EC 1181 • Revised June 2002 • $1.00 ost Willamette Valley follows: prebloom, popcorn, full peaches are sold on the bloom, petal fall, and shuck Selecting M farm directly to consum- split to shuck fall. ers for home canning and Most peach varieties are self- freezing or at a nearby roadside fruitful; they do not require market or farmers market. pollination by another compat- PeachPeach andand Despite production difficulties, ible variety. This trait is fortu- peaches remain the most nate because bee activity, popular summer fruit at road- which is necessary for cross- NectarineNectarine side stands and in U-pick pollination, can be limited by orchards. cool weather in early spring. The climate in Oregon’s Orchards located 100 feet or Willamette Valley is character- more above the valley floor are VarietiesVarieties ized by mild, wet winters, with subject to less fog and frost and heavy rainfall in the spring to cooler temperatures. Some tapering off to nearly nothing peach varieties bear more for the in July and August. Peaches consistently on such sites than grown in this climate must be on the river bottom or first Willamette protected from diseases such as bench (the first elevation rise peach leaf curl, coryneum off the valley floor). blight, bacterial canker, and Unfortunately, irrigation Valley brown rot. Peach trees also water often is not available at often require protection from higher elevations. Although J. Olsen insect pests such as the peach peach trees can be grown on tree borer and the peach twig deep soils without irrigation, borer. they must be irrigated for Unless you protect your trees maximum fruit size and adequately, diseases and insects production. can damage them severely or Peach trees usually are grown kill them. Refer to OSU on peach seedling rootstocks Extension publication and are spaced about 20 feet EM 8419, Peach Pest Manage- apart on the square, giving ment Guide for the Willamette 108 trees per acre. Spacing Valley, for current pest manage- trees at 14 by 20 feet (155 trees ment recommendations. per acre) or even closer also is Peach bloom can begin feasible. However, with close during the last week of Febru- spacing, you must prune trees ary and continue into early more heavily and more fre- April. Bloom may extend over quently to prevent overcrowd- a 4- to 5-week period for a ing, maintain production, given variety. From dormant increase fruit size, and prevent buds, the bloom stages are as tree breakage. Jeff Olsen, Extension horticulturist, and Harry Lagerstedt, emeritus faculty; Oregon State University. plot before deciding which Sunhaven (early August) Peach varieties ones will best suit your needs. produces uniformly shaped, Most customers know the Springcrest (mid-July). The medium-size fruit that are name Elberta. Many know fruit are small to medium and nearly round. The skin is bright Redhaven, and a few recognize round, with skin showing a red red over golden, and the flesh is Veteran as one of the most blush on yellow. The flesh is yellow flecked with red. common peach varieties in the yellow, moderately firm, melt- Sunhaven is freestone when Willamette Valley. However, ing, and semifreestone when fully ripe and resembles because of numerous breeding fully ripe. Quality is good. Redhaven. The fruit have good programs around the United Springcrest is the earliest flavor and fine, firm texture; States and Canada, several new variety for the commercial they resist browning. The tree peach varieties are as good as, drive-in trade, but don’t plant is large, vigorous, and consis- or better than, these early too many; later varieties of tently productive. Less thin- introductions. better quality may follow soon ning is necessary than for other Although hundreds of peach after. varieties because the tree will varieties have been tested in Gemfree (late July). The support a large number of fruit. the Willamette Valley, only a fruit are large with a red-over- Redhaven (early August) few are grown here commer- yellow skin color. The flesh is once was the most extensively cially. For the most part, these yellow, meaty to melting, and planted freestone-type peach in varieties tend to bear more freestone. Cropping can be the world. Fruit size is medium regularly than others. You can heavy, with varying amounts of if the tree is well thinned. The overlook a peach’s inferior split pit from year to year. fruit are round with a promi- qualities if it bears fruit every Early Redhaven (late July) nent suture and apex (tip). year! originated as a “sport” (muta- Skin is yellow overlaid with The following varieties are tion) of the popular variety red; flesh is yellow with red listed in order of ripening. The Redhaven. Early Redhaven is around the pit. The fruit