Nothing defines these hot lazy days of late summer better than a sweet juicy peach. Did you that the only thing better than a Colorado-grown peach bought at a farmer’s market is a peach grown in your own yard? Peaches make excellent landscape trees, are easy to care for, and you get the freshest peaches imaginable! Fort Collins Nursery has a great selection of hardy and delicious peach tree varieties to choose from and we’ve made a few recommendations for you below. Click here for tips on how to successfully grow your own peach trees.
Semi-Dwarf Elberta Peach
Prunus persica ‘Elberta’
Traits: The Semi-Dwarf Elberta Peach is an old time favorite freestone that produces deep golden fruit with a red blush. The fruits are high scoring in taste tests and their classic peach flavor makes them perfect for eating fresh or canning. In the spring, their deep pink blossoms fill the air with fragrance however the blooms may be subject to late spring frosts (as with all peaches). Elberta peaches prefer well-draining soil out of reach from harsh drying winds. These trees are self-fertile, but will produce better if planted near another peach variety.
- Height: 15-18 ft.
- Width: 15-18 ft.
- Water: Moderate
- Bloom: Pink/Spring
- Zones: 5
Redhaven Peach
Prunus persica ‘Red Haven’
Traits: Redhaven peaches are an excellent freestone peach with red-blushed yellow skin and yellow flesh. Their fruit is medium to large with a firm, smooth texture and very little fuzz. Redhaven peaches have spectacular flavor and are ideal for eating fresh, canning, freezing, and shipping. The trees bloom fragrant pink flowers in early spring and the foliage turns a bright gold in the fall. Redhavens are one of the hardier varieties of peaches. They are heavy bearing, cold hardy and resistant to leaf spot however they prefer a spot with some protection from the wind. These trees are self-fertile, but will produce better if planted near another peach variety.
- Height: 12-15 ft.
- Width: 12-15 ft.
- Water: moderate
- Bloom: Pink/ Spring
- Zones: 5
Contender Peach
Prunus persica ‘Contender’
The large, round freestone fruits of the Contender Peach have bright yellow flesh with red-blushed skin. This is a wonderful tasting variety that matches the Reliance Peach in cold hardiness and tolerance of spring frosts. The sweet, extra-juicy fruits ripen in mid-to-late August and are an absolute delight for fresh eating, canning, baking, and freezing. These trees are self-fertile, but will produce better if planted near another peach variety.
- Height: 12-15 ft.
- Width: 15-18 ft.
- Water: Moderate
- Bloom: Pink/ Spring
- Zones: 4-7
Originally published on August 1, 2018.
Originally published on August 1st, 2018.