COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE • UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, LEXINGTON, KY, 40546 HO-6 Peach Cultivar Performance Dwight Wolfe and John Strang, Department of Horticulture he commercial success of a peach Table 1. A “Peach Cultivar of the Week” selection table. orchard depends largely on select- Approx. T Weeks ing cultivars that will perform reliably Before/After and meet market needs. Early, mid, and Redhaven Rating Yellow-Fleshed Rating White-Fleshed 5-6 1 Harrow Diamond late season cultivars can be used to ex- 2 Candor tend or concentrate the season to match 4-5 1 Flamin’ Fury PF 1 a specific market (see Tables 1 and 2). 3-4 1 Flamin’ Fury PF 5 B 3 Spring Snow For cold sites, hardy cultivars (Table 2-3 3 Harrow Dawn 3 Early White Giant, Sugar May 1-2 1 Flamin’ Fury PF 7, Gala, Glenglo, 3) may be preferred to better-quality Harbelle, Sentry cultivars that yield poorly under severe 3 Flat Wonderful1, Garnet Beauty conditions. Cultivars that “hang” well Redhaven 1 Redhaven 3 Raritan Rose, Snow Brite, White (about July 18) 3 Early Loring, Reliance*, Red Star, NJ Cloud (A-499) (do not drop fruit as they mature) and F151,3, NJ F161, Vinegold3 have resistance to bacterial spot will 0-1 1 Flamin’ Fury PF Lucky 13, John 1 White Lady minimize production problems. These Boy, Topaz (plus third pickings of Redhaven) factors and others are discussed in the 3 Starfire 3 Nectar, Saturn1 University of Kentucky Cooperative 1-2 1 Ernie’s Choice, Flamin’ Fury PF 17, 3 Galaxy1, Klondike White Extension publication Growing Peaches Jim Dandee 3 Flamin’ Fury PF 15A, John Boy II in Kentucky (HO-57). 2-3 1 Allstar, Bounty, Contender, Many local sales operations need a se- Coralstar, Flamin’ Fury PF 20-007, quence of cultivars ripening throughout Flamin’ Fury PF 23, Majestic 2 Loring (buds not hardy) the season. As a rule, a cultivar can be 3 Flamin’ Fury PF Lucky 21 harvested over a week to 10 days. Table 3-4 1 Cresthaven, Flamin’ Fury 24C 1 Blushingstar 1 is a listing of some of the leading cul- 3 Madison*, Glowingstar, Scarlet 3 Sugar Giant Prince, Flamin’ Fury PF Lucky 24 B, tivars arranged in approximately weekly Flamin’ Fury PF 25, Gloria, Messina, order of ripening as an aid in selecting a Redkist, Sweet-N-Up2 cultivar sequence. 4-5 1 Biscoe*, Encore, Flamin’ Fury PF 27A, 1 Lady Nancy Jerseyglo, Flamin’ Fury PF 35-007, Although many fruit and tree charac- Redskin teristics are presented in this report, the 5-6 1 Flame Prince, Laurol 1 Snow King final cultivar selection should be deter- 3 Late Cresthavens 6-7 3 Flamin’ Fury PF 28-007 3 Snow Giant mined by the grower. A grower may be 7-8 1 Ouachita Gold, Victoria influenced by soil type, local climate, or 3 Parade marketing methods and prefer a cultivar Ratings: 1 = recommended; 2 = not fully recommended; 3 = dependable under certain conditions and are useful in many cases, though with various limitations. that is not a general favorite. Growers * Hardy cultivars, of special use in colder sites should have test plots of two to four trees 1 Peento, saucer, or doughnut-type peaches 2 Pillar and upright peach growth forms of new cultivars to help them judge the 3 Non-melting flesh performance in their orchard. Aids in Identifying Peach Cultivars soon after planting. Following is infor- third week of July, with July 18 the aver- Too often growers discover a cultivar mation to help identify cultivars: age ripening date. The number of days mistake when a new planting comes into Days before or after Redhaven—At the after Redhaven that a particular cultivar bearing. By carefully examining leaf UK Research and Education Center at ripens may vary due to climate and loca- glands and blossom types, some nursery Princeton, Kentucky, Redhaven peaches tion, and listings among nursery catalogs and planting errors can be discovered usually ripen between the second and may vary for any given cultivar. Agriculture and Natural Resources • Family and Consumer1 Sciences • 4-H Youth Development • Community and Economic Development EXTENSION Leaf Color—Leaf color indicates wheth- and Elberta. A magnifying glass is often Many introductory cultivar descrip- er a tree is a yellow-fleshed or a white- needed to see these distinctions clearly tions and a few nursery catalogs provide fleshed cultivar. The yellow-fleshed (Figure 1). blossom type and leaf gland type for each cultivars have yellowish green leaves Blossom Types—Some cultivars such cultivar. The season of ripening, color of with a yellowish tinge to the leaf midrib as Redhaven, Biscoe, and Elberta have flesh, and whether the fruit is freestone on the lower surface. White-fleshed small, red (non-showy) blossoms. Others or clingstone are also usually described. peaches have whitish green leaves with such as