Species guide
Peaches
32 peach varieties with cited chill-hour, zone, and pollination data. Most are self-fertile.
Variety catalog
- August Pride200–300 chill hrs (Figure from a nursery catalog; no extension-published value.)zones —self-fertile
- Babcock250–300 chill hrs (Figure from a nursery catalog; no extension-published value.)zones —self-fertile
- Belle of Georgia750–900 chill hrszones —self-fertile
- Candorchill —zones —self-fertile
Bright yellow with about 80% mottled dark-red blush; firm, clingstone
- Claytonchill —zones —self-fertile
Bright red skin over about 75%; freestone
- Contender900+ chill hrszones 4–8self-fertile
- Cresthaven900+ chill hrszones —self-fertile
- Donut200–300 chill hrs (Figure from a nursery catalog; no extension-published value.)zones —self-fertile
- Elberta750–900 chill hrszones —self-fertile
- Eva's Pride100–200 chill hrs (Figure from a nursery catalog; no extension-published value.)zones —self-fertile
- Flameprince750–900 chill hrszones —self-fertile
- Flordacrest~350 chill hrszones —self-fertile
60-80% red blush over bright yellow ground
- Flordaprince~150 chill hrszones —self-fertile
Large, about 80% red blush with stripes; yellow semi-clingstone
- Frost~700 chill hrs (Figure from a nursery catalog; no extension-published value.)zones —self-fertile
- Gulfprince~400 chill hrszones —self-fertile
Uniform fruit, 45-55% red; yellow clingstone
- Harvester750–900 chill hrszones —self-fertile
Medium to large with bright red skin; golden yellow flesh
- Junegold600–750 chill hrszones —self-fertile
Large clingstone with a bright reddish blush
- Loring750–900 chill hrszones —self-fertile
- Mid-Pride~250 chill hrs (Figure from a nursery catalog; no extension-published value.)zones —self-fertile
- Normanchill —zones —self-fertile
Very dark red over 80-90%; firm freestone
- O'Henry~750 chill hrs (Figure from a nursery catalog; no extension-published value.)zones —self-fertile
- Redglobe750–900 chill hrszones —self-fertile
Medium to large, attractive deep-red freestone; yellow flesh
- Redhaven900+ chill hrszones 5–9self-fertile
- Redskin750–900 chill hrszones —self-fertile
Medium to large freestone; yellow flesh with red at the pit
- Reliance~1,000 chill hrs (Figure from a nursery catalog; no extension-published value.)zones 4–8 (Figure from a nursery catalog; no extension-published value.)self-fertile
- Springcrestchill —zones —self-fertile
Small clingstone with a deep red blush
- Suncrest~500 chill hrs (Figure from a nursery catalog; no extension-published value.)zones —self-fertile
- Tropic Snow~225 chill hrszones —self-fertile
White melting flesh; 40-50% red blush
- TropicBeauty~150 chill hrszones —self-fertile
Medium, yellow melting flesh; about 70% blush
- UFGold~200 chill hrszones —self-fertile
Large, 70-90% blush; yellow clingstone flesh
- UFOne~250 chill hrszones —self-fertile
Medium-large, about 40% red blush; yellow semi-clingstone
- UFSun~100 chill hrszones —self-fertile
Medium, yellow flesh; 50-60% red skin with darker stripes
(est.) marks our clearly-labeled estimate where no source publishes a figure (hover for the basis); dashed badges cite nursery catalogs rather than extension sources; “—” means nobody publishes that figure for the variety.
Growing peaches: the basics
Peaches are fast to bear and, being self-fruitful, need no pollination partner — but they are fussy about sun and drainage, so the site matters more than anything.
Sun & site
Choose a site that receives at least eight hours of full sun a day; peaches shouldn't be planted in the shade of a building or a larger tree. Plenty of sun keeps the tree vigorous and healthy.
Soil
Peaches need well-drained soil and have little tolerance for wet feet — poorly drained ground leads to weak growth and can kill the tree. A well-drained sandy loam is ideal. Test the soil before planting so you can adjust pH and fertility ahead of time, since correcting it deeper in the profile is very hard once the tree is in the ground.
Spacing
Most peaches are self-fertile, so a single tree will set fruit on its own with no partner needed. Space trees roughly twelve to twenty feet apart depending on the rootstock and how you plan to train them, giving each tree room to spread.
Watering & first years
Newly planted peaches need consistent moisture while they establish, but avoid overwatering, which damages roots and invites disease. Water deeply and less often rather than shallowly and frequently.
Planting
Plant in early spring while dormant, or in fall. Dig the hole about twice as wide as the root ball and set the tree at the same depth it grew in the nursery, keeping the graft union above the soil line so the scion doesn't root.
Where this guide comes from
This growing guide is drawn from the university-extension sources below.
- Utah State University Extension. How to Grow Peaches in Your Garden — accessed July 2026
- University of Georgia Extension. Home Garden Peaches — accessed July 2026
Plan the year
Month-by-month peach care, anchored to each zone’s typical frost dates: