LEAFLET 72
OCTOBER 1966
Performance or Pelach larieties
for Commercial Produltion
in ICentral Alabaia
Agricultural Experiment Station
AUBURN UNIVERSITY
E. V. Smith, Director Auburn, Alabama
-AIL- 6
V
Performance of Peach Varieties
for Commercial Production
in Central Alabama
C. C. CARLTON and K. C. SHORT, Chilton Area Horticulture Substation
H. J. AMLING and W. A. DOZIER, JR., Department of Horticulture
PEACH PRODUCTION in central Alabama
reached an all-time high of 80.,000 trees
in 1968. Since then peach plantings
have dropped to 400,000 trees, and more
will be removed in the fall of 1966.
Several factors have caused the re-
duced acreage of peach trees. Some
growers stated they were unable to make
a profit from commercial peach produc-
tion, whereas others blame a shortage of
farm labor.
During some periods of the harvest
season, there have been more peaches
offered on the local markets than would
be consumed at a price profitable to
growers. Peach growers who ship out of
state find heavy market competition from
other Southeastern States. The resulting
reduction in price discourages out-of-
state shipment.
Adverse weather seriously affects pro-
duction of peaches. Lack of chilling, ex-
cessive rainfall during critical periods,
extremely low temperatures during win-
ter, heavy frost during early fruit de-
velopment, and hail and wind storms are
common causes of crop losses.
VARIETY PERFORMANCE
UNDER VARIOUS
CLIMATIC CONDITIONS
Since varieties vary in terms of their
ability to withstand adverse weather con-
ditions, the variety testing project at the
Chilton Area Horticulture Substation
Clanton, has been used to evaluate test
varieties on the basis of how they are af-
fected by climatic conditions. This publi-
cation summarizes results of this evalua-
tion during the 1963-66 test years.
1963 Results
In 1963, accumulated hours below
45?F. reached 1,408 by February 15.
A low of 0 on January 24 accounted for
extensive dormant bud kill. Additional
bud kill may have occurred from the 11
and 15' lows of February 22 and 27, re-
spectively. The approximately 10 inches
of rainfall in the last half of June, during
harvest period, made disease control dif-
ficult. Performance of peach varieties un-
der such climatic conditions is given in
Table 1.
1964 Results
Accumulated hours below 45'F. to-
taled 1,419 by February 15, 1964. Low
temperatures that may have affected bud
survival occurred on December 16 and
19 (11' and 14', respectively), 14' on
January 15, and 26' after bloom on
March 30. One-third of the fruit was
damaged by hail on April 28. Only 0.69
inch of rain fell during May. On June 21,
hail again damaged 95 per cent of the
[2] 
TABLE 1. 1963 RATINGS OF PEACH VARIETY PERFORMANCEO
Pet.
Date Date live
Variety of of Fruit Skin 
Flesh Stone Flesh Dessert Yield 
buds
Variety full first size color color free- f irm- Dessert Yield budsafter
bloom harvest ness ness Jan. 24
freeze
Springtime- 3-22 5-12 6 8 W 0
Cardinal 3-22 5-24 8 9 Y 2
Hiland 3-18 no fruit because of freeze
Dixired.-- 3-22 5-29 8 9 Y 1
Redcap----- 3-20 5-24 9 8 Y 4
5 6 4 10
9 9 3 21
0 2
9 8 10 38
9 9 3 12
Coronet........ 3-18 no fruit because of freeze 0 1
Sentinel
(FV
173-47) 3-20 6-21 6 9 Y 9 9 9 8 10
Regina 3-20 6-21 6 9 Y 9 9 9 10 37
Ranger --------- 3-22 6-21 9 9 Y 10 8 10 10 38
Keystone 3-18 6-21 10 8 Y 10 10 9 2 5
Redglobe 3-20 6-28 9 9 Y 10 10 8 10 20
Blake------ 3-22 7-3 8 10 Y 10 10 9 10 20
Redskin---- 3-18 7-10 8 9 Y 10 10 9 10 42
Dixiland---- 3-18 7-10 10 8 Y 10 10 9 4 23
Alred
Elberta.. 3-19 7-10 10 10 Y 10 10 9 10 25
Regular
Elberta.. 3-18 7-10 10 8 Y 10 9 9 10 33
Rio-Oso-
Gem----- 3-20 7-22 10 8 Y 10 10 9 10 36
* Rating: 0 - poor, 10 = excellent.
