PEACH TREES

Peach trees are the ultimate symbol of summer. Their vibrant blooms and juicy fruit transform any backyard into a bountiful haven. But growing peaches isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s a little bit of science, too.

At Marcum’s Nursery, we’ve been selling peach trees for decades. We’ve learned a thing or two about how to get the best out of these delicious trees and created a comparison of the most popular peach varieties to help you choose the perfect one and a suitable pollinator for your garden.

Selecting the Perfect Peach Tree for Your Garden

The success of your peach harvest begins with selecting the right tree. Factors like your climate, available space, and desired flavor profile will all influence this decision.

Most varieties of peaches are self-fertile; however, those with Hale in their parentage will require another variety as a pollinator.  While many are self-fertile, all peach trees do better when planted near another peach tree that blooms simultaneously.

Here are some popular peach tree varieties, their productivity, and their pollination compatibility.

Peach Varieties

Each year, we stock peach varieties that perform well in our climate.  Most years, the varieties we stock are almost the same as our inventory from the previous year.  However, a variety or two sometimes varies from year to year.  Below are the varieties we have secured for 2024.

The Elberta peach tree is a classic, producing large, sweet fruit with firm yellow flesh and bright red skin. It’s also known for its hardiness, making it an excellent choice for colder climates. Mature height is between 10-15 feet and mature width is between 6-10 feet.

• Productivity: The Elberta peach tree is known for its high productivity, producing large quantities of fruit each season.
• Pollination: Self-fertile

The Bonfire peach tree might be your best bet if you’re looking for a smaller peach tree that still produces big flavors. This dwarf variety is perfect for small spaces and produces sweet, medium-sized fruit with red and yellow skin. The mature height and width is between 4-6 feet.

• Productivity: The Bonfire peach tree has moderate productivity, producing a decent amount of fruit each season.
• Pollination: Self-fertile

The June Gold peach tree is popular for its early ripening fruits. With sweet, juicy peaches ready for picking in late May to early June, it’s no wonder this variety is a fan favorite. Its compact size also makes it perfect for small gardens or patio containers. The mature height and width are between 12-15 feet.

• Productivity: The June Gold peach tree has moderate productivity, producing a decent amount of fruit each season.
• Pollination: Self-fertile

Loring peach trees are known for their large, juicy, sweet, tangy fruit. This variety is also self-fertile and requires little maintenance, making it an easy choice for beginners. The mature height and width are between 12-15 feet.

• Productivity: The Loring peach tree is highly productive, producing large quantities of fruit each season.
• Pollination: Self-fertile

The Redhaven peach tree is another popular choice, known for its early ripening and deliciously sweet fruit. Its medium to large-sized peaches have a firm, yellow flesh with vibrant red skin. The mature height and width are between 12-15 feet.

• Productivity: The Redhaven peach tree is known for its consistent productivity year after year.
• Pollination: Self-fertile

The August Lady variety might be your pick if you’re looking for a late-season peach. This tree produces large, firm peaches with yellow flesh and red skin in the late summer months. The mature height and width are between 15-20 feet.

• Productivity: The August Lady peach tree has high productivity, producing large quantities of fruit each season.
• Pollination: Self-fertile

The Belle of Georgia peach tree is known for its extensive, sweet peaches with white flesh and red skin. This variety is an excellent option for those looking to plant multiple trees in their garden. The mature height and width are between 12-15 feet.

• Productivity: The Belle of Georgia peach tree has moderate productivity, producing a decent amount of fruit each season.
• Pollination: Self-fertile

The Harvester peach tree is famous for home gardeners due to its abundant, high-quality fruit. This variety has firm, sweet peaches with yellow flesh and red skin. The mature height is between 10-15 feet and mature width is between 5-10 feet.

• Productivity: The Harvester peach tree is highly productive, producing large quantities of fruit each season.
• Pollination: Self-fertile

The Ruston Red peach tree is a hardy variety that can withstand colder climates. It produces large, firm peaches with yellow flesh and red skin. The mature height and width are between 12-15 feet.

• Productivity: The Ruston Red peach tree has moderate productivity, producing a decent amount of fruit each season.
• Pollination: Self-fertile

The El Dorado peach tree is a dwarf variety that produces deliciously sweet fruits perfect for snacking. Its compact size makes it ideal for small gardens or patio containers. The mature height and width are between 3-5 feet.

• Productivity: The El Dorado peach tree has moderate productivity, producing a decent amount of fruit each season.
• Pollination: Self-fertile

The Honey Babe peach tree is a dwarf variety that produces small, sweet peaches perfect for snacking or canning. Honey Babe’s mature height is between 8-10 feet and mature width is between 6-8 feet.

• Productivity: The Honey Babe peach tree has moderate productivity, producing a decent amount of fruit each season.
• Pollination: Self-fertile

The Snow Babe peach tree is a dwarf variety that produces small, white-fleshed peaches with yellow skin. The mature height and width is between 5-6 feet.

• Productivity: The Snow Babe peach tree has moderate productivity, producing a decent amount of fruit each season.
• Pollination: Self-fertile

The White Lady peach tree is unique, with white-fleshed peaches and yellow skin. Its sweet, juicy fruit makes it a popular choice for fresh eating or canning. White Lady Peach Trees mature at around 15-25 feet high and 12-15 feet in width.

• Productivity: The White Lady peach tree has moderate productivity, producing a decent amount of fruit each season.
• Pollination: Self-fertile

The Contender peach tree is a newer variety gaining popularity for its excellent taste and hardiness. Its large, yellow-fleshed peaches have a red blush and are perfect for fresh eating or canning. The mature height and width are between 12-15 feet.

• Productivity: The Contender peach tree has high productivity, producing large quantities of fruit each season.
• Pollination: Self-fertile

The Flameprince peach tree is a late-season variety that produces large, juicy peaches with yellow flesh and orange-red skin. This hardy tree matures at heights and widths between 10-15 feet.

• Productivity: The Flameprince peach tree has high productivity, producing large quantities of fruit each season.
• Pollination: Self-fertile

SOURCES

• https://www.texaspecannursery.com/
• https://extension.okstate.edu/topics/plants-and-animals/crops/fruits-and-tree-nuts
• https://www.davewilson.com/