ANR-53-F, New April 1999. Arlie Powell, Extension Horticulturist, Professor, David Himelrick, Extension Horticulturist, Professor, William Dozier, Professor, and David Williams, Extension Horticulturist, Associate Professor, all in Horticulture at Auburn University

---

Fruit Culture in Alabama Selecting Adapted Varieties

Because hundreds of varieties may be available for a given type of fruit, growers should review varietal information before establishing their planting. Choosing the best varieties can enhance the chances for successful fruit production.

The newly introduced Gala apple variety from New Zealand has a superb flavor and is already proving to be outstanding in Alabama.

Understanding Horticultural Varieties

Within a plant species, such as Prunus persica L. (peach), there are numerous different plant selections or individuals referred to as varieties. More recently, the term cultivar has been introduced to refer to a "cultivated variety," which is different from a botanical variety. If the plant is produced by graftage, it will consist of a scion variety that produces desirable fruit and a rootstock variety that provides the plant's root system. A home gardener may choose to try one or more of the "antique" varieties that are still available. If one just considers the peach, several hundred varieties, or cultivars, are available for use. When one looks at the total fruit picture, literally thousands of varieties may be grown. Therefore, growers should review varietal information before establishing their planting.

Understanding Trueness to Type

When fruit plants are sold, it is generally implied that a plant labeled as being a particular variety is, in fact, that variety. However, in reality, home gardeners often find that when a purchased plant begins producing fruit, which may require at least 2 to 4 years, it is often not the variety they thought they purchased. A mistake like this can be disastrous to a commercial producer, and it can be equally frustrating to home gardeners. Therefore, growers should locate reliable nursery sources who supply top-quality plants that are true-to-name.

Choosing the Correct Varieties

Some varieties are very limited in where they can be successfully grown, while others may be widely adapted. To commercial producers, choosing adapted varieties can be crucial to the long-term success of their operations. Home fruit producers have a little more latitude in selecting varieties because mistakes are not as costly. Nonetheless, selecting the best adapted varieties is still very important for hobby and home producers and has several advantages for them. New varieties are always intriguing to growers, but varieties must be tested for a few years to fully evaluate their adaptation for an area.

Selecting varieties can provide growers with a continuous supply of fresh fruit. For example, if growers want a continuous supply of fresh peaches, they can plant several varieties that are adapted to their area and that ripen at 7- to 10-day intervals throughout the season. Recommended varieties for each area of the state and some of their selection characteristics are listed in Table 1 and Table 2. Fruit-growing regions of Alabama are shown in Figure 1.

Plants may also carry 17- to 20-year patents, much like other patented products. In some cases, such as apples, the preferred varieties are patented and may be more difficult to locate for purchasing. Patented varieties cannot be propagated without a written agreement from the patent holder.

In addition, varieties that are adapted for the area's climate have a better chance of success. Make certain that the area where the fruit plant is to be grown receives at least the level of chilling characteristic of the variety. In other words, a variety of apple that requires 1,000 hours of chilling should not be planted in an area that receives only 850 hours or less. It is just as important to avoid planting low-chilling tree fruit and blueberry selections in a high-chilling area. For example, a 400-hour peach variety should not be planted in central Alabama. This variety will flower early and lose its crop because of freezes. (See Figure 1 for maps of Alabama's chilling zones.)

Information on chilling requirements and other characteristics is provided in Tables 3 through 7.

