Culture
Grow in average, medium moisture, well-drained soil in full sun. Self pollinating. Benefits from regular watering, fertilization and pruning. Plant in full sun in a site where periodic chemical spraying will not pose any problems to adjacent areas. Avoid planting peach trees in the same soil where other stone fruits have recently grown. Hardy in Zones 5-8. The rootstock of a given cultivar will affect its cultural needs, tolerances, and hardiness.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Prunus persica, commonly called peach, is native to China. It is grown for its luscious fruit but some cultivars are grown chiefly for their showy, fragrant flowers and produce inedible fruit. Species trees grow up to 25' tall and wide but peach trees sold in commerce today are grafted to rootstocks which control the size of the tree. Dwarf trees bear standard size fruit, but have the advantage of fitting into smaller sites and being more manageable (easier pruning, spraying and harvesting).
Genus name from Latin means plum or cherry tree.
Specific epithet means Persia. Prunus persica reached Europe from China through Persia.
'Jordan', commonly sold under the trade name of STARK ELBERTA QUEEN, is an exclusive introduction from Stark Bro's of Louisiana, Missouri, and is available from Stark Bro's grafted to a standard rootstock (12-20' tall) or to a dwarf rootstock (8-10' tall). The tree growing at the Kemper Center was grafted to a dwarf rootstock. Profuse pink blossoms in early spring are followed by large, Elberta-type, freestone peaches with the classic red skins and golden yellow flesh. Fruit ripens in late August (USDA Zone 5).
Problems
Peaches are susceptible to a large number of serious pest problems. A regular regimen of chemical spraying is needed in order to insure harvesting a good crop. Potential disease problems include peach leaf curl, brown rot, bacterial leaf spot and canker. Potential insect problems include peach tree borer, plum curculio, oriental fruit moth, root nematodes, mites and aphids. Very cold winter temperatures and late spring frosts often cause significant damage to the buds/flowers of peaches.
Uses
Grown primarily for fruit.
Early spring blossoms can be spectacular.