Loring, Redskin, and Rio Oso Growers are welcome to observe the whitish leaf midribs. These differences in Gem have large pink (showy) blossoms. cultivars trial at the University of Ken- leaf color can be seen from several yards Though now seldom seen in Kentucky, tucky Research and Education Center, away. some peach cultivars have white blos- Highway 91 in Princeton. Leaf Gland Types—The small peach leaf soms. This publication presents the obser- glands are on the base of the leaf blades In this publication, the leaf gland type vations of UK extension and research and just below the leaf blade on the top and blossom type are given for many horticulturists, producers, and other part of the leaf stem. However, a few cul- cultivars to help the producer determine enthusiasts regarding the performance tivars are without glands (eglandular), cultivar identity. When detected early, of many peach cultivars in Kentucky. It and their leaf margins are more deeply some cultivar mistakes can be corrected is intended to serve as a useful tool in indented (serrated). The leaf glands are by top- budding the trees to the correct choosing cultivars for the new orchard. round (globose) on some cultivars, such cultivar or by tree removal and replant- Valuable information may also be as Reliance, Harken, and Loring, and ing. Top-budding suggestions are avail- obtained from other growers, nursery they are kidney-shaped (reniform) on able from your Cooperative Extension catalogs, and journals with description such cultivars as Redskin, Redhaven, fruit specialist. of new cultivar releases. Figure 1. Peach leaf gland types. no glands (eglandular) round glands (globose) kidney-shaped glands (reniform) USDA Yearbook of Agriculture: 1937. 2 Table 2. Descriptive characteristics of “Cultivar of the Week.” Approx. Days Before/After Gland Shape and Cultivars1 Redhaven Blossom Type Number2 Stone3 Exterior Color PEACHES Yellow Flesh Flamin’ Fury PF 1 -30 to -23 non-showy pink K, 1 on each side at ½ C 90% red over yellow leaf base Flamin’ Fury PF 5B -23 to -22 pink K, 2-4 C 80% red over yellow Flat Wonderful -14 large, showy pink K, 1-5 C 30% scarlet red over orange-yellow Harrow Dawn -14 pink K, more than 2 S 60% red over yellow to orange-yellow Sentry -14 non-showy R ½ C 60-70% red over green-yellow Glenglo -13 midsize showy rich pink N ½ C 40-70% red over yellow-orange Flamin’ Fury PF 7 -14 to -12 midsize, partially showy K, 0-2 (avg 1) F 80% red over yellow pink Harbelle -12 small salmon R, 2 F 60% bright red over cream-yellow Harrow Diamond -11 showy pink R, 2 F 60-70% bright red blush over yellow Candor -10 small red K ½ F 75% red over rich yellow Garnet Beauty -10 small K ½ F yellow overlaid, red to deep red, attractive Gala -8 small non-showy K ½ F 70% bright red over yellow-orange Early Loring -5 to +1 R F more red than Loring Vinegold -4 K C 40% red over orange-yellow NJ F15 -3 to 0 med to large showy pink K, 4 to 8 (avg 5.5) C mottled red over bright yellow-orange, a Peento Reliance -3 to +5 small red R, 2-4 F dull red over yellow Redhaven 0 midsize red non-showy K, 1-6 F red to deep red over yellow Redstar +1 non-showy red-purple R, 2-3 (avg 2) ½ F 80% scarlet red over yellow-orange Starfire +1 non-showy red-purple R, 2-5 (avg 4) F 80% red with a mottled red stripe over yellow- orange Flamin’ Fury PF 15A +1 to +8 midsize partially showy K, 1 to 5 (avg 2 at F 80% red over yellow reddish-pink leaf base or top of petiole) Topaz +1 R F bright yellow skin beneath dark red blush NJ F16 +3 large salmon pink K, 0-5 (avg 3.6) C 100% golden yellow Flamin’ Fury PF Lucky +3 to +6 light pink R (avg 2) F 60-80% scarlet red over yellow to light yellow 13 John Boy +3 to +9 midsize strong pink R (avg 3) ½ F 70-80% deep reddish orange over yellow John Boy II +5 to +13 mid-size showy rich pink mostly R, some K F 70-80% highly blushed deep orange-red over yellow-orange Jim Dandee +7 midsize red non-showy somewhat oval with F bright red over yellow depressed centers Ernie’s Choice +10 to +11 large showy pink R F 65% mottled red blush over bright yellow Coralstar +10 to +19 med showy K, 2-3 F 80% red in a mottled striping pattern over orange- yellow Bounty +12 to +20 K F 40-70% red blush over greenish yellow Flamin’ Fury PF 17 +12 to +13 med pink K, 1-4 (avg 3) at F 80% crimson red over yellow leaf base & top of petiole) Flamin’ Fury PF Lucky +11 to +12 midsize non-showy R cupped, 1-4 F 100% dark red 21 pinkish red Loring + 13 to +15 large pink R F bright red over yellow Allstar +15 to +17 med showy R, 3-5 (avg 3) F 90-100% red blush over yellow-orange Flamin’Fury PF 20-007 +15 to +22 small, oval, 1-4 F 60-80% red over yellow Majestic +16 large showy rose colored K F 60% med red over greenish yellow Contender +16 to +20 non-showy K, 1-4 F 80% crimson red over scarlet-yellow Glowingstar