Suggested Peach Varieties for Southern Alabama

TABLE 1: YELLOW-FLESHED PEACH VARIETIES RECOMMENDED FOR COMMERCIAL USE1
. .

Chilling Hours

 . . .

Marketing
Variety Ripening Season (Days Before Elberta) Flower Bud Leaf Bud Stone Freeness Fruit4 Size Cold Hardiness Shipping Local Sales
Camden 58 750 750 Cling S to M F * *
Springold2 55 850 850 Cling S to M F to G * *
Bicentennial 51 700 700 Cling S to M F to G - *
Correll6,10 51 850 850 Cling S to M G * *
Springcrest 51 650 650 Cling S to M F to G * *
Flordaking6,7 51 400 400 Cling M to L P to F * *
June Gold6 47 650 650 Cling L F * *
Texstar6,10 45 500 500 Semi-Free M G * *
Sweethaven 42 850 850 Semi-Free M E - *
Maygold 39 650 650 Cling M F to G * *
Garnet Beauty 38 850 850 Semi-Free M G to E * *
Brighton6 34 750 750 Semi-Free M G * *
Sentinel2 32 850 850 Semi-Free M G * *
Harbrite6 26 850 850 Free M to L G to E * *
La Gold 25 700 750 Free M F - *
Rio Grande 25 450 450 Free L G - *
Sun Grande 25 450 450 Free L G - *
Harvester6 22 750 750 Free M to L G * *
Sunland6 21 750 750 Free L F to G * *
Velvet6 21 750 750 Free M to L G * *
Cary Mac6,11? 20 750 750 Free L F to G * *
Vivid6 18 850 850 Free M to L G * *
Majestic6 16 800 800 Free Very L F to G * *
Windblo6 13 800 800 Free L G * *
Loring3,6 12 750 950 Free Very L F to G * *
Canadian Harmony6 10 850 850 Free L G * *
Summergold6 10 750 750 Free M to L F to G * *
Madison 7 850 850 Free L G to E - *
Red Kist6,8 7 850 850 Free M to L G to E * *
Alred Elberta 4 750 750 Free M to L F to G * *
Cresthaven6 3 850 850 Free M to L E * *
Dixiland6 3 750 750 Free L F to G * *
Ruston Red6 3 850 850 Free L G * *
Sunprince6 3 800 800 Free L F to G * *
Redskin6 2 750 750 Free L F to G * *
. Ripening Season (Days After Elberta) . . . . . . .
Jefferson 3 850 850 Free L F to G * *
Autumnglo6 6 850 850 Free L E * *
Monroe 6 850 850 Free L G * *
Encore6,9 7 850 850 Free L E * *
Gemmer's Late Elberta 7 750 750 Free L G * *
Sweet Sue8 8 850 850 Free L F to G * *
Marqueen 11 750 750 Free L G * *
Rubidoux6 13 800 800 Free L G to E * *
Fairtime6 30 750 750 Free L F * *

1. Varieties with extremely low chilling requirements (400 to 450 hours at or below 45oF) should only be planted in Baldwin and Mobile counties and the lower portion of the Wiregrass area. This is because the earlier blooming habit of these selections makes them more prone to crop loss (from late freezes) even when grown in these southernmost areas.

2. Springold and Sentinel were originally released as 850-hour varieties. However, they will perform reasonably well with only 750 to 800 hours of chilling. Both perform well in Alabama. However, they suffer severly in extreme south Alabama following very mild winters and may fruit poorly.

3. Because of Loring's higher chilling requirement for leaf buds, it performs best in the upper half of the southern portion of the state.

4. S (small), M (medium), and L (large).

5. Overall hardiness rating (winter bud hardiness and flower hardiness) is as follows: P (poor), F (fair), G (good), and E (excellent).

6. Among best in season for commercial use (for their harvest period) for south Alabama.

7. Because of Flordaking's low chilling requirement is usually ripens at least 60 to 65 days before Elberta which makes it the earliest variety of all those listed in this table.

8. Patent rights controlled by Newark Nursery, Hartford, Michigan.

9. Patent rights controlled by Stark Bro. Nursery, Louisiana, Mo.

10. Texstar and Correll only perform as "best in their ripening season" when thinned early and judiciously (fruits spaced 6 to 8 inches apart). Girdling is very beneficial.

11. Patented variety (US plant patent 3965).

* Indicates fruits are best adapted to this type of marketing. In many cases (such as Sweethaven), the lack of fruit firmness prevents a variety from being shipped.


Return to Fruit Crops