North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[<dwoodard@becon.org>]

The Indians grew peaches over a wide area of North America, and there 
have been several "Indian Peach" cultivars and lines
brought to notice over the years. You may find a discussion in "The 
Peaches of New York" by Hedrick.

Peach growers in the Niagara Peninsula favour "Bailey" seedlings for 
rootstock; this is an old Indian peach from Iowa;
there are several selections of widely varying fruit quality. 
Apparently it's not particularly early to harden off.

"Siberian C", "Chui Lum Tao", and "Tzim Pee Tao" are hardier but not so 
generally satisfactory as rootstocks in this area.

I think that Minneapolis would be pushing it a little too far for the 
available peach genetic material through test winters, even selecting 
the hardiest seedlings. However, apparently some peaches survive most 
winters in Minneapolis in protected locations.

Some Manchurian apricot selections are hardy on the southern Canadian 
prairies although some have dormancy problems, and the Morden station of 
Agriculture Canada in southwestern Manitoba bred "Morden 604" and 
"Westcot"; crosses between P. mandschurica and P. armenaica. Regular 
bearing should not be expected. Apricots like peaches prefer light 
well-drained soils.

It might be more rewarding to try the hardy plums and cherryplums in 
Minneapolis. The state extension service should have some 
recommendations. Yakima (Prunus domestica) plum is reported shy bearing 
but big, high-quality and semi-hardy at Minneapolis. I read that Krikon 
Damson from Sweden ("krikon" means damson in Swedish) is hardy at 
Minneapolis; a little hardier than Mount Royal.

See
<http://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/yard-garden/fruit/stone-fruit-for-minnesota-gardens/#about>

You might find some useful information at
http://www.fruit.usask.ca

Have a look at
<http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/1493505/advice-on-northern-peach-growing>
and
<https://lists.ibiblio.org/sympa/arc/nafex/2005-June/019211.html>

Doug Woodard
St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada



On Sat, 11 Mar 2017 22:27:02 +0000 (UTC), Henry via nafex 
<nafex@lists.ibiblio.org> wrote:
> J L Hudson, Seedsman, is offering "Indian peach" seeds.
>
> PRUNUS
> —Prunus Persica 'Indian Peach'. (10) PRUN-97. Packet: $2.50 [ten
> seeds per packet]
> 100 seed: $15.00
>
> http://thehistoricfoodie.wordpress.com/2014/06/05/more-on-the-indian-peach/
> Fresh seed stored in cold storage.
> 'INDIAN PEACH'. Small peaches with small seed, but very delicious.
> Comes true from seed. Peaches were introduced very early by the
> Spanish, and spread among the Indians and taken as their own. Very
> productive, said to produce the third year from seed, bearing heavy
> crops of the small delicious peaches. Plant on receipt.
>
> http://www.jlhudsonseeds.net/New%20Arrivals.htm
>
> I have ordered from this company for many years and have been happy
> with their seeds, though I have not tried these peaches.
>
> --Henry Fieldseth
> Minneapolis, Minnesota, Zone 4