 Table 1. Suggested Fruit Varieties for Central and North Alabama

Fruit Type	Characteristic for Selection	Variety
Tree Fruit
Apple             Other apple varieties (by harvest season)	Spur-type Delicious	Red Delicious: Cumberland Spur, Scarlet Spur, Red Chief (Campbell and Mercier strains), Oregon Spur II Golden Delicious: Goldspur Delicious, Stark's Goldspur Delicious
	Nonspur-type Delicious	Red Delicious: Early Red One, Sharpe Red Golden Delicious: Smoothee. Mutsu has excellent quality but may crop lightly because of early flowering and freeze damage. It has sterile pollen and must be interplanted with at least two other varieties. Super Gold, Lysgolden, and Firm Gold are suggested for trial use.
	Early season (summer) harves	Gala, Gala sports, and Gingergold are quite good. Mollies Delicious is satisfactory.
	Midseason harvest	Jonathan: Nured, Jonnee
	Late-season harvest	Granny Smith, Arkansas Black, Yates (pollinator), Law Rome Fuji and Fuji sports are suggested for trial use.
	Cooking (tart fruit)	LauraRed
Pear	Resistance to fire blight	Hard pear types: Orient, Baldwin, Kieffer European (French) types: (soft flesh with less grit or stone cells) Ayers, Moonglow, Starking Delicious, Maxine; Warren and Harvest Queen are suggested for trial use.
Asian pear	Resistance to fire blight	Korean Giant, Hosui, Shinko, Shinseiki, Chojuro, Megeitsu, Daisu Li, and Erishinge are suggested for trial use. Calleryana is the recommended rootstock.
Peach	Early season harvest	Correll, Surecrop, Sweethaven, Dixired, and Garnet Beauty Derby is suggested for trial use.
	Midseason harvest	Redhaven, Norman, Harbrite, Newhaven, Ranger, Jayhaven, Bellaire, Winblo, La Premier, Bounty, Canadian Harmony, Contender, Ruston Red
	Late-season harvest	Madison, Redkist, Denman, Cresthaven, Biscoe, Monroe, Autumn Glo, Encore, Finale Bobeva and Flameprince are suggested for trial use.
	White flesh color	Carolina Belle, Belle of Georgia, Summer Pearl
	Central Alabama use only	Majestic, Stagg, Harvester, Jefferson Loring, Redskin, Sunprince, Summerprince, Fairtime; Dixiland should be used only in warmest locations because of crop loss from freezes. Carogem and Fireprince are suggested for trial use.
Nectarine	Midseason harvest	Summer Beaut, Sunglo
	Late-season harvest	Redgold
	Trial use (in order of ripening)	Carolina Red, Earliscarlet, Hardired, Harko, Rose Princess (white), Flavortop
	Central Alabama use only	Juneglo, Durbin, Karla Rose
Plum	Order of ripening	Mayripe (green plum only), Shirley, Morris, AU Rosa, AU Rubrum, Crimson
	Central Alabama use only	Methley, AU Producer, AU Roadside (home orchard only) Green plums: Bruce, Segundo, Robusto
	Trial use (in order of ripening)	AU Cherry (home orchard only), Ruby Sweet, Explorer
Cherry	Sour cherry (Sweet cherries are poorly adapted.)	Montmorency
Oriental persimmon, Diospyros kaki	Astringent type	Tanenashi, Eureka, Hachiya (From Birmingham north, these varieties are subject to winter freeze damage).
	Nonastringent type*	Most varieties (such as Fuyu) are too cold-tender north of Birmingham but can survive and fruit during mild winters.*
Pomegranate		Wonderful
Fig		Eastern Brown Turkey, Celeste, Alma, Kadota LSU Purple and LSU Gold are suggested for trial use. Plants of all varieties will winter-freeze frequently but will regrow and resume fruiting until frozen again.
Small Fruit
Grape**	Pierces-Disease-resistant bunch grapes	Miss Blanc, Miss Blue, MidSouth, Conquistador, Suwanee, Daytona
	Bunch grapes	Fredonia, Niagara Seedless varieties: (North Alabama use only) Reliance, Saturn, Venus, Mars Catawba, Delaware, De Chaunac, Chancellor, Seyval, and Villard Blanc are suggested for trial use.
	Muscadine grapes (fresh fruit)	Female types: Black Beauty, Supreme, Darlene, Fry, Loomis, Summit, Sweet Jenny, Black Fry. (Fry and Black Fry are often hurt by winter freezes in North Alabama). Perfect types: (Use as pollinators for female varieties.) Triumph, Ison, Nesbitt, Carlos, Cowart, Granny Val, Pineapple
	Muscadine grapes (wine production)	Female types: Higgins (often hurt by winter freezes in North Alabama) Perfect types: Golden Isles, Magnolia, Noble, Welder, Carlos
Blackberry	Trailing	Young, Boysen, Gem, Flint Chester and Hull are for trial use only.
	Thorny erect	Kiowa, Shawnee, Choctaw, Cheyenne Rosborough and Womack are suggested for trial use.
	Thornless erect	Navaho may be fine in some locations but has a number of problems associated with plant longevity. Because of superior disease resistance, Arapaho is recommended over Navaho, although the latter has somewhat better flavor.
Raspberry		Latham, Southland, Dormanred Heritage and Bababerry are suggested for trial use.
Blueberry	Highbush	Earliblue, Bluecrop, Jersey are best for North Alabama.
	Rabbiteye	Tifblue, Premier, Brightwell, Centurian, and Powderblue Climax can be used in central Alabama but usually suffer more crop loss from late freezes than other varieties do and benefit from freeze protection. Austin is suggested for trial use in central Alabama.
Strawberry		Sunrise, Cardinal, Earliglow, Allstar, Albritton Chandler is the preferred variety for growing on plastic; Camorosa is suggested for trial use.
Kiwifruit***	Central Alabama use only****	Female type: Hayward Male types: Use at least two different pollinator varieties in a planting. Tomuri (the best), Matua, M-51 (an unnamed New Zealand selection). Freeze damage appears to be more of a problem for M-51 when plants are young than for other pollinators.
*Refer to Table 2 for more information on nonastringent persimmon varieties. **Pierces Disease kills bunch grape vines planted south of Birmingham except for resistant varieties. ***Some hardy kiwifruit types break dormancy too early and are prone to freeze damage. ****Experience over the past 10 years shows kiwifruit can generally withstand winter temperatures from Chilton County southward. Some smooth-skinned, hardy kiwifruit types break dormancy too early and are prone to freeze damage.

