a few bad runs. We’ve all been there – sometimes the RNG just isn’t in your favor.
If you found this guide helpful, make sure to check out our other gaming guides for more tips and tricks. And if you have any favorite farming spots that I didn’t mention, drop them in the comments – I’m always looking to improve my routes!
Happy hunting, raiders! And may your pockets always be full of lemons and apricots.