Belle of Georgia Peach

Belle of Georgia is an heirloom white-fleshed freestone peach with medium to large red-blushed fruit and excellent fresh-eating quality. It is self-fruitful, so one tree can produce a crop, but it still benefits from strong bee activity during bloom. Train the tree to an open center, provide full sun and excellent drainage, and thin developing peaches for better fruit size. Its high chill requirement may lead to inconsistent crops after warm winters in the lower South, so local performance should be presented with care. Available for local pickup from Towns Edge Nursery.

Plant details

• Botanical name: Prunus persica 'Belle of Georgia'
• Sun: Full sun
• USDA zones: 5–8
• Mature size: Rootstock-dependent; commonly 12–20 ft tall × Rootstock-dependent; commonly 12–20 ft wide
• Chill requirement: High chill; commonly listed near 800 hours
• Pollination: Self-fruitful; a second peach is not required
• Bloom: Early spring; flowers are vulnerable to late freezes
• Harvest: Mid- to late summer; Clemson lists Georgia Belle around July 20–31 in the SC Sandhills/Ridge
• Fruit: Medium to large white-fleshed freestone peaches with red-blushed skin; excellent fresh-eating quality
• Water: Regular moisture with excellent drainage; peaches do not tolerate wet roots
• Growth habit: Vigorous deciduous grafted fruit tree with spreading canopy
• Pruning and training: Train to an open center; prune annually and thin young fruit for size and limb protection
• Uses: Home orchard, edible landscape, fresh eating and freezing
• Wildlife value: Flowers support pollinators; ripe fruit attracts wildlife

Plant size, harvest timing and performance vary with climate, rootstock where applicable, soil, pruning and care.