TABLE 2. 1964 RATINGS OF PEACH VARIETY PERFORMANCEO
Variety
Springtime
Cardinal
Hiland
Dixired
Redcap
Coronet
Sentinel
(FV 173-47) ..
Regina-
Ranger-
Keystone
Redglobe
Washington ....
Redtop
Dixiland
Blake
Redskin
Aired Elberta
Regular Elberta.
Rio-Oso-Gernm
Date Date
of of 
Fruit Skin 
Flesh Stone 
Flesh DessertYield
full first size color color ness ness quality ield
bloom harvest ness ness
3-20 5-10 6 8 W 0 5 6 2
3-22 6-3 8 9 Y 2 9 9 5
3-20 no fruit because of dormant freeze, trees removed
3-24 6-8 8 9 Y 1 9 8 10
3-22 6-8 8 9 Y 2 9 9 5
3-20 no fruit because of low temperatures, trees removed
3-21 6-11 10 8 Y 8 9 9 4
3-19 6-25 6 9 Y 9 9 9 3
3-24 6-24 9 9 Y 10 8 10 10
38-22 6-17 10 9 Y 8 7 8 2
3-22 almost no fruit because of low temperatures
3-21 7-4 10 9 Y 10 9 10 2
3-20 7-4 8 9 Y 9 9 9 9
3-19 7-12 10 9 Y 10 1 9 2
3-22 7-17 10 9 Y 10 10 9 9
3-16 little fruit because of cold damage
3-20 7-17 10 10 Y 10 9 9 2
3-20 7-17 10 8 Y 10 9 9 2
3-22 7-24 10 9 Y 10 10 9 9
* Rating: 0 . poor, 10 excellent.
fruit as well as cracking the bark on the
trees. Crop results following this weather
pattern are presented in Table 2.
1965 Results
By February 15, 1965, the accumu-
lated hours below 45
0
F. amounted to
1,156. Low temperatures of 11' caused
some bud damage on January 17 and 31.
Some damage to blooms that were open
resulted from lows of 25%, 220, and 280,
respectively, on March 20, 21, and 22.
These temperatures also killed some
flower buds on susceptible varieties that
were in the bud swell stage. April and
May were dry months, having 1.56 and
0.51 inches of rainfall, respectively. In
contrast, June and July were wet months
with 9.24 and 6.99 inches of rain, re-
spectively. Variety performance 
under
these conditions is presented 
in Table 3.
1966 Results
The warm winter of 1965-66 
had
barely enough chilling for some varieties.
Accumulated hours below 45'F. 
were
453 on January 1; 605 by 
January 15;
985 on February 1; and reached 
1,109
by February 15.
On January 30 the temperature
dropped to 0', killing many fruit 
buds in
the dormant stage. A low of 11 was 
re-
corded the following day, January 31.
On March 25 a frost and a low of 27'
occurred while peaches were in bloom.