are approximate harvest dates reported to be a less reliable firm, fine textured, melting, are for the mid- to north producer than Redhaven, with and almost freestone when fully Willamette Valley. The time of a tendency to split pits and ripe, but the pits are difficult to harvest can be as much as 1 to coarser flesh. The flesh is remove (which discourages 2 weeks earlier in the southern yellow and semicling; the skin some canners), and the skin end of the Valley, especially for is red. Fruit are less pointed tends to tear easily during mid- to late-maturing varieties. than Redhaven’s, but the tree harvest. This variety has In general, early varieties tend resembles Redhaven. Very few outstanding flavor when fresh to be smaller and less sweet Early Redhaven trees are grown or frozen. Redhaven can have than later varieties, and they in the Willamette Valley. excessive split pits, and it is also have more split pits. Harbelle (late July) pro- susceptible to brown rot blos- Unless otherwise noted, all of duces large, round fruit with a som and fruit rot. the listed varieties have similar red blush on yellow skin. The The tree is vigorous and a levels of resistance to the main flesh is firm, melting, yellow, consistently heavy bearer, peach diseases. slow to brown, and freestone, except when there is spring Performance of peach and it has good flavor. The tree frost. In favorable years, varieties can differ from one is small, cold-hardy, of moder- Redhaven sets very heavy crops location to another, and from ate vigor, and a consistent that require extensive thin- one year to the next. Evaluate producer. ning. Redhaven trees also need new varieties in your own test heavy pruning to obtain the best possible fruit color. There are various mutant strains of withstands handling compara- times will be similar. Earlihale Redhaven in the nursery trade. tively well and is good for fresh is susceptible to bacterial Oregon growers recommend consumption, freezing, or blight. the Michigan strain. canning. Suncrest (mid- to late Harken (early August). The Fairhaven (mid-August). August). The fruit are large, fruit are medium to large, and The fruit are medium to large round, firm, and attractive deep the skin is yellow overlaid with and round. The skin is yellow red on yellow. The flesh is firm, red blush. The flesh is yellow, with red cheek (sides) and is melting, deep red, and free- firm, juicy, and almost smooth, smooth, but tough. The flesh is stone, with good texture and with a sweet, rich flavor. It is yellow, with red at the pit, very flavor. Suncrest may be one of freestone and slow to brown. firm, and moderately fine the best varieties for western The tree is productive, moder- textured. Fairhaven is free- Oregon growing conditions. ately vigorous, and cold-hardy. stone, resists browning, and has Tree vigor is moderate, so trees Redtop (early August) a good flavor, traits that are reasonably easy to prune. produces large fruit that are make it ideal for freezing and The open, pink bloom is nearly round except for a canning. distributed over the entire pointed apex. The skin is Canadian Harmony (mid- length of the limbs, and trees yellow with a red blush; the to late August) produces large, are consistently productive. flesh is yellow, very firm, and round fruit, mostly on the ends Fruit flavor is excellent, and fine grained. Redtop is good of branches. The skin is dull fruit are suitable for all kinds of canned or frozen. It’s the first orange with dark red cheek. processing. The firm flesh, deep true freestone of the growing The flesh is yellow at the apex, red color, and eye appeal season. The tree is willowy, and changing to bright red-orange permit handling and promote the fruit hang on the tree for up at the stem end, and freestone. sales in all types of fruit to 10 days when ripe. It is firm and juicy with a markets. July Elberta (mid-August). distinct aroma. The skin tends Loring (mid- to late A Luther Burbank variety to tear at the stem end when August) produces large, yellow introduced by Stark Brothers in fruit are picked. The tree’s fruit that aren’t as attractive as 1930, this variety also is known excessive vigor results in a the red varieties. The flesh also as Burbank Elberta and by greater need for pruning than is yellow, with red at the pit. It several other names. It’s often for many varieties. is freestone and has very good confused with the late-ripening Earlihale (mid- to late flavor. Loring is a reliable variety called Early Elberta or August) produces very large bearer and a satisfactory can- Improved Elberta, because July fruit with dark red skin. The ner, although it is soft. Elberta also is called Early flesh is yellow, firm, freestone, Glohaven (mid- to late Elberta.