Stephen Albert
There are more than 2,000 varieties of peaches. That’s a lot to choose from.
There is no better way to pick a peach (and spend a day) than taste testing peaches at your local farmers market. There is a favorite peach taste for everybody.
To find the best peach, first take a whiff: a ripe peach should be sweetly fragrant. Next, give the peach a gentle squeeze: a ripe peach won’t be too hard; it should be soft to the squeeze. Keep in mind that the color of a peach tells more about what variety it is than its maturity or ripeness. So don’t assume the best peach has a peachy color; it could be more white or greenish-white than peach colored.
And remember that different peach varieties come to harvest at different times of the summer. So you should be able to find a ripe peach–of one variety or another–from late spring all the way to Halloween.
Once you’ve spent some time getting to know peaches, every visit after will be rewarding.
Peach varieties for the home garden:
Arctic Supreme: large peach with red-over cream skin; white flesh with great flavor. Considered on of the best; clingstone. Midseason harvest.
August Pride: large, round peach with red-blushed yellow skin; yellow flesh with good texture and flavor; freestone from California. Midseason harvest.
Babcock: small to medium-sized fruit with fuzzless blushed skin; white flesh is tender, juicy, and tangy-sweet; semi-freestone from California. Early harvest.
Baby Crawford: small fruit with slightly blushed golden orange skin; yellow flesh with exceptional flavor; freestone. Midseason harvest.
Belle of Georgia: large peach with red over creamy white skin; firm, white flesh; freestone from Georgia. Late harvest.
Bonanza II: large peach with attractive red and yellow skin; deep yellow to orange flesh with good flesh and melting texture, highly aromatic; freestone from California. Genetic dwarf tree. Midseason harvest.
Bonita: medium to large peach with light yellow skin that has a deep red blush; firm, yellow flesh with good flavor; freestone from California. Midseason harvest.
Cardinal: medium fruit with bright red over yellow skin; the flesh is yellow, firm with a melting texture; freestone from Georgia. Early midseason harvest.
Cresthaven: medium to large peach with golden skin overlaid with red; firm, yellow flesh is juicy and resists browning; freestone from Michigan. Late harvest.
Dessert Gold: medium, round fruit with red-blushed yellow skin; yellow flesh; semi-clingstone from California. Early midseason harvest.
Dixie Red: medium-sized peach with red skin and light fuzz; colors before it matures; firm, yellow flesh with moderately good flavor; semi-freestone from Georgia. Early midseason harvest.
Donut (Stark Saturn): medium-size peach-shaped like a donut with a sunken middle; white skin with a red blush; white flesh is mildly sweet; freestone. Early harvest.
Earlihale: medium to large fruit with mostly dark red skin; firm, yellow flesh has good flavor; freestone from Maryland. Midseason harvest.
Early Amber: medium peach with dark red-blushed yellow skin; orange-yellow, medium-firm flesh; freestone from Florida. Early harvest.
Early Elberta (Gleason): large fruit with slightly red-blushed yellow skin; yellow flesh; freestone from Utah. Midseason harvest.
Elberta: large peach with blushed-red deep golden skin; yellow, slightly bitter flesh; freestone from Georgia. Midseason harvest.
El Dorado: medium-size peach with red-blushed yellow skin; yellow flesh is richly flavored; freestone. The tree is a genetic dwarf. Early harvest.
Empress: large peach with pink to red skin; sweet, juicy flesh; from California. The tree is a genetic dwarf. Late harvest.
Eva’s Pride: medium to large peach with yellow skin; yellow flesh is has a fine flavor; freestone. Early harvest.
Fairhaven: medium fruit with red-cheeked and dotted red yellow skin; firm, yellow, juicy flesh with good flavor; freestone from Michigan. Midseason harvest.
Fairtime: large peach with red-blushed skin; firm, yellow flesh with smooth, melting texture and good flavor; freestone from California. Late harvest.
Fantastic Elberta: large peach with brightly blushed-red deep golden skin; yellow, slightly bitter flesh; freestone from California. Midseason harvest.
Fay Elberta (Gold Medal): large peach with brightly blushed-red deep golden skin; yellow, slightly bitter flesh; freestone from California. Midseason to late harvest.
Flavorcrest: large round peach with red-blush over yellow skin; firm, yellow flesh has excellent flavor and fine texture; from California. Midseason harvest.