This further thinned fruit of varieties
that were damaged by the January 
30
freeze. Variety ratings resulting 
from
TABLE 3. 1965 RATINGS OF PEACH VARIETY 
PERFORMANCE
Date
Variet 
of
Variety full
bloom
Date
of-
first
harvest
Fruit 
Skin 
Flesh 
Stone
size color 
color 
ness
ness
Flesh Dessert
firmness quality
.t~'S ness
Yield 
Cold
damage
5-17
3-29 5-20
4-2 6-2
4-2 6-7
3-30 6-7
4-1 6-16
4-2 6-18
3-29 6-18
3-29 6-21
4-2 6-23
4-2 6-30
3-29 6-30
3-30 6-30
3 8 W 0 4 4 10 none
3
9
8
Y
Y
Y
It~y
hey
10
9
9
10
8
10
9 8 Y 2 9 9 10 
none
8 7 Y 10 9 8 6 medium
9 9 Y 9 8 9 10 
none
7 8 Y 9 9 8 
7 medium
10
9
10
5
9
3-29 7-5 9
4-2 7-12 9
7-12 10
3-30 7-12 10
3-28 7-15 8
4-1 7-15 9
4-2 7-21 8
9
8
9
10
9
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
9
9
10
10
10
8
9
9
10
10
9
9
9
9
10
9
10
10
10
10
8 Y 10 9 9 9 light
8 Y 10 10 10 10 none
10 Y 10 9 9 10 none
8
10
8
7
10
10
10
10
10
9
10
9
10
10
9
10
4-2 7-24 8 8 Y 10 9 9 10 none
* Rating: 0 poor, 10 excellent.
E 4 1
3-30
none
light
none
Springtime .
Springold
(FV
9-149)
Cardinal
Dixired ....
Redcap ....
Royalvee ...
Sentinel (FV
193-47)
Regina -----
Keystone
Ranger .....
Washington-
Redtop ....
Redglobe ..
Loring (S)
Blake
Alred
Elberta ..
Regular
Elberta
Redskin ....
Dixiland ---
Jefferson
Rio-Oso-
Gem ....
4-2
light
none
none
none
none
none
none
light
none
nn .L.LCLJL Vr
TABLE- 4. 1966 RATINGS OF PEACH VARIETY PERFORMANCE*
Date
Variety 
of
Vrey full
bloom
Date
of
first
harvest
Fruit 
Skin 
Flesh 
fre
size color 
color nree-
3-24 5-21 3
3-23 5-21 8
4-2 5-28 8
4-2 6-2 9
3-25
3-24
3-23
3-24
3-22
3-21
3-24
3-22
3-23
3-23
6-6
6-1
6-11
6-13
6-17
6-20
6-22
6-27
6-28
6-28
8
8
9
8
10
10
8
9
10
10
Springtime
Springold
(FV
9-149)
Earlired
Cardinal
Dixired
Redcap
Sentinel
Royalvee
Regina
Keystone
Ranger
Redtop -----
Washington-
Redglobe ---
Loring (5)
Blake------
Redskin ----
Aired
Elberta--
Dixiland----
Jefferson----
Regular
Elberta
Rio-Oso-
Gem -----
9 W17~~5 0 5 315.5
8
9
9
8
9
7
9
9
8
8
10
9
9
8
8
9
9
8
7
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
y
0
0
1
2
0
5
3
9
9
9
9
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
8
8
9
8
9
9
9
10
8
8
10
9
9
8
9
9
9
9
8
8
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
10
9
9
10
9
9
9
9
10
10
9
8
8
8
10
5
5
10
9
1
10
9
5
2
2
9
10
9
9
6
9.0
15.6
12.3
57.8
8.6
18.8
30.1
19.1
5.2
45.0
26.3
15.0
12.5
12.2
49.4
33.3
26.8
23.8
9.9
8 y 10 8 10 10 24.6
3-23 7-30 10 8 y 10 10 9 6 16.1
'Ratinig: 0 poor, 10
such climatic conditions
in Table 4.
excellent.
are presented
VARIETIES SUGGESTED FOR
COMMERCIAL PLANTING
IN CENTRAL ALABAMA
Central Alabama peach growers har
vested about a 35 to 40 per cent crop in
1966 following an unfavorable season.
