PlantFiles: Peach
Prunus persica 'Elberta'

Blooms in April in my garden ... not quite sure about harvest because the squirrels got them.

I live on the MS gulf coast where we have mild winters. I've had 2 Elberta trees for 3 years now without any peaches. I did not know when I bought them that they required some 500-700 chill hours. After our unusally cold winter this year I have peaches growing on the tree dispite the grievous wounds the trees suffered from my stupid lawn man last year (he's never getting hired back). So the Elberta will produce peaches on the upper gulf coast but they need a colder winter than normal to do so.

This variety also does well in heavy, alkaline soil.

I planted one last fall. It is currently blooming. According to the 'experts' it isn't the best peach for Texas, but should do decently, but not outstandingly in our area.

The skin is red blushed over a deep golden yellow color. This is a high quality eating and canning peach. Elberta peaches have a small pit-to-fruit ratio.

Along with the delicious fruit, it’s a beautiful tree. In the spring, rose-red blossoms will fill the air with fragrance. And it grows well in a wide geographic belt, from Zone 5 all the way through the northern portion of Zone 9.

Every year this tree makes peaches and every year the squirrels strip the tree of the little, unripe peaches. Last year I pruned off all branches below 5' and this year I put a big squirrel baffle (like you use for bird feeders) on the trunk and I have peaches still forming. I am hopeful I might actually get to enjoy some of MY peaches.

I have tried many other tactic - none of which worked. Maybe this will.

I bought a dwarf Elberta peach, which is the same peach but on a dwarf rootstock I believe. It is growing well here in Iowa as evidenced by my picture I have posted. When I purchased it, spring 2005, it was covered in blooms. No peaches came though. This year, 2006, it leafed out in early May or maybe it was late April, but it never bloomed, and of course no peaches. Maybe the blooms froze. The leaves are pretty though and I like the form, even if it doesn't have peaches.

Edited: July 1, 2008. Changed to positive from neutral. This peach tree finally bloomed for the first time this spring since I planted it in 2005. I think the conditions were just perfect. It is now absolutely covered in small greenish peaches, about the size of large walnuts. They are looking fabulous. Unfortunately, I have sold the house and the new owners move in July 18. I don't think I will get any peaches from it, but I plan to buy a new Elberta peach for my new home.

Just planted one of these today! It's got really pretty pink blossoms. Doubt that we'll see peaches this year, but maybe next!

This was the most popular main season peach when I was a kid. A nice size, yellow fleshed freestone. A good all purpose peach. There were and are better flavored peaches, but this one is dependable.