Floridaprince: medium to large peach with red-blushed yellow skin; yellow flesh is good quality; semi-freestone from Florida. Very early harvest.
Fortyniner: large peach with bright-red blushed yellow skin; yellow, fine-textured flesh; freestone from California. Early midseason harvest.
Frost: medium-size fruit with slight red-blushed yellow skin; yellow flesh with tangy flavor; freestone. Midseason to late harvest.
Garden Gold: large fruit with yellow skin and slight red blush; the flesh is yellow with red near pit; from California. The tree is a genetic dwarf. Late harvest.
Gold Dust: small to medium fruit with mottled and streaked red sin; yellow flesh is great quality; freestone from California. Early harvest.
Golden Gem: large fruit with yellow skin; yellow flesh with red pit cavity; firm flesh has excellent flavor; from California. The tree is a genetic dwarf. Early harvest.
Golden Glory: very large fruit with golden skin that is red blushed; the flesh is yellow, juicy and good flavored; from California. The tree is a genetic dwarf. Late harvest.
Golden Jubilee: medium to large peach with mottled bright red skin; yellow flesh is soft with melting texture and good quality; freestone from California. Midseason harvest.
Halehaven: medium to large fruit that is partially red over greenish-yellow skin; yellow, juicy, flavorful flesh; freestone from Michigan. Midseason harvest.
Halford: large fruit with yellow skin; yellow flesh with non-melting texture; clingstone from California; Late harvest.
Halloween: large fruit with red-blushed yellow skin; firm, yellow flesh; freestone from California. Late harvest–about Halloween.
J.H. Hale: very large peach with yellow skin blushed with red and little fuzz; yellow flesh with good flavor and aroma; freestone from Connecticut. Midseason to late harvest.
Halehaven: medium to large peach with red skin; firm, yellow flesh is juicy and good flavored; freestone. Midseason harvest.
Harken: large fruit with yellow skin and red blush; yellow flesh is very sweet; freestone. Midseason harvest.
Honey Babe: small to medium peach with yellow skin and red blush; yellow sweet-flavored flesh; freestone. The tree is a genetic dwarf. Midseason harvest.
Indian Blood Cling (Indian Cling): medium-size fruit with red skin; yellow flesh is streaked with red and richly flavored; good for preserves; clingstone. Late harvest.
Indian Free: large peach with greenish-white skin and red blush; yellow flesh is red-tinged with a deep red pit; rich and aromatic when ripe; freestone. Late midseason harvest.
July Elberta (Kim Elberta): medium round fruit with dull red streaks over greenish-yellow skin. The yellow fruit is firm, fine-grained and very good flavor. Small pit. Good fresh or canned. Developed by Luther Burbank. Freestone from California. Midseason harvest.
Loring: large, round peach with attractive red-blushed skin. Yellow, firm and melting flesh with medium texture, moderately juicy with excellent flavor. Soft when canned or frozen; freestone from Missouri. Midseason harvest.
Madison: medium fruit with bright red over orange skin; orange-yellow flesh that is bright red near pit; firm, fine-textured with rich flavor; non-stringy, non-browning flesh use fresh, frozen or canned; freestone from Virginia. Late harvest.
May Pride: large peach with red skin; yellow flesh is sweet with a slight tang; freestone. Early harvest.
Melba: large fruit with pale yellow skin; white flesh is sweet, juicy with honey flavor; freestone from Texas. Midseason harvest.
Midpride: medium to large peach with red-blushed yellow skin; firm flesh has a distinctive orange flavor; good for canning; freestone from California. Midseason harvest.
Nectar: medium-large fruit with pink to red blush; white flesh is sweet, juicy, and aromatic and excellent flavor; freestone from California. Midseason harvest.
New Haven: large peach with red-blushed yellow skin; yellow flesh good quality; freestone. Midseason to late harvest.
O’Henry: large fruit with red-blushed yellow skin; yellow flesh is streaked red and has fine flavor; freestone. Midseason harvest.
Orange Cling (Miller Cling): large fruit with red-blushed skin; deep yellow flesh has a firm texture, good for canning; clingstone from California. Midseason to late harvest.
Pix Zee: large peach with red-blushed yellow skin; yellow flesh has good flavor; freestone. The tree is a genetic dwarf. Early to midseason harvest.
