Propagating Blood (cling) Peaches

I have been growing a Blood (cling) Peach (also called Cherokee or Indian peach, I believe) for more than twelve years, starting with a pit from a tree someone else had planted. We had a bumper crop of peaches off of the two oldest trees last year. The peach is almost a dark brown skin with flesh that ranges from beet red to streaks of color and white. I pile wood ash at the base of the trunk and smear wet ashes up the trunk to prevent bore damage. Early spring, starting at bloom, I knock the trees to drop any curculio as they show up. I used to lay out a sheet to catch them but just knocking seems to work. I was given some tangle foot so I hung some yellow card stock spread with it in the trees and that seemed to cut way back on the leaf miner damage. I have some comfrey and clover growing in the drip line and echinacea, persimmon, yarrow, dock, sumac, etc. in close proximity. I do water during our summer drought when the peaches are making. Once we got a two inch rain in July and the fruit doubled in size quickly....and I prune for air flow...our summers are sometimes really humid and even though this variety is resistant to disease, we get a little brown rot some years.

The trees are easy to grow from a healthy ripe peach pit. I plant them in small pots, but leave them outside over the winter and have pretty good germination. Sometimes like last year, when we have so many, I just poke them in everywhere. I noticed that the ones not in pots are already a few inches tall and maybe had better germination success than those in pots but the deer may find them. I tried breaking open the pit and planting just the kernel also and none survived...I had read this suggested somewhere.
I have two other peach varieties growing and blooming for the first time this year. I am anxious to see if they are as disease resistant as the Blood Peach.
Does anyone else grow these...any more information?

There is information about the history of this peach at www.twinleaf.org. The Thomas Jefferson Center for Historic Plants at Monticello.

Sounds good Judith, the website says it grows down to a zone 6. I am in zone 4 to 5 and I wonder if it would adapt if I put it in a warmer spot? It also says the fruit gets really big, do you thin the fruit so it doesnt break the branches? I would love to have a few seeds if you have a few extra and think they might grow in Colorado.

Miles, I would be happy to send you some pits when the peaches ripen around mid July. Maybe we could figure out how to ship a sprout or two now...the ones in cups are barely showing and there wont be roots yet. The trees are blooming...we have had warm weather for awhile but tonight it is going to be in the thirties so I will cover what I can in case there is a frost or freeze. I think it would be worth trying them in your zone. A problem I have here for some things is that it warms so early and we can still get a late frost and sometimes a freeze after things leaf out.
Mine are not as large as the article mentions but still a nice big peach...I don't thin..I just shake gently and let them fall off naturally and sometimes I pull off any that look odd. I do pick up the fallen ones and burn them if I can. Last year I had to prop up branches because of the fruit load and then the deer came by and ate all of the leaves they could reach but didn't touch the fruit...the trees looked pretty funny...I wish I had a way to post pictures sometimes.

Judging by the images online, it looks very similar to our 'blackboy' . Clearly a very old peach to have a name like that!
I recently mentioned it here.
Ours is a freestone, and one of the most disease-resistant peaches around.
It also handles an unusually wide variety of climates (we're talking NZ climates here: a bit of snow through to sub-tropical...)

It has warmed up here and my peach pit sprouts have all taken off and I am sure are too big to ship.
Miles, You are at the top of my list for pits from this summer's crop. I can't tell how well the fruit has set yet though.
Leila, wonder if your peach is related to this one way back there? This one is a cling though...

I am looking forward to summer then ! Thanks again.

Leila Rich wrote:Judging by the images online, it looks very similar to our 'blackboy' . Clearly a very old peach to have a name like that!
I recently mentioned it here.
Ours is a freestone, and one of the most disease-resistant peaches around.
It also handles an unusually wide variety of climates (we're talking NZ climates here: a bit of snow through to sub-tropical...)

Leila, I have been looking for Blackboy peaches over here in the United States. I wonder if anyone knows of any place I can purchase seeds or trees.

