Frigida genes play a key role in regulating fl owering time in plants. In this study, we identifi ed 12 PmFRL genes and namedthem according to their chromosomal positions. These genes are unevenly distributed on fi ve chromosomes. Phylogeneticanalysis of Frigida-like proteins of four Rosaceae species and Arabidopsis thaliana showed that these proteins could bedivided into fi ve subfamilies (I–V), and subfamily I ( FRI ) was absent in Rosaceae species. To further reveal the potentialfunctions of these proteins, we performed duplication analysis and found three tandem duplication events and one segmentalduplication event. Tandem duplication promoted the expansion and evolution of the PmFRL genes. RNA-seq analysis showedthat the PmFRL genes were expressed in diff erent tissues, but there were signifi cant diff erences in the expression of somegenes during dormancy. RT-qPCR results supported the RNA-seq results, suggesting that PmFRL genes may be involvedin the regulation of dormancy in Japanese apricot. In conclusion, our comprehensive analysis provides information on theevolution and possible functions of PmFRL genes, laying a foundation for further research on the PmFRL family.