Here is a good list. Generally any with a cumulative chill hour rating of 300 hours or less and that the harvest is before July will be good to excellent. Most are self fertile...make sure any you select are if you are only going to plant one tree. Remember most fruit is only good for 2-3 weeks on the tree at most.

Here is a link that might be useful: Try page 17

RSI has ads on Craigslist for peaches and other fruit trees. Got me thinking I should get one. Or two.

Here is a link that might be useful: peach trees

I had one for several years (Floridaprince.) Very bad luck. Micro-nutrient deficiencies. I cut it down two months ago.

Maybe your soil is better than mine is. Good luck. I've read Eva's Pride is very good variety.

Thank you everyone for your advice! I have read that Florida Prince is a good one for the area as well as the Eva Pride. My trees seems to thrive in my soil so I'm hopeful the peach tree will take off nicely.

We had a Desert Gold in Scottsdale many years ago, it was vigorous and LOADED with so much fruit the birds couldn't keep up! It bloomed in January (very ornamental) and I think we picked fruit in April or May. If you have room for two, get that one for early peaches.

I am seriously considering a peach tree, but I cannot have it grow more than probably 12 feet. I don't really want a little Bonanza. I am looking at a Desert Gold. Can I keep that under 12 feet or so?

How tasty are the fruit?

You can keep any tree the height you want it to be. While the link below emphasizes summer pruning we don't do that in the arts of Arizona that exceed 85F as a low for the summer. It is unnecessary as the trees cease growing under those conditions and removing vegetation at that time of the year exposes tender areas to sunburn. So prune in winter (dormant) and MAYBE lightly early April, early Oct. Prune properly so as to not stimulate new growth.

Desert Gold is reportedly very good. I have been unable to try one yet. Of FloridaPrince, Earligrande and May Pride which all 4 ripen at the same time I prefer FP and would love to compare it to DG at the same time.

Note this is my opinion. I have witnessed first hand that different people have different tastes and others would recommend others over FP.

https://pubs.ext.vt.edu/422/422-020/422-020_pdf.pdf

Here is a link that might be useful: Backyard Orchard Culture

This post was edited by Fascist_Nation on Mon, Nov 24, 14 at 18:26