The Tropic Prince Peach Tree is the answer for those seeking a warm weather Peach Tree that grows fruit a bit bigger than some of the other low Chill Hour Peaches. Tropic Prince Peach Trees also have the added bonus of being an early ripening fruit, so the trees bloom at the first signs of spring and the peaches will ripen in about 90 days. That means that you will be eating these juicy, freestone peaches in May. Tropic Prince Peach Trees are rated for growing within USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 8 to 9, or in containers in Zones 4 to 9.
Tropic Prince Peach Trees only require 150 Chill Hours in order to grow their tasty peaches. Tropic Prince Peaches are round, firm, and ripen to have orange skins with deep red blush. The flesh is juicy, yellow, sweet, and melting. Expect Tropic Prince Peach Trees to get 18 to 20 feet tall and 13 to 15 feet wide. Tropic Prince Peach Trees make an excellent fruit tree for the tropical landscape where low chill hours and warm winters are the norm. Plant a few and harvest your own sweet, nutritious peaches right from your own trees.
Landscaping with fruit trees is sometimes called Fruitscaping, and it is a great way to add shade, fragrant blossoms, and healthy home-grown fruit to the home garden. Tropic Prince Peach Trees produce a profusion of pink and red flowers in early spring and the blooms attract butterflies and humming birds to animate and pollinate the trees. Plant Tropic Prince Peach Trees with 15 feet of space between each new tree and any existing foliage. In fall the leaves turn bright yellow before falling.
Use fallen peach leaves as mulch or add the leaves to your compost to turn them into free organic plant food. Prune the limbs and cut out dead branches in late winter before the trees set new buds. In most Zone 9 locations this will be in February. Save the cut and dried peach wood for use as cooking or food smoking fuel, and compost the smaller twigs and stems. Remove any suckers that grow at the tree base every summer. Keep the area under the Tropic Prince Peach Tree free of weeds, grass, fallen fruit, and decaying limbs. A tidy planting area is the best defense against fungus and pests.
Fruit & Harvesting
Tropic Prince Peach Fruits are medium to somewhat large with red blush and excellent flavor. They will ripen about 85 to 90 days after blooming. To harvest perfectly ripe peaches, look for ones with good color and that yield slightly to a gentle squeeze. Ripe and ready to eat Tropic Prince Peaches will be juicy, and have a sweet, tangy taste. The melting-type flesh is good for eating fresh, baking, and blending into fruit juices and frozen beverages. A mixture of ripe Tropic Prince Peach slices and honey blended into a puree makes a nutritious topping for ice cream. Picking and eating the first ripe, sweet peaches from your own tree is one of the most exciting rewards for the home gardener.
Use Tropic Prince Peaches fresh, refrigerate them to keep for a few days, and peel, seed, and freeze the peach slices for extended storage. At the end of the growing season be sure to harvest the last of any remaining peaches from the tree. This will ensure that the tree has a strong start the following spring. Remove and compost all fallen fruit from the ground, and add a new layer of mulch to protect roots over the winter months.
Advice
You can also grow Tropic Prince Peach Trees in pots. Select a sturdy pot that is bigger than the pot the tree came in, and be sure the new pot has adequate holes for drainage. Use rich potting soil with perlite, and place the potted tree in the sunniest spot possible. A bright south-facing window is good, or outdoors on a sunny deck is best. Water potted Tropic Prince Peach Trees when the soil is dry down to two inches deep.
Potted Tropic Prince Peach Trees will stay smaller than in-ground trees, but you can still prune them to maintain the trees in a balanced shape. Trim out all dead or damaged branches and prune the largest limbs back to one foot from the main trunk. Prune each year in February and cut out any low-growing suckers any time they start to grow throughout the summer months.
FAQs
How soon will a Tropic Prince Peach Tree start to make fruit?
A grafted Tropic Prince Peach Tree in good conditions will usually begin to produce crops of peaches in 2 to 3 years after planting in the ground.
Do the Tropic Prince Peach Trees need full sun?
Tropic Prince Peach Trees do best growing in a spot that gets at least 6 hours of direct sun per day. They will grow in more shaded locations, but they will bloom the most with more sun.
Are Tropic Prince Peaches Freestone or Clingstone?
Tropic Prince Peach Trees are freestone peaches, so the flesh releases easily from the single seed.
How tall will a Tropic Prince Peach Tree get?
In-ground Tropic Prince Peach Trees will usually grow to about 18 to 20 feet tall. You can keep them smaller by cutting them back each year.
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