Ioana Hotea

Anton Jacobski Hedman wrote:

I also live in Europe and would love to try growing these as well, though my climate is near the northernmost possible range of peaches already. Still trees grown from Italian/Spanish grocery store peaches/nectarines grow well enough here. I am pretty sure these blood peaches are a bit more hardy than the Mediterranean varieties? Unless their origin is from the US deep south. It's sad that we have lost so much of the genetic diversity of peaches that the Native Americans had, many of their varieties were probably quite cold hardy and better adapted to more humid and temperate climates.

Btw there are also European red peach varieties that are easier to get ahold of. In France in some areas they grow blood peaches in between grape vines, they call them "Peche Sanguine" and "Peche de Vigne".

Example of a place selling Peche Sanguine: https://www.meillandrichardier.com/pecher-sanguine-vineuse.html

You can probably find a nursery in France willing to send you one of these trees. Even some of those that don't list your country but list others like Germany, Portugal etc can probably send you the tree if you order via email. I mean you are within the EU right?

Edit: Of course these would still not taste the same as Indian Blood Peaches as they are of a different stock/origin that both happened to be selected for more attractive red flesh fruits.

Yes, I know about the European varieties, peches sanguine, and also intend to buy a Sanguine de Savoie peach tree, there are nurseries that deliver in all EU countries. It would be interesting to compare the French blood peaches to the American ones. From what information I have come upon, in France these peaches date back to the 18th century, so the US varieties are a little bit older. But there is not much information available on the subject of parentage, if the varieties are related to each other. In the 1700s France the probability of either original Chinese peaches or the American Indian Blood peach to arrive and to be planted is quite equal. From what I know from history, the French were avid collectors of exotic plants and liked also the experiment (the modern strawberry for example was born in France).
Anyway, I will try the Sanguine de Savoie peach this spring, I hope to get a potted young tree that will fruit soon and I will post here for sure my impressions on the fruit, but in an year or so..
Best wishes,
Ioana

I know it's not allowed legally in many places but when you send seeds by envelope they usually arrive intact in most places, customs don't have time to go through all envelopes to see if there is something mildly illegal like seeds in them. If you are worried about pests coming with the seeds you can sterilize the seeds with hydrogen peroxide, bleach, white vinegar etc. And in the case of peaches the actual seed is on the inside of the pit, so it's extra safe from any pests.

I happened to get some lily bulbs form US and other seeds with no problems. But unfortunately it is prohibited to import bare roots fruit trees from nurseries from US to EU under normal conditions and the nurseries that carry heirloom varieties such Indian Blood are rare and and are not authorized for export.
This is why I hope very much  that, if conditions are suitable, you could send me some kernels to propagate myself. I hope to get at least one viable seedling and to further propagate it here so it would become a variety available in EU also. I grew up in the countryside and had a wonderful fruit forest at my late grandparents, and now I have my own little orchard with 20+ fruit trees that I love to care for. It is such a joy to see them grow, flower and ripen their fruits. I hope to soon add this wonderful variety to my garden and in time to share it with friends and family. It’s such a pity that delicious and healthy heirlooms like this are so rare and virtually unknown to most.
All the best,
Ioana

Hello Judith and everyone!

I’ve red your old post on blood peaches and the topic on propagating them from stones and I would like very much to try this myself. I have tried finding indian blood peach trees (freestone or clingstone) seedlings or grafted but I live in Europe and didn’t have much luck.
I know that sending stones overseas is a little more complicated than sending them inland but I would very much like to ask you, if you will have peaches this next season, to send me some stones and I will, of course, support all the costs involved. I really wish to have them in my small orchard (I live in a 7b climate) and is very frustrating not being able to find these varieties anywhere.
Wishing you all all the best, and a wonderful next next season!
Best wishes,
Ioana from Romania