 Table 2. Suggested Fruit Varieties for South Alabama

Fruit Type	Characteristic for Selection	Variety
Tree Fruit
Apple*	Red color	Brogden, Anna
	Golden color	Wiregrass, Dorsett Golden
	Delicious varieties	Varieties of Red and Golden Delicious can be grown in south Alabama but will usually perform more poorly than in northern counties because of milder winters.
	Pollinizer (Plant one or more red types with one or more golden types.)	Use Dorsett Golden as pollinizer for Anna. Anna and Dorsett Golden are only for extreme southern counties. Gala, Gala sports, Fuji and Fuji sports are selections with somewhat lower chilling requirements that are suggested for trial in southern counties.
Pear	Resistance to fire blight	Hard pear types: Orient, Baldwin, Kieffer; Hood and Pineapple (also hard pear types) usually flower too early and suffer more freeze loss but produce fruits that are quite good for processing. Their use should be limited to southernmost counties. European (French) types: (soft flesh with less grit or stone cells) Moonglow; Warren is suggested for trial use.
Asian pear	Resistance to fire blight (trial use)	Korean Giant, Hosui, Shinko, Shinseiki, Megeitsu, Daisu Li, Chojuro, and Erishinge are suggested for trial use. Ya Li and Seuri flower too early in more northern counties but are worth trial in southern counties. Calleryana is the preferred rootstock.
Peach	Early season harvest	Empress, Goldprince, June Gold, Brighton, Juneprince, Sentinel Regal, Delta, Gala, and Texroyal are early varieties suggested for trial use.
	Midseason harvest	Harvester, Newhaven, Sunland, La Feliciana, Majestic, Fireprince, Winblo, Stagg, Loring, Bounty, Summergold, Finale
	Late-season harvest	Ruston Red, Dixiland, Sunprince, Redskin, Monroe, Sweet Sue, Marqueen, Fairtime
	Low chilling varieties (in order of ripening)	Flordaglobe, Flordaking, Texstar, Flordacrest, La Pecher, Rio Grande, Sun Grand, La Festival. Use these varieties in extreme South Alabama (southern two-thirds of Houston, Baldwin and Mobile Counties).
	White flesh color (in order of ripening)	Starlite, Scarlet Pearl, La White, Carolina Belle, Belle of Georgia, Summer Pearl
Nectarine	Early season harvest	Mayfire, Carolina Red, Sunfre, Durbin**
	Midseason harvest	Juneglo, Earliscarlet**, Summer Beaut, Sunglo**, Rose Princess (white)**
	Late-season harvest	Redgold**
	Low chilling varieties (in order of ripening)	Sundollar, Sunlite, Sunsplash, and Sungem are suggested for trial in extreme South Alabama. Karla Rose (white) has superb eating quality but has fruit split, bacterial leaf, and fruit spot problems some years.
Plum, Japanese	Dessert type	Shirley, Morris, AU Rosa, AU Rubrum, AU Producer, Crimson Methley, AU Cherry, AU Roadside are okay for home use. Bruce, Segundo, and Robusto are only of value as green plums. Bruce has poor tree longevity. Ruby Sweet and Explorer are suggested for trial use.
Oriental persimmon Diospyros kaki	Astringent type	Tanenashi, Eureka, Hachiya
	Nonastringent type	Fuyugaki (Fuyu) and Jiro Use Gailey as a pollinator to eliminate excessive fruit shedding of Fuyu. Izu and Matsumoto Wase Fuyu are suggested for trial planting where freezes limit use of Fuyu.
Pomegranate		Wonderful
Fig		Eastern Brown Turkey, Celeste, Alma, Kadota LSU Purple and LSU Gold are suggested for trial use.
Small Fruit
Grape***	Pierces-Disease-resistant bunch grapes	Miss Blanc, Miss Blue, MidSouth, Suwanee, Daytona, Conquistador
	Bunch grapes	Fredonia, Miss Blue, MidSouth, Niagara; Catawba, Delaware, Interlaken Seedless, De Chaunac, Chancellor, Seyval, Villard Blanc are suggested for trial use. Daytona, Suwanee, Conquistador are suggested for home use.