Polly: medium peach with red-blush white skin; white flesh is juicy and aromatic; freestone from Iowa. Midseason harvest.
Q 1-8: medium size peach with yellow skin and red blush; white flesh is sweet and flavorful; semi-freestone. Early harvest.
Red Baron: large fruit with yellow skin; yellow flesh is sweet and richly flavored; freestone. Midseason to late harvest.
Redhaven: medium fruit with brilliant red over yellow skin; yellow flesh is juicy, sweet, and fine-grained; great fresh or canned; semi-freestone from Michigan. Early to midseason harvest.
Redskin: medium peach with yellow skin and abundant deep red blush; yellow, firm somewhat fibrous flesh; use fresh, canned or frozen; freestone from Maryland. Midseason harvest.
Redtop: large peach, the skin is almost fully blushed red over yellow; yellow flesh is firm and fine-grained; good fresh, canned or frozen; freestone from California. Midseason harvest.
Redwing: medium fruit with red over yellowish skin that colors before maturity; white, firm, juicy, sweet flesh that is lightly perfumed; freestone from California. Early harvest.
Reliance: medium fruit with dark red over yellow skin; firm, yellow flesh with good flavor; freestone from New Hampshire. Early to midseason harvest.
Rio Grande: medium to large peach with a red blush over yellow skin; firm, yellow flesh with a medium-fine texture that is juicy with delicate flavor; freestone from Florida. Early harvest.
Rio Oso Gem: large fruit with bright red skin; firm, yellow flesh is fine-textured great for eating out of hand; freestone from California. Midseason to late harvest.
Roza: large, round peach with a medium red blush; very firm, yellow flesh with excellent flavor, good fresh or canned; from Washington. Midseason harvest.
Rubidoux: large fruit with blushed dull red over yellow-red stripes; firm, yellow flesh is moderately juicy with so-so flavor; freestone from California. Midseason to late harvest.
Santa Barbara: large peach with red-blushed yellow skin; yellow flesh has excellent flavor; use fresh; freestone. Midseason harvest.
Snow Beauty: large red-skinned fruit; white flesh is one of best flavored white-fleshed peaches; freestone. Midseason harvest.
Southern Flame: large peach with red-blushed yellow sin; yellow flesh is firm, crisp, and melting, aromatic; good for eating fresh; from California. The tree is a genetic dwarf. Midseason harvest.
Southern Rose: medium-size peach with yellow skin and red blush; yellow flesh is fair flavored; freestone. The tree is a genetic dwarf. Midseason harvest.
Southern Sweet: medium fruit with yellow and red skin; yellow flesh has good flavor; from California. The tree is a genetic dwarf. Early harvest.
Springtime: small to medium peach with pointed end; blushed skin that colors bright red at maturity; white flesh can be soft and watery; semi-freestone from California. Early harvest.
Strawberry Cling: large peach with creamy white, mottled red skin; the flesh is white, juicy, and richly flavored; good for canning; clingstone from California. Late harvest.
Strawberry Free: medium fruit with light, pink-blushed skin; firm, white flesh with excellent flavor; freestone from California. Early harvest.
Summerset: large round fruit with attractive blush over yellow skin; firm, yellow flesh is good for canning or freezing, fair fresh; freestone from California. Late harvest.
Suncrest: large, round fruit with bright red over yellow skin; firm, yellow flesh is melting with good texture; good flavor for fresh use or canning; freestone from California. Midseason harvest.
Sunhaven: medium peach with bright red over gold skin; juicy, fine-grained yellow skin with rich, sweet flavor; semi-clingstone from Michigan. Early to midseason harvest.
Tropi-berta: large fruit with red-blushed skin; yellow flesh is firm with wine-red blush, juicy and good flavored; freestone from California. Midseason to late harvest.
Tropic Snow: medium size peach with red skin; white flesh has excellent flavor; freestone. Early harvest.
Ventura: small oblong peach with yellow with a wine-red blush; firm, yellow flesh is slightly acid; freestone from California. Midseason harvest.
Veteran: medium fruit with slightly red-blushed yellow skin; yellow flesh is firm and juicy but coarse-grained; freestone from Canada. Midseason harvest.
White Heath Cling: medium to large peach with creamy white skin that is blushed red; white, juicy flesh with distinctive flavor; good for canning; clingstone from Maryland. Late harvest.
Also of interest:
How to Grow Peaches and Nectarines