Based on results reported, a 75 to 80
per cent crop could have been produced
if growers had had the following varie-
ties in production: Springold, Earlired,
Cardinal, Dixired, Redcap, Sentinel, Red-
haven, Royalvee, Regina, Ranger, Red-
top, Washington, Loring, Blake, Redskin,
Dixiland, Aired Elberta, and Rio-Oso-
Gem. These varieties performed well de-
spite a warm winter, a hard freeze on
January 30, and frosts 
during bloom.
Springold, FV89-14 X Springtime, was
tested as FV9-149 and named in 1966
by the USDA Field Station, Fort Valley,
Georgia. Springold ripens about 3 days
after Springtime or about 2 weeks before
Cardinal. The fruit is round with a slight
tip, small, with light pubescence. About
80 per cent of surface is covered with a
bright, attractive, red blush over a yel-
low ground color. The flesh is yellow,
firm but melting, medium in texture, and
good in flavor for an early peach. It is
relatively susceptible to bacterial spot
disease. It requires about 850 hours be-
low 45'F. to satisfy each chilling re-
quirement.
[5]
Flesh
firm-
ness
Dessert Yie
qualityYil
Pet.
live
buds
after
Jan. 30
freeze
3-21 7-9 10
3-24 7-18 9
3-22 7-18 8
3-22 7-18 9
3-23 7-20 10
3-23 7-20 10
3-21 7-22 8
Earlired, Redhaven X B3-674 (Hale-
haven X B3293 [Halehaven X Oriole])
ripens 3 days before Cardinal. It was re-
leased by the USDA from Beltsville,
Maryland, in 1960. Earlired trees are
vigorous and highly productive. The fruit
is ovate with a slightly enlarged suture
and tip, but ripens firmly about 7 weeks
before Elberta. It requires 850 hours
chilling.
Cardinal, Halehaven selfed, was intro-
duced by the USDA Field Station, Fort
Valley, in 1951. Cardinal ripens 61/2
weeks before Elberta and about 4 days
before Dixired. Fruit is yellow fleshed,
small, clingstone, well colored, and is
fairly firm at shipping maturity. Trees
are productive and moderately vigorous.
Cardinal is recommended for planting
with Hiland. In mild winters Cardinal
may exhibit prolonged dormancy, since
its 900-hour chilling requirement is
higher than for Hiland.
Dixired, Halehaven selfed, was named
and introduced in 1945 by the USDA
Field Station, Fort Valley. It is the most
widely planted early maturing peach.
Shipping maturity is 6 weeks before El-
berta. Trees are vigorous and productive,
but fruits tend to be small in some years
unless thinned heavily. Often Dixired
fruit will not average 2 inches in di-
ameter. Fruit is well colored, firm, yel-
low fleshed, clingstone, and good quality.
Chilling requirement is about 900 hours.
Dixired is recommended for planting
with Redcap to offset any prolonged
dormancy that Dixired might exhibit in
mild winters.
Redcap, Southland X Dixired, was de-
veloped by the USDA Field Station at
Fort Valley and introduced commercially
in 1952. Redcap ripens approximately 6
weeks before Elberta and normally 1 or
2 days before Dixired. Redcap has good
quality fruit that is similar to Dixired,
yellow fleshed, round, clingstone, me-
dium sized, well colored, and firm at
shipping maturity. Chilling requirement
is approximately 750 hours.
Redhaven, Halehaven X Kalhaven, was
introduced by Michigan State University
at South Haven, Michigan. Ripening date
is 4 weeks before Elberta and 1 week
later than Coronet. Fruit is yellow
fleshed, semi-cling at shipping maturity,
firm, and of good quality, but skin color
is not as good as Dixired. In some years
fruit develops a rough suture under Ala-
bama conditions. Trees are productive,
vigorous, and need considerable thinning
to size properly. Chilling requirement is
about 950 hours. It performed well in
growers' orchards during the years 1963-
1966, and is recommended for the pe-
riod 4 weeks before Elberta.