	Muscadine grapes (fresh fruit)	Female types: Black Beauty, Supreme, Darlene, Fry, Loomis, Summit, Sweet Jenny, Black Fry. Fry and Black Fry are often hurt by winter freezes in North Alabama. Perfect types: (Use as pollinators for female varieties.) Triumph, Ison, Nesbitt, Carlos, Cowart, Granny Val, Pineapple
	Muscadine grapes (wine production)	Female types: Higgins (often hurt by winter freezes in North Alabama) Perfect types: Golden Isles, Magnolia, Noble, Welder, Carlos
Blackberry	Trailing	Young, Boysen, Gem, Flint
	Thorny erect	Kiowa, Shawnee, Choctaw, Cheyenne Rosborough and Womack are suggested for trial use.
	Thornless erect	Navaho may be fine in some locations but has a number of problems associated with plant longevity. Because of superior disease resistance, Arapaho is recommended over Navaho, although the latter has somewhat better flavor.
Raspberry		Latham, Southland, Dormanred Heritage and Bababerry are suggested for trial use.
Blueberry	Southern highbush	Pearl River, Magnolia, Jubilee, Summit, and Biloxi are suggested for trial use.
	Rabbiteye	Climax, Brightwell, Premier, Tifblue, Powderblue, Centurian. Austin is suggested for trial use. Beckyblue is suggested for home use in extreme southern counties and southern and central counties if freeze protection is used. Woodard is suggested for home use in southern counties. Climax, Beckyblue, and Woodard are more susceptible to crop loss from late freezes because of early flowering.
Strawberry		Earliglow, Albritton, Allstar, Cardinal for matted row. Chandler is the preferred variety for growing on plastic; Camorosa is suggested for trial use.
Subtropical and Exotic Fruit
Satsuma	Preferred varieties and rootstock	Owari, Kimbrough, Armstrong Early Bud satsumas on Poncirus trifoliata (Trifoliate orange) rootstock. Flying Dragon, a dwarf form of trifoliate orange, is suggested for home use and trial use commercially. Brown Select is suggested for trial planting.
Tangerine and hybrids****	Preferred varieties and rootstock	Robinson, Clementine, Nova, Page, Lee, Osceola, Sunburst, Orlando tangelo, Ambersweet (sold as an orange and is self-fruitful) Bud tangerines on Poncirus trifoliata (Trifoliate orange) rootstock or Flying Dragon for home use.
Lemon	Preferred variety	Meyer
Limequat	Preferred variety	Eustis
Kumquat	Preferred varieties	Nagami, Meiwa, Marumi. Meiwa is sweet; others are tart but become sweeter when ripe.
Calamondin	Preferred variety	Calamondin
Kiwifruit*****		Female type: Hayward Male types: Use at least two different pollinator varieties in a planting. Tomuri (the best), Matua, M-51 (an unnamed New Zealand selection). Freeze damage appears to be more of a problem for M-51 when plants are young than for other pollinators. Freeze protection is necessary. Lack of winter chilling causes light cropping in southern counties.
*Red and Golden Delicious varieties as listed in Table 1 for central Alabama can be planted, but lack of winter chilling usually results in below-par performance. **Use these varieties of nectarines only in higher chilling areas. ***Pierces Disease kills bunch grape vines planted south of Birmingham except for resistant varieties. ****Except for Clementine tangerine and tangerine hybrids, citrus varieties listed are self-fruitful and do not require cross-pollination. For more detail on varieties, see Extension publication ANR-603, "Citrus for Southern and Coastal Alabama." *****Experience over the past 10 years shows kiwifruit can generally withstand winter temperatures from Chilton County southward. Some smooth-skinned, hardy kiwifruit types break dormancy too early and are prone to freeze damage.

