In a continuing effort to improve the quality of shipping fruits, we, the inventors, typically hybridize a large number of peach, nectarine, plum, apricot, and cherry seedlings each year. We also grow a smaller number of open pollinated seeds of each of these fruits, usually to capture recessive traits. The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of peach tree, which has been denominated varietally as ‘Pearl Princess II’.
The present variety was hybridized by us in 2007 as a first generation cross using ‘Snow Princess’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,570) peach as the selected seed parent and ‘May Princess’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,771) peach as the selected pollen parent. Upon reaching maturity the fruit of this cross was gathered, and the seeds were removed, cracked, stratified, germinated, and grown as seedlings on their own root in our greenhouse. Upon reaching dormancy the seedlings were transplanted as a group to a cultivated area of our experimental orchard located near Le Grand, Calif., in Merced County (San Joaquin Valley). During the fruit evaluation season of 2012 we selected the present variety as a single tree from the group of seedlings described above. Subsequent to origination of the present variety of peach tree, we asexually reproduced it by budding and grafting in the experimental orchard described above, and such reproductions were true to the original tree in all respects. The reproduction of the variety included the use of ‘Nemaguard’ (unpatented) rootstock upon which the present variety was compatible and true to type.
The present variety is similar to its seed parent, ‘Snow Princess’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,570) peach, by having showy blossoms, by being self-fertile, and by producing peaches that are mostly red to pink in skin color, white in flesh color, globose in shape, and freestone in type, but is quite distinguished therefrom by blooming about five days later, by having a higher chilling requirement, by having globose instead of reniform leaf glands, and by producing fruit that is somewhat smaller in size and that ripens about forty-eight days earlier.
The present variety is similar to its pollen parent, ‘May Princess’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,771) peach, by having showy blossoms, by being self-fertile, and by producing peaches that are mostly red in skin color and firm in texture, but is quite distinguished therefrom by having globose instead of reniform leaf glands, by blooming about a week later, by requiring more chilling hours, and by producing fruit that is freestone instead of clingstone in type, that is globose instead of oblate in shape, that is much less acidic in flavor, and that matures about thirty-four days later.
The present variety most similar to ‘Pearl Princess III’ peach tree (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 28,505), by having showy blossoms, by being self-fertile, and by producing white flesh peaches that are mostly red in skin color, nearly globose in shape, firm in texture, and sub-acid in flavor, but is distinguished therefrom by having a larger tree, by having globose instead of reniform leaf glands, by blooming about a week later, by requiring more chilling hours, and by producing peaches that are somewhat smaller in size, that are freestone instead of clingstone in type, and that mature about six days earlier. It is to be noted that in 2015 the ripening dates for the California fruit industry were about twenty days earlier than normal, while the 2018 season was near normal. This must be considered when comparing the Jun. 3, 2015, ripening date of ‘Pearl Princess III’ to the Jun. 14, 2018, ripening date of the present variety.