Sentinel, FV5-56 X Dixigem, is from
a cross made in 1946 and evaluated as
FV173-47. Named and released in 1966
by the USDA Field Station, Fort Valley,
it ripens with Dixigem and slightly later
than Coronet. The fruit is round, me-
dium-sized, freestone when fully ma-
tured, and has medium pubescence. At
maturity, about 75 per cent of the sur-
face is covered with a red blush over a
yellow ground color. The flesh is yellow,
firm but melting, and of good flavor and
texture. Trees of Sentinel are vigorous,
productive, and self-fortile. The variety
has good resistance to bacterial spot dis-
ease. Chilling required to break the rest
period of its buds is approximately 850
hours at or below 45'F.
Regina, formerly tested as F-14, was
released by USDA in 1958. The variety
resulted from a cross between the va-
riety Sunhigh and an unnamed seedling
of W3-16 (Admiral Dewey X St. John).
It ripens with Redhaven, and about 3
days later than Coronet. The fruit is me-
dium-sized and ovate, with very light
pubescence. About three-fourths of the
surface is covered with a bright, attrac-
tive red blush over a yellow ground
color. The flesh is yellow, firm but melt-
ing, smooth-textured, and of good flavor.
Trees of Regina are above average in
vigor and have been productive.
Ranger, Raritan Rose selfed, was intro-
duced in 1952 by the USDA Field Sta-
[6 ]
tion, Beltsville. Ripening 8 to 31/2 weeks
before, Elberta, its fruit is yellow fleshed,
large, well colored, firm, ovate, nearly
freestone at shipping maturity, and has
good quality. The fruit ripens uniformly
and can be harvested in three pickings.
Ranger trees are productive and vig-
orous, and the variety has exhibited high
resistance to bacterial leaf spot in Chil-
ton County. Poorly pruned trees tend to
develop weak crotches. Ranger is recom-
mended for the same season as Keystone.
It has a chilling requirement of about
950 hours.
Redtop, formerly tested as F-15, was
released by the USDA in 1961. Redtou
resulted from a cross between Sunhigh
and an open-pollinated seedling of July
Elberta. It ripens between the Regina
and Coronet season and that of Red-
globe, or about 31/2 weeks ahead of El-
berta. The fruit is high quality, freestone,
and larger than Coronet, but usually not
as large as Redglobe. It is almost round
with a slightly pointed apex, has light
pubescence, and an attractive red blush
over %/s of the surface when mature.
Trees of Redtop are moderately vigorous
and productive. They blossom with July
Elberta, indicating a low chilling re-
quirement to break the rest period.
Loring, Frank X Halehaven, was in-
troduced by the Missouri Agricultural
Experiment Station in 1946. Fruit ripens
1 to 1 1/2weeks before Elberta, is yellow
fleshed, freestone, firm, of good quality
and color, medium size, and handles well
for commercial packing. Trees are vig-
orous and productive. Loring has a chil-
ling requirement of about 750 hours and
is recommended for the season between
Southland and Elberta.
Washington, V.P.I. 15 X Sunhigh, was
introduced by the Virginia Agricultural
Experiment Station. Its fruit is large,
well colored, firm, and freestone. The
fruit buds are resistant to spring frost
damage. Washington is suggested in the
Halehaven season.
Blake, J. H. Hale X Primrose, was in-
troduced in 1958 by the New Jersey Ag-
ricultural Experiment Station. Ripening
season is one-half week before Elberta.
Blake fruit is freestone, yellow fleshed,
of good color and quality, and has firm
flesh at shipping maturity. Trees are
moderately vigorous and tend to set light
crops in most years. Chilling requirement
is about 750 hours. Blake is recom-
mended for commercial planting to pre-
cede Elberta by 3 to 4 days.
