Stone Fruit Varieties for Milder Climates

Copyright © 1997 by Andrew Mariani
Used with permission.

The following listing of stone fruit varieties is not intended to be an exhaustive catalog of all that is available to the fruit grower; rather, it is limited to selected cultivars thought to be representative of the rich diversity of fruit types that can be grown in our milder climates. These fruits are older and newer varieties, some antique fruits, a few outstanding commercial varieties, some current home garden favorites and the newest, most promising introductions.

What, then, is a milder climate? Let's say it ranges from the mildest of Southern California's maritime climates to some of the colder valleys around Northern California's San Francisco Bay Area. Chilling requirements for stone fruits range from practically zero to as many as 1,700 hours, but the varieties selected here need only low to moderate winter chill; that is, no more than about 850-900 hours of temperatures at or below 45° F. Where the chilling requirement in the listing of cultivars cannot be quantified, a range is given -- if known -- to guide the home gardener, as indicated in the following table:

Chilling Requirement Ranges

Once decided, the home gardener may need to shop several sources to obtain these special varieties. Older varieties are some-times available from specialty nursery catalogs or as scions or budwood from collectors or scion exchanges. The horticultural skills of grafting and budding are important in propagating rare and antique varieties that are not otherwise available to the home gardener. Newer introductions are often patented, in which case they must be purchased as budded nursery trees.

Listing of Specific Stone Fruit Cultivars for Milder Climates