Premium Stone Fruit Varieties
These premium peach and nectarine varieties have been selected for superb flavor, diversity and, in most cases, availability.
Peaches:
* Baby Crawford. Seedling from Phil Adrian’s orchard in Escalon, Calif.; tested at UC Davis and discarded, then adopted and named by Andy Mariani in the 1980s. Small to medium; golden yellow skin with slight blush; freestone; golden orange flesh, juicy, with intense, classic peach taste. Planted by collectors and a few artisanal growers.
* Honey-type: Eagle Beak and Pallas. Honey peaches are native to southern China. Pallas: seedling of Honey originated by L.E. Berckmans, Augusta, Ga., 1878. Small to medium, oval; thick, pale white or greenish white skin, occasionally blushed with red; freestone; white, aromatic flesh, exquisitely juicy and tender, honey-sweet, low-acid but rich in flavor. Eagle Beak: introduced 1937. Small, oblong, with a pronounced beak; greenish white skin blushed with carmine; freestone; white flesh, juicy and tender, very sweet with a hint of bitter almond flavor. Both are collector’s items.
* Indian Blood. Red-fleshed peaches are recorded from early 17th century France; the Spanish brought them to America, where Native Americans and colonists grew seedlings. There are two types, called Indian Blood Cling and Indian Blood Free. Medium to large; gray-green skin covered with mottled red; fuzz long, coarse; blood-red flesh, sometimes white at the center, tough and meaty, with distinctive raspberry flavor and aroma. In small-scale commercial production; traditionally used for pickling, freezing, peach ice cream.
* Nectar. Stanwick crossed with unknown peach; introduced by Oliver Blackburn, Bakersfield, 1935. Medium to large, round-ovate; cream-colored skin with a pink to red blush; freestone; white flesh tinged with red, juicy, very soft and melting, sweet, aromatic, often with a strong vinous flavor. Occasionally found at farmers markets and farm stands.
* Rio Oso Gem. Possibly a seedling of J.H. Hale; introduced by William Yerkes, Rio Oso, Calif., 1933. Large, round to slightly elongated, often with a prominent suture; yellow skin with red blush; freestone; yellow flesh, with firm, dense texture, and a distinctive orange flavor. Superb when grown in the Sacramento Valley and Sierra foothills. A few patches of commercial orchards remain.
* Silver Logan. Parentage unknown; discovered by Mabel Logan, Cedar Ridge, Calif.; introduced 1965. Large, roundish; milky white skin blushed with crimson; freestone; white flesh, firm but melting, with rich, balanced flavor and a honey-like aroma. One of the best white peaches. Grown for farm stands, farmers markets and luxury trade.
* Stark Saturn (Donut). Pallas x (Golden Globe x [Early Hale x Peento]); Rutgers University, Cream Ridge, New Jersey, 1985. Medium size, flat, saucer-shaped; creamy yellow skin blushed with red; freestone; white flesh, melting, mild and sweet, low-acid. Best of the flat peaches (“peento”) originally native to southern China. Grown commercially as a specialty item.
Nectarines:
* Goldmine. Seedling, New Zealand, circa 1900. Small to medium; white skin with red blush; freestone; white flesh, sweet and excellent in Australia, but quality can be erratic in California. Low chilling requirement.
* Heavenly White. Parentage includes Lukens Honey, July Elberta and Babcock peaches; introduced by Floyd Zaiger, Modesto, 1982. Very large; creamy white skin with dark red blush; freestone; white flesh, very sweet and aromatic with complex flavor, excellent sugar-acid balance. At its best superb; but variable, and tends to crack. At farmers markets and farm stands.
* Panamint. (Babcock x Boston) x (Goldmine x Rio Oso Gem); introduced by Armstrong Nurseries, Ontario, Calif., 1952. Medium to large, round; skin mostly bright red; freestone; yellow-orange flesh, very sweet, intensely flavored, aromatic, with a hint of orange like its Rio Oso Gem grandparent. Low chilling requirement, adapted to inland Southern California.
* Rose (White Rose). (Le Grand x John Rivers); introduced by Fred Anderson, Le Grand, Calif., 1955. Medium to large; creamy skin with rosy blush; freestone; white flesh, juicy, very delicate, with rich flavor, more acidity than Snow Queen. At farmers markets and farm stands.
* Samarkand and Tashkent Gold. Two sibling varieties from Central Asian seeds brought to America by Andy Mariani, Morgan Hill, Calif., 1990. Small, round; shiny golden bronze skin; freestone (sweet edible kernel); golden flesh, with an intense apricot flavor and a smack of astringency. Collector’s items.
* Silver Lode. (Goldmine x Rio Oso Gem) x (Goldmine x July Elberta); introduced by Armstrong Nurseries, Ontario, Calif., 1951. Medium-sized; creamy yellow skin, about 75% red-blushed with red dots; freestone; greenish-white flesh, juicy, fine-grained, sweet. Low chilling requirement, adapted to warmer parts of southern California.
* Snow Queen. Seedling of unnamed peach; introduced by Armstrong Nurseries, Ontario, Calif., 1975. Medium to large, slightly oblong; creamy white skin blushed with red, often freckled with “sugar spots”; freestone; white flesh, dense, melting, juicy; flavor very sweet, rich, floral and complex. Grown for farm stands, farmers markets and luxury trade.
* Stanwick. Raised at Stanwick Park, England, from stones sent from Aleppo, Syria in 1843. Medium to large, round-oval; pale greenish white sin where shaded, purplish red where exposed to the sun; freestone (sweet, edible kernel); white flesh, tender, juicy, with intense, distinctive flavor, too strongly vinous for some palates. Once the leading dried nectarine in California, now rare even at farmers markets.
More to Read
Eat your way across L.A.
Get our weekly Tasting Notes newsletter for reviews, news and more.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.