Redskin, J. H. Hale X Elberta, was re-
leased by the Maryland Agricultural Ex-
periment Station in 1944. It ripens at the
same time as Elberta. Redskin fruit has
yellow flesh, good color and quality, is
freestone, firm, and large when properly
thinned. In some years a rough suture
will develop. Trees are moderately vig-
orous and productive. Blossoms tend to
set fruit every year. Redskin is moder-
ately resistant to bacterial leaf spot. Chil-
ling is about 750 hours.
Rio-Oso-Gei, parentage unknown, was
introduced in 1938 by W. F. Yerkers,
of Rio-Oso, California. Fruit ripens 1
week after Elberta, is yellow fleshed, of
excellent quality, round, firm, well col-
ored, and of good size when thinned
properly. Chilling requirement is about
850 hours. Trees are vigorous and pro-
ductive. Rio-Oso-Gem is recommended
for late market.
Dixiland, FV5-56 (Halehaven selfed)
X Dixigem, was released by the USDA,
Beltsville, in 1962 after being tested as
FV127-1. Dixiland ripens with the va-
riety Redskin and about 2 to 3 days
earlier than Elberta. The fruit is ovate,
large-sized, and freestone, with light
pubescence. At maturity about 50 per
cent of the surface is covered with a red
blush over a yellow ground color. The
flesh is yellow, firm but melting, and of
good texture and flavor. Trees of Dixi-
land are vigorous, productive, and self-
fertile. The variety is relatively resistant
to bacterial spot disease. The chilling re-
quirement to break the rest period of its
[7]
buds is approximately 750 hours below
450F.
Alred Elberta, a bud sport of regular
Elberta, is red all over except for a yel-
low stripe at the suture. It performs like
regular Elberta.
Royalvee, is similar to Dixired in ap-
pearance but ripens 7 to 10 days later.
TESTED VARIETIES
NOT RECOMMENDED
The following varieties have been
tested but are not recommended for com-
mercial planting in Alabama:
After Glow
Alabama
Ambergem*
Arp
Augbert
Autum
Bell of Georgia
Best May
Brackett
Brilliant
Burbank Elberta
Cannon
Champion
Cherry Red
Coronet
Cumberland
Dawne
Dixigem
Dixigold
Early East
Early Elberta
Early Gold
Early Hiley
Early-Red-Fre*
Early Rose
Early Triogem
Fair Beauty
Fairhaven
Fay Elberta
Fireglow
Fisher
Flamingo
Gay Elberta
Gemmers Early
Elberta
Gemmers Late
Elberta
Giant Jubilee
Goodcheer
Golden Blush
Golden East
Golden Globe
Golden Jubilee
Goldenrod
* Varieties recommended for home use.
Halberta
Halegold
Hale Harrison
Brilliant
Halehaven
Heath Cling
Hiland
Indian Cling"
Jerseyland
Jewel
J. H. Hale
June Elberta
June Gold
June Pink
July Elberta
July Heath
Keystone
Late Rio
Late Rose
Liberta
Lizzie
Marcus
Maybell
Mayflower
Meadowlark
Merrill Brilliant
Merrill Beauty
Merrill Dandy
Merrill Fiesta
Merrill 49er
Merrill Gem
Merrill Goldrush
Merrill Hale
Merrill June
Merrill Pageant
Missouri
Nector
Newday
Ozark
Polly
Poppy
Prairie Clipper
Prairie Dawn
Prairie Daybreak
Prairie Rambler
Prairie Rose
Prairie Sunrise
Radiance
Raritan Rose*
Red Bird
Red Crest
Red Elberta
Red Rose
Redwing
Richaven
Robin
Rodeo
Shin's Delicious
Simpsonred
Slappey
Southern Glow
Southaven
Springtime
Stark's Delicious
Stoner
Story Early Elberta
Sullivan Elberta
Summer Crest
Summer Rose
Sunbeam
Sunglow
Sunhaven
Sunhigh
Sure Crop
Swannee
Triogem
Tulip
Valigold
Vanguard
Vedette
White Hale
White Haven
White Rose
World's Earliest
Yates Late Elberta
Yellow Hiley