 Table 3. Chilling Characteristics of Fruit Varieties Listed in Tables 1 and 2

Fruit Type and Variety		Chilling Hours
		Flower Bud	Leaf Bud
Apple	All common varieties (Red and Golden Delicious)	900 to 1,100	900 to 1,100
	Fuji, Braeburn, Gala, Granny Smith	700 to 900*	700 to 900*
	Anna, Dorsett Golden	250 to 350	250 to 350
Pear, common (hard)	Hood, Pineapple	450*	450*
	Baldwin	650	650
	Orient, Kieffer	750*	750*
Pear, European hybrids	Moonglow	800*	800*
	Ayers	950*	950*
	Maxine	950+*	950+*
	Starking Delicious	950+*	950+*
	Warren	950+*	950+*
	Harvest Queen	950+*	950+*
Asian pear	Housi, Shinko, Korean Giant, and other varieties**	600 to 900*	600 to 900*
Oriental persimmon, astringent	Eureka, Tanenashi, Hachiya	400 to 700*	400 to 700*
Oriental persimmon, nonastringent	Fuyu	400*	400*
	Matsumoto Wase Fuyu	400*	400*
	Izu	400*	400*
	Gailey (used as pollinator for Fuyu)	400*	400*
Fig, common	Celeste	550*	550*
	Eastern Brown Turkey	400*	400*
	Alma	500*	500*
	Kadota	600*	600*
	LSU Purple	450*	450*
Bunch grape, European hybrids	De Chaunac, Chancellor, Seyval, Villard Blanc	300 to 500*	300 to 500*
Bunch grape, American and hybrids	Fredonia, Niagara, Reliance, Saturn, Venus, Mars, Miss Blanc, Miss Blue, MidSouth, Conquistador, Suwanee, Daytona	200 to 600*	200 to 600*
Muscadine grape	Fry, Black Beauty, Summit, Sweet Jenny, Black Fry, Carlos, Nesbitt, Cowart, Granny Val	200 to 600*	200 to 600*
Blackberry	Young	500*	500*
	Boysen	600*	600*
	Gem	450*	450*
	Flint	500*	500*
	Shawnee	700*	700*
	Choctaw	700*	700*
	Cheyenne	600*	600*
	Womack	500*	500*
	Rosborough	400*	400*
	Navaho	750*	750*
	Arapaho	750*	750*
Blueberry, highbush	Earliblue	1,000*	1,000*
	Bluecrop	1,000*	1,000*
	Jersey	1,000*	1,000*
Blueberry, southern highbush	Georgiagem	550	550
	Cape Fear	600	600
	Gulf Coast	500	500
Blueberry, rabbiteye	Tifblue	650	650
	Premier	650	650
	Brightwell	600	600
	Centurian	700	700
	Powderblue	650	650
	Austin	600*	600*
	Climax	550	550
	Beckyblue	450	450
	Woodard	450	450
Kiwifruit	Hayward (female)***	1,000	400
	Matua (male)	600*	400*
	Tomuri (male)	600*	400*
	M-51 (male)	600*	400*
*Estimated values **Accurate chilling requirement has not been determined. ***Plants will grow with only 400 hours of chilling, but 1,000 hours are needed for optimum female flower production and cropping.

 Table 4. Characteristics of Yellow-Fleshed Peach Varieties Listed in Tables 1 and 2*

Variety	Ripening Season (Days before Elberta)**	Chilling Hours		Stone Freeness
		Flower Bud	Leaf Bud
Flordaglobe	61	450	450	Cling
Goldcrest	60	650	650	Semifree
Regal (CVN-1B3)	56	700	700	Semifree
Empress	52	650	650	Cling
Correll	51	850	850	Cling
Flordaking	51	400	400	Cling
Goldprince	47	650	650	Cling
June Gold	47	650	650	Cling
Texstar	45	500	500	Semifree
Derby	45	850	850	Semifree
Surecrop	43	1,000	1,000	Cling
Sweethaven	42	850	850	Semifree
Summerprince	42	850	850	Semifree
Dixired	41	1,000	1,000	Cling
Flordacrest	41	425	425	Semifree
Delta (CVN-1-A)	40	550	550	Cling
La Pecher	39	450	450	Semifree
Maygold	39	650	650	Cling
Garnet Beauty	38	850	850	Semifree
Juneprince	35	650	650	Semifree
Texroyal	34	600	600	Free
Brighton	34	750	750	Semifree
GaLa	33	700	700	Semifree
Sentinel	32	850	850	Semifree
Redhaven	28	950	950	Semifree
Harbrite	26	850	850	Free
Norman	26	850	900	Free
Rio Grande	25	450	450	Free
Sun Grande	25	950	450	Free
Ranger	24	900	900	Free
Harvester	22	750	750	Free
Newhaven	22	850	850	Free
Cary Mac	22	750	750	Free
Sunland	21	750	750	Free
Bellaire	20	950	950	Free
La Feliciana	20	550	550	Free
La Festival	20	450	450	Free
Jayhaven	18	850	850	Free
Fireprince	17	850	850	Free
Hawthorne	17	600	600	Free
Carogem	17	950	950	Free
Majestic	16	800	800	Free
Winblo	13	800	800	Free
Bounty	12	800	800	Free
Loring	12	750	750	Free
La Premier	12	1,050	1,050	Free
Legend	12	850	850	Free
Canadian Harmony	10	850	850	Free
Summergold	10	750	750	Free
Contender	9	1,050	1,050	Free
Finale	8	750	750	Free
Madison	7	850	850	Free
Stagg	7	850	850	Free
Denman	6	850	850	Free
Biscoe	3	850	850	Free
Cresthaven	3	850	850	Free
Dixiland	3	750	750	Free
Ruston Red	3	850	850	Free
Sunprince	3	800	800	Free
Redskin	2	750	750	Free
	(Days after Elberta)**
Jefferson	3	850	850	Free
Autumnglo	6	850	850	Free
Monroe	6	850	850	Free
Encore	7	850	850	Free
Sweet Sue	8	850	850	Free
Bobeva	10	900	900	Free
Marqueen	11	750	750	Free
Flameprince	12	850	850	Free
Fairtime	30	750	750	Free
*Varieties are listed in order of ripening from earliest to latest based on days before or after the Elberta variety. **Normal first harvest dates for Elberta are as follows: July 10 (South Alabama), July 20 (central Alabama), and July 30 (North Alabama).

