Peach ‘Bonanza’ (Prunus persica ‘Bonanza’)

Peach ‘Bonanza’ (Prunus persica ‘Bonanza’) is distinct for its hot pink blossoms, which bloom in spring. A cultivar of Prunus persica, its name refers to its abundant and riotous flowers. Gardeners love this tree for the delicious peaches it produces. As a dwarf cultivar, it does well in containers.

I. Appearance and Characteristics

Perfect for containers and balconies, Prunus persica ‘Bonanza’ is a dwarf peach tree adorned with profuse, fragrant, brilliant hot pink blossoms in mid-spring. They are followed by a crop of medium-sized, freestone, yellow fruits blushed red in mid-late summer. The flesh is firm, sweet, and juicy.

Self-pollinating, this peach tree forms a rounded crown with upwardly-reaching branches clothed in lanceolate, mid-green, semi-glossy, deciduous leaves. The foliage provides a golden-to-orange fall display. Perfect for small gardens.

II. How to Grow and Care

Sunlight

Peach ‘Bonanza’ likes sunshine. As a fruit tree, ample sunlight for photosynthesis is necessary for its growth and to provide sufficient nutrition to develop fruit. It should be planted in a spot that ensures it can receive at least 6 hours of sunlight, and ideally no less than 8 hours of sunlight.

Temperature

Peach ‘Bonanza’ is fairly good at surviving in low temperatures. The temperature it can tolerate ranges from -22 ℃ to 42 ℃. It is also not very picky when it comes to water. It does not need a lot of water and is resistant to both drought and flood.

Watering

You should water peach ‘Bonanza’ and adjust the frequency of watering based on its stage of growth, the local weather, and the condition of the soil. Before budding (in mid-spring), it should be watered once. From mid-spring to just before the fall, it should be watered every month. It needs to be thoroughly watered each time you water it, until the water on the soil surface stops draining away. This will ensure that it has sufficient water for growth.

After watering, remember to loosen the soil and remove any weeds in a timely fashion. Stop watering in the autumn and especially in the winter, otherwise it will suffer from frost damage.

Soil

When planting peach ‘Bonanza’, you should select a sandy loam soil or loam that is thick, rich in organic matter, and with a slight to medium alkaline pH of 7-8.5. Avoid planting it in a place where salt and alkalis are concentrated. Additionally, make sure that the soil is moist but drains well. It is best not to grow peach ‘Bonanza’ in clay soil.

Fertilizing

Peach ‘Bonanza’ likes to be fertilized. A sufficient amount of fertilizer will ensure that it grows healthily and bears fruit. Organic fertilizer is usually used for its base fertilizer. When applying fertilizer, dig a circular trench around the external circumference of the tree crown, at a depth of 38 cm and a width of 28 cm. Apply the fertilizer evenly throughout the trench, then backfill the soil.
Fertilizer should be applied twice a year, the first time prior to blooming, to supply nutrients for the flowers, and the second time when the fruit is growing larger, to supply nutrients for fruit growth and to increase the yield.

Planting Instructions

You can purchase peach ‘Bonanza’ saplings in garden centers. Pay attention to two things before planting. First, choose an area of the garden that has a lower altitude to plant your peach ‘Bonanza’. This will help it to acquire enough water because its roots are shallow. Additionally, apply sufficient base fertilizer before planting it, mostly organic fertilizer. Once planted, remember to water it soon after, until the water on the surface of the soil stops draining away. When this happens you have provided sufficient water.

We generally do not sow seeds to propagate peach ‘Bonanza’ because the seeds need to undergo post-ripening effects. This means that the seeds are not yet mature when they are harvested. It is only after a period of special treatment that the seeds can complete their biochemical processes and reach the condition of being mature seeds that are able to germinate.

Pruning

Peach ‘Bonanza’ sprouts on branches that have strong budding capabilities. However, the branches can easily become overcrowded and need frequent pruning to maintain the shape, air circulation, and light exposure within the tree. This also helps to prevent pests and diseases while at the same time helping the leaves receive more sunlight.

Peach ‘Bonanza’ can generate a large amount of fruit without any artificial pollination. Because peach ‘Bonanza’ can produce a large number of flowers with a high yield of fruit, to maintain its growth and the quality of fruit, it is recommended that some flowers and fruit be removed to concentrate the nutrients for the remaining fruit. As a result, there will not be a large amount of