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Prunus persica ‘Contender’ (Peach)

Peach 'Contender', Contender Peach

Prunus persica 'Contender', Peach 'Contender', Peach Tree, Flowering Tree, Fruit Tree
Prunus persica 'Belle of Georgia', Dwarf Peach 'Belle of Georgia', Peach Tree, Flowering Tree, Fruit Tree

Noted for its cold-hardiness, Prunus persica ‘Contender’ is a wonderful peach tree adorned with profuse, fragrant, pink blossoms in early-mid spring. They are followed by a heavy crop of medium-sized, freestone, red-blushed yellow fruits in late summer. The bright yellow flesh is firm, sweet, and juicy. Perfect for eating, baking, and canning. Self-pollinating, this peach tree forms a rounded crown with upwardly-reaching branches clothed in lanceolate, dark green, deciduous leaves. The foliage provides a deep yellow fall display.

  • Grows up to 12-15 ft. tall and wide (360-450 cm).
  • Performs best in full sun in moist, slightly acidic to neutral, well-drained soils. Peaches and nectarines take well to espalier and can be nicely fan-trained against a wall.
  • This peach tree has a chill hours requirement of 1050 hours of temperatures below 45ºF (7ºC) in the winter for their buds to open in the spring)
  • Peach and nectarine trees require annual pruning to remain strong and healthy and produce bountiful harvests. Regular pruning will also keep the tree at a workable height for harvesting, pruning, and pest control. Unpruned peach trees will soon stop producing.
  • Watch for aphids, scales, or squirrels. Protect peaches against peach leaf curl by covering the plant from fall to spring. Bacterial canker, silver leaf, and brown rot may cause problems.
  • Peaches are propagated by grafting onto rootstocks for fruit or can be propagated by seed, although the fruit from the seedlings is likely to be inferior in flavor to the parent. Seed-raised trees take four to five years to bear fruit.
  • Toxic to dogs, cats, and horses.

Requirements

Hardiness 4 - 8
Heat Zones 1 - 8
Climate Zones 3, 3A, 3B, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Plant Type Fruits, Trees
Plant Family Rosaceae
Genus Prunus - Fruit Tree, Peaches
Common names Peach
Exposure Full Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Early, Mid), Summer (Late), Fall
Height 12' - 15' (3.7m - 4.6m)
Spread 12' - 15' (3.7m - 4.6m)
Maintenance High
Water Needs Average
Soil Type Chalk, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained
Characteristics Fragrant, Showy, Fruit & Berries
Attracts Birds
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Alternative Plants to Consider

Prunus persica ‘Golden Jubilee’ (Peach)
Prunus persica ‘Elberta’ (Peach)
Prunus persica ‘Reliance’ (Peach)
Prunus persica ‘Redhaven’ (Peach)
Prunus persica ‘Hale Haven’ (Peach)
Prunus persica ‘Harvester’ (Peach)
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While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.
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Requirements

Hardiness 4 - 8
Heat Zones 1 - 8
Climate Zones 3, 3A, 3B, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Plant Type Fruits, Trees
Plant Family Rosaceae
Genus Prunus - Fruit Tree, Peaches
Common names Peach
Exposure Full Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Early, Mid), Summer (Late), Fall
Height 12' - 15' (3.7m - 4.6m)
Spread 12' - 15' (3.7m - 4.6m)
Maintenance High
Water Needs Average
Soil Type Chalk, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained
Characteristics Fragrant, Showy, Fruit & Berries
Attracts Birds
How Many Plants
Do I Need?
Not sure which Prunus (Almond, Apricots, Cherry, Nectarine, Peach, Plum) to pick?
Compare Now

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