O’Henry Peach Tree

If you are a peach lover, you want to have fresh fruit from your garden for a long as possible. First fun fact about peaches – the fruit ripens at different seasons in different varieties. Second fun fact – the O’Henry Peach Tree is a very late-ripening variety. The peaches start ripening in the middle of August, and through the second half of that month, and even into September in cooler zones, you can pick fresh, ripe peaches from this vigorous tree. Imagine that – strolling into your garden on a hot day at the height of summer, and reaching up to pluck a big, ripe peach straight from the tree – how cool is that? The O’Henry Peach Tree let’s you do exactly that, and those gorgeous red peaches have brilliant yellow flesh that is so sweet and juicy you won’t believe it. If you don’t have the room for a second tree, don’t worry, because peaches give a full crop from just one tree. It’s a vigorous and reliable tree to grow, and with just a little attention you will be harvesting bushels of peaches within a few years. What could be better?

Growing the O’Henry Peach Tree

Size and Appearance

The O’Henry Peach Tree is a robust deciduous tree with strong vigorous growth. It will rapidly form a substantial tree, carrying a big crop of peaches. It will grow at least 15 feet tall and wide, although that size can be modified with pruning and growing techniques. The leaves are over 7 inches long, but slender, with a slight gloss to their dark green coloring. It blooms in early March in warmer zones – a little later further north. The showy pink blossoms are carried on the bare twigs, and they make this tree not only useful, but ornamental as well. Like most peaches it is self-fertile, and doesn’t need another variety of peach for pollination – it makes a bumper crop all on its own. The fruits begin to ripen by mid-August in most areas, making this a great companion to early fruiting varieties – you can extend the season of fresh peaches by weeks and weeks.

The fruit is medium-large, about 3 inches in diameter, and when ripe the skin is almost completely colored dark red, with just a small amount of fuzz, making it great for eating straight from the tree. The flesh is brilliant yellow, with a rich, deep and appetizing glow. This is a freestone variety, and the flesh around the stone is tinted a rich pink. The flavor is intense. Sweet and rich, with a tangy note too, this is one of those peaches where you go, ‘Wow!’, the moment you take your first bite. Perfect for eating fresh, slicing into salads, baking, and even freezing, nothing will be wasted of that big crop you will soon be harvesting.

Using the O’Henry Peach Tree in Your Garden

With its showy flowers you can proudly grow this tree out on your lawn – you don’t need a peach orchard. Of course you can also start a section of your garden for home fruit – many people are doing this today. If your garden is small, or you live in zones 5 and 6, you might want to grow this tree spread out on a sunny wall or fence, as an espalier. This exposes the tree to lots of sun and gives you much better ripening and sweeter fruit.

Hardiness

The O’Henry Peach Tree needs about 800 chilling hours over the winter which means that it grows best in areas with moderate winter cold and hot summers, through to zone 8. While it will grow in zone 9 in California and Oregon, it is not so likely to do well in zone 9 in the southeast – choose a variety like the Snowbrite Peach instead.

Sun Exposure and Soil Conditions

Grow your O’Henry Peach Tree in full sun – the more the better. It will grow in any well-drained soil, preferring lighter soils like loams and sandy loams. If you have clay soil, try to plant at the top of a slope, or on a mound of earth, to give better drainage.

Maintenance and Pruning

All peach trees can suffer from pests or diseases, but these are mostly relatively easy to control, but not eliminate. Remember that those perfect fruits you see are the result of perfect growing conditions and frequent chemical sprays, and home crops don’t have to look perfect to taste delicious. We recommend Neem Oil spray to control many pests and diseases. For the best crops, prune your tree to develop an open, vase-shaped form. This lets the sun in to ripen the fruit well. Once you can see the clusters of green fruit clearly, remove all but the best one from each cluster, otherwise you will have a big crop of tiny peaches that are mostly stone.

History and Origin of the O’Henry Peach Tree

Peaches have been a big crop in California back to the time of the Spanish settlers, and many of our best varieties first saw the sun in California. The industry is and was large, with many growers and breeders working together. Grant Merrill was a private breeder of peaches who lived and worked in Exeter, a Californian center for peach growing. In the 1960s the peaches being grown had pale yellow flesh and mostly yellow skin, with perhaps a small red blush. So when Merrill introduced his new variety called ‘O’Henry’, it was a sensation. The red skin and the dark yellow flesh, combined with amazing flavor, made it a top variety for commercial growers all through the 70s and 80s, making up 40% of the harvest. He released it in 1968, and patented it in 1970 (PP# 2,964). Grant Merrill was a prolific and successful breeder, patenting around 50 varieties of peaches. Most are no longer grown, but ‘O’Henry’ lives on with specialist growers and as a home-garden variety. You too can enjoy this landmark peach – an heirloom tree that is still as good as it gets.

Buying the O’Henry Peach Tree at the Tree Center

Don’t forget that the O’Henry Peach has amazing flavor inside that yellow flesh. It was a winner in Sunset Magazine’s taste tests, so lovers of good peaches always look for this variety. That means our stock will soon be gone – order now and end the peach season with something truly delicious.