  Table 5. Characteristics of White-Fleshed Peach Varieties Listed in Tables 1 and 2*

Variety	Ripening Season (Days before Elberta)**		Chilling Hours		Stone Freeness
			Flower Bud	Leaf Bud
Starlite	55		650	650	Semicling
Scarlet Pearl	47		750	750	Semifree
Southern Pearl	38		650	650	Free
La White	27		650	650	Free
Carolina Belle	18		750	750	Free
Belle of Georgia	3		850	950	Free
Summer Pearl	3		850	850	Free
*Varieties are listed in order of ripening from earliest to latest based on days before or after the Elberta variety. **Normal first harvest dates for Elberta are as follows: July 10 (South Alabama), July 20 (central Alabama), and July 30 (North Alabama).

 Table 6. Characteristics of Nectarine Varieties Listed in Tables 1 and 2*

Variety	Ripening Season (Days before Elberta)**	Chilling Hours		Stone Freeness
		Flower Bud	Leaf Bud
Mayfire	63	650	650	Cling
Sundollar	60	400	400	Cling
Sunlite	55	450	450	Cling
Sunsplash	54	450	450	Cling
Sungem	54	425	425	Cling
Carolina Red	39	750	750	Semifree
Juneglo	38	700	700	Semifree
Sunfre	35	525	525	Semifree
Juneprincess	35	850	850	Semifree
Karla Rose***	35	700	700	Semifree
Durbin	30	850	850	Semifree
Earliscarlet	28	850	850	Semifree
Summer Beaut	27	800	800	Free
Hardired	24	850	850	Free
Harko	24	850	850	Semifree
Sunglo	23	850	850	Free
Rose Princess***	21	850	850	Free
Flavortop	14	850	850	Free
Redgold	5	850	850	Free
*Varieties are listed in order of ripening from earliest to latest based on days before or after the Elberta peach variety. **Normal first harvest dates for Elberta are as follows: July 10 (South Alabama), July 20 (central Alabama), and July 30 (North Alabama). ***White-fleshed

 Table 7. Characteristics of Plum Varieties Listed in Tables 1 and 2*

Variety	Ripening Season (Days before Elberta)	Chilling Hours**		Color
		Flower Bud	Leaf Bud	Skin	Flesh
Mayripe	52***	750	750	Green to red	Yellow
Bruce	50***	500	500	Green to red	Yellow to red
Methley	42	500	500	Red to purple	Deep red
Robusto	40***	600	600	Bright red	Red
Shirley	37	750	750	Red to yellow	Yellow
Segundo	35***	650	650	Yellow to red	Yellow to red
AU Rubrum	30	700	700	Deep red	Deep red
Morris	30	700	700	Deep red	Deep red
AU Rosa	28	650	650	Red	Yellow to red
AU Cherry	26	650	650	Red	Red
AU Roadside	22	650	650	Purplish red	Red
AU Producer	20	600	600	Dark red	Red to yellow
Ruby Sweet	14	650	650	Reddish bronze	Dark red
Explorer	10	650	650	Purple	Amber
Crimson	5	650	650	Bright red	Red
*Varieties are listed in order of ripening from earliest to latest based on days before or after the Elberta peach variety. **Chilling hours are estimated for some varieties. ***Not very tasty. Best use is at green stage.

For more information, contact your county Extension office. Look in your telephone directory under your county's name to find the number.