Janet, I can't find any reference to a "Blackboy" Peach in my 2001 edition of the Seedsaver's Exchange book entitled "Fruit, Berry and Nut Inventory"- an inventory of nursery catalogs listing all varieties of fruit available by mail order in the United States. It isn't mentioned in the older edition, either. However, both Raintree (raintreenursery.com) and Burnt Ridge (burntridgenursery.com)
carry "Indian Free" Peach- grafted onto Lovell Rootstock. This one is also known as "Indian Blood Free". The other (clingstone) version is referred to as "Indian Blood", "Indian Blood Cling" or "Indian Red Cling".
I have a couple of "Indian Blood Free" Peach trees in my orchard- both grown from seed. The older one is my favorite tree in the world and has the most delicious peaches I've ever tasted, with brownish-red fuzzy skin, dark purplish-red flesh marbled with creamy stripes. These trees are resistant to peach leaf curl and bacterial canker. The peaches ripen late (early October in Oregon!) and they are THE BEST! I'm trying to germinate more seeds from the older tree this spring, but so far, no sprouting yet.

Thanks, M.K.! I have been looking for a variety that will not only taste amazing but one that requires less "babying". It looks like I have a winner.

I believe that Blackboy is common in NZ, but scarce elsewhere.
Even people in Australia complain they cannot find trees/seed.

It appears my 'blood clings' (Indian Blood cling or Cherokee Peach) have set fruit in spite of some very close to frost temperatures here...if anyone else wants pits let me know...they won't ripen until July. It sounds like this peach (and the free stone variety) are very similar to NZ's 'Black Boy' in both disease resistance and color and flavor. We had always been told that growing organic peaches was almost impossible but a few simple deterants for borers and curculio and some summer watering during our drought makes the blood peach variety really easy.
The "twinleaf.org" site that I mentioned earlier in a post gives some history and probable origin.

The chef at Hot and Hot in Birmingham sings their praises. http://gardenandgun.com/article/whats-season-real-peach

West coast too. http://articles.latimes.com/2011/aug/25/food/la-fo-market-watch-20110825

Judith Browning wrote:It appears my 'blood clings' (Indian Blood cling or Cherokee Peach) have set fruit in spite of some very close to frost temperatures here...if anyone else wants pits let me know...they won't ripen until July. It sounds like this peach (and the free stone variety) are very similar to NZ's 'Black Boy' in both disease resistance and color and flavor. We had always been told that growing organic peaches was almost impossible but a few simple deterants for borers and curculio and some summer watering during our drought makes the blood peach variety really easy.
The "twinleaf.org" site that I mentioned earlier in a post gives some history and probable origin.

I would like some pits! I'll send you a private email with my address. Thanks!

Hi, Janet...I would be happy to send you some pits...if you were closer we could dig you a few of the 'trees' from last years pits...I just counted almost four dozen and some are really too close to each other...I planted them everywhere. It will be July before I know what to expect in a crop but just PM with an address before then.

I will, thanks. I just have to figure out how to do it. I thought I knew how but it didn't work.

Janet, click on Judiths name above and another box will pop up. On the lower left side you will see a button that says PM. Just click that and there you go.

Well that was easy enough. Thanks, Miles!

My peaches are late this year. Usually they would be almost done by now...the two oldest trees are covered but they are growing sloooowly. I let the trees thin themselves with a little help shaking from me. Now I am wondering if I should have thinned them more except that last year they were just as close on the limbs and did great.
This is what keeps it all interesting I guess...you think you might just be getting a grip on growing something and another variable gets thrown in the mix???
I am noticing that the more recent peach trees that I started from seed and planted out young and did not prune and do not water, have shot up really tall and have fruit the same size as my oldest pruned and irregated trees. But something delicate is eatting the unripe flesh off of the pit...they are farther from the house.

l'll still be sending pits out to those who asked as soon as they are ripe.just later than I thought.

Thanks Judith for the update, I'm looking forward to getting them started...

wonderful, Judith, thanks!

ooo can i have some too ?

i have some seeds i could send too, i have a ton of seeds. would you want some indigofera suffruticosa (upright indigo) ? i got a huge amount a while back, and i dont think i will plant them, certainly not all of them.

or something else, just what came to mind, because i remember you do a lot of textiles stuff. but i have some great seeds, i would love to send you something cool for some seeds.

Judith, Our spring came very late and none of my fruit trees flowered! Hopefully they will be stronger next year. Looking forward to trying your seeds!

leila hamaya wrote:ooo can i have some too ?

i have some seeds i could send too, i have a ton of seeds. would you want some indigofera suffruticosa (upright indigo) ? i got a huge amount a while back, and i dont think i will plant them, certainly not all of them.

or something else, just what came to mind, because i remember you do a lot of textiles stuff. but i have some great seeds, i would love to send you something cool for some seeds.

Hi, Leila...the sun must be shining at your house:) I will send out pits in the order folks PM'ed me and it looks like there will be plenty if they ever ripen...they are smaller than last year but I don't think that should affect the seed...I don't know for sure though. I'm happy to send them just for the postage but you have tempted me with indigo...I grew some one summer but our season wasn't long enough to let it flower...which is when you gather the leaves. I don't remember the variety...maybe yours is hardier?
Just PM an address...I'll let folks know here when we are eatting peaches:)

Judith Browning wrote:

leila hamaya wrote:ooo can i have some too ?

i have some seeds i could send too, i have a ton of seeds. would you want some indigofera suffruticosa (upright indigo) ? i got a huge amount a while back, and i dont think i will plant them, certainly not all of them.

or something else, just what came to mind, because i remember you do a lot of textiles stuff. but i have some great seeds, i would love to send you something cool for some seeds.

Hi, Leila...the sun must be shining at your house:) I will send out pits in the order folks PM'ed me and it looks like there will be plenty if they ever ripen...they are smaller than last year but I don't think that should affect the seed...I don't know for sure though. I'm happy to send them just for the postage but you have tempted me with indigo...I grew some one summer but our season wasn't long enough to let it flower...which is when you gather the leaves. I don't remember the variety...maybe yours is hardier?
Just PM an address...I'll let folks know here when we are eatting peaches:)

hmmm not sure about the indigo in your climate actually. this kind grows wild all over the south, but you may be in a colder section?
it is also a perennial in the right climate, but i think the other ones are annuals, or grow as annuals where its not hot enough. ?
well if you want to try them, or something else, i will send some seeds and extra postage =)

i am patient anyway so no rush of course, will send a pm with an address and a link to a seed list i have online if you want something else....

and yep it s so sunny!
i have recently moved which has been hectic and more than a bit stressful. i actually should probably hold off getting seeds till i figure out exactly where i am going long term, but the plan is to get a place nearby where i am, and i already have a HUGE amount of plants i just moved so might as well start some new seeds =)

i am excited though to get some new seeds, this bioregion is much different even though i'm only about 40 miles away....but into the mountains here the seasons get more defined and theres soooo much sunshine and extra heat. so looking forward to getting some new plants and especially fruit trees going, since i couldnt really grow anything like that where i have been living previously.

Judith Browning wrote:Hi, Janet...I would be happy to send you some pits...if you were closer we could dig you a few of the 'trees' from last years pits...I just counted almost four dozen and some are really too close to each other...I planted them everywhere. It will be July before I know what to expect in a crop but just PM with an address before then.

hey i am still psyched on this. but patient, no rush!

just wanted to say that its possible to send small rooted ones this way, its harsh for them in the bubbly envelope or small package but i have pulled it off.
i uprooted them and then wrapped the root end with wet paper towels, and used a strip of paper taped on tight around the middle to seal the bottom.
wrapped the whole thing in paper...and put them in a bubbly envelope...i have also used recycled containers and put that inside there, then mailed it in a small package. the postage is a bit more of course, but if you would rather send me some of these i would send extra postage.

and still i am happy to send you some seeds from my collection, might as well if i am going to send postage and a mailing label.

Lots of rain lately and the peaches are finally getting to a nice size...mine are not the huge ones some talk about but a good size...six or seven inches around the fruit. I can take pictures on my cell phone but not get online with it. And for those who are on my 'pit' list...If anyone wants a picture or two of the peaches on the tree just private message me a phone number...I think it is free for me to text or send pictures to another phone. What would be great is if someone who can, could then post the pictures on this thread for me. The deer are beginning to eat the leaves like they do every year and so far there is very little bug damage. For as wet as it has been only a couple spots of potential brown rot that I have noticed...and no ripe ones yet...On another tree something small is nibbling just the tip on several...mice? katydids...they just emerged so they (the katydids) are under suspicion.

EDIT...and I can't add anyone else to my list for this years pits:)

a few pics....

They are beautiful!

For those on my pit list....Looks like I will be able to start sending pits this next monday. I've got the $5.80 priority mail small boxes to ship in...the seeds will be fresh and need to be planted in soil immediately after you get them...don't let them dry out. Just send shipping $$$ after recieving. I am going to try to send ten to twelve per box wrapped in bubble wrap.
You will be able to see the stem end and plant that facing downward. They should be left outsde until next spring when they sprout...be sure to water them if it is very dry...if the pit dries out completely they will not grow.

If you want back off the list or want them a little latter just PM me before Monday.

Hey, peach pit people...I mailed seven pkgs this morning to the earliest requests...I might send one more round next monday if we can keep up with them. We cleaned the pits, washed them and did a short soak in peroxide water, rinsed and toweled dried then packed in ziplocks with damp peat moss. I am more concerned with them drying out than being too damp but I suppose there could be some surface mold by the time they arrive. Just plant immediately...the PO says they will arrive Wednesday.

Judith, I'm thinking you must have a lot of peach flesh from all those stones!
I'm always nosy about this stuff...
so, what have you done with it? Froze? Can? Chutney? Wine?

Leila Rich wrote:Judith, I'm thinking you must have a lot of peach flesh from all those stones!
I'm always nosy about this stuff...
so, what have you done with it? Froze? Can? Chutney? Wine?

In the past I would have done any and all of what you suggest along with cobblers and ice cream and more. Lately, though we just eat them fresh or on a bowl of oatmeal...it is the fresh 'fruit of the month' I dont have a chest freezer for long term storage but I do have a couple gallons in the refrigerator freezer for our hand cranked homemade ice cream for an annual September party. I avoid sugar but we just harvested honey from a hive on our land and it really picks up the flavor of the peach. Most of them will be dehydrated...peel and all. I find the peels dont slip on these peaches with a dip in boiling water and drying sweetens up some of the early drops that havent got their full flavor yet.

Judith Browning wrote:Hey, peach pit people...I mailed seven pkgs this morning to the earliest requests...I might send one more round next monday if we can keep up with them. We cleaned the pits, washed them and did a short soak in peroxide water, rinsed and toweled dried then packed in ziplocks with damp peat moss. I am more concerned with them drying out than being too damp but I suppose there could be some surface mold by the time they arrive. Just plant immediately...the PO says they will arrive Wednesday.

And plant them with the sharp pointy end UP!

Got them Judith, I put them in pots for now until I have more time to get them in the ground. Thanks again.

Curious if anyone knows if peaches breed-true or if there is a genetic variation between parent and offspring like in apples, requiring a graft. do you have to maintain a mother the graft her to the rootstock to maintain her expressions?

Hi Judith, thanks so much for sharing. I got the seeds, and planted them in the ground straight away. Everything looks great. I'll get your envelope in the mail to you as soon as I can remember when at the post. Tulsi, too.

As to the question about peaches coming true from seed, it is my understanding that in the case of the blood cling peaches, they are like an heirloom that do come true from seed. With other modern cultivars, they are going to have some genetic variation when grown from seed. Otherwise nurseries wouldnt bother grafting all their cultivars. Peaches have much less genetic variation than apples, so there is a much smaller range of phenotypes expressed though their seedlings. So basically, if you grow a peach tree from a tasty peach pit, it will likely produce a tasty peach, but certainly not an identical peach to the parent tree. With apples, you can get all sorts of wildness from a seedling apple, fun, but not at all predictable. Hope that makes sense.

Makes perfect sense, thank you. Less variation than apples and some have been stabilized. What about the grafting though? the root stock shares expression or just feeds the graft?

Beautiful Peaches, thanks for the information.