Plant family: Rosaceae
Plant origin: China.
Fruit description: The Donut Peach real name is China Flat Peach, which has a flattened shape like a donut. The China Flat Peach variety is a very sweet white-flesh variety, the seed is a very small freestone which separates easily from the flesh. It has excellent flavour, and is used in Peach breeding programs to enhance the flavour of new Peach varieties. It fruits late-season.
Peaches are aromatic delicious fruits, about 8 cm in diameter. The yellow-orange red blush skin is lightly hairy, thin, and edible. The flesh is sweet, very juicy, either white or yellow. The Peach varieties that Forbidden Fruit Nursery grow are low chill, or “tropical” which means they grow and fruit well in all cool, warm, or hot climates. They do not need frost to flower and fruit. There is a woody seed inside each Peach fruit containing an inedible seed that is like an almond.
Flowers: Peach flowers are a soft pink to red blossom, produced in Spring, while the plants are still deciduous and dormant.
Growing conditions: The China Flat Peach is a hardy deciduous tree, is frost tolerant, and grows to 3 metres. It is a beautiful garden specimen, suitable for a small garden. Plant Peach trees in well-drained soil, enriched with well-rotted compost, or other organic material. Shelter the tree from strong winds. The tree needs plenty of sunshine to grow well and fruit prolifically. Water the tree all during the growing season. Peaches can be grown in a pot, particularly the Dwarf Peach variety which only grows to 1.5 metres. The tree should be fertilised with general plant fertiliser twice a year in July and December. Mulch the tree annually. Prune the Peach tree in winter while it is dormant. It is best to prune to a vase shape or to an espalier shape, to within a few buds near the base of each strong branch, to ensure the fruit is a good size, and the branches bearing the fruit are strong enough to hold the abundant fruit. Peaches fruit on new wood so, after fruiting, prune back the branches in summer where fruit was borne, to permit new growth for the next season’s crop. The Peach varieties that Forbidden Fruit Nursery grow are low chill, or “tropical”, which means they grow and fruit well in all cool, warm, or hot climates. They do not need frost to flower and fruit.
Uses: Eat peaches fresh or add them to fruit salads, drinks, ice-cream and sauces. They go well with berries, ice-cream or to make Peach Melba and fruit cakes. They make excellent jam or chutney, and can be preserved in syrup.
Medicinal uses:
Pollination requirements: Self-Pollinating.
Harvest time Pick the fruit when it is nearly ripe or fully ripe. It can ripen a little after picking. Ripeness is indicated by the red blush on the skin and the fruit having a slight give when gently pressed. Pick the fruit carefully so as not to bruise it or damage the skin.
Plant relatives Peaches are related to all Prunus species, including nectarines, plums, cherries and apricots.
Special features: The peach originated in China and has been grown there for fruit for over 5000 years.
Grown by method: Grafted Pot size: 5 litre
Plant growing Height and Width for pots or in the ground planting: Grows to 2.5 metres high by 2 metres wide if Planted in a Pot. Grows 3 metres high by 3 metres wide if Planted in the Ground.
Shipping plant pot or planter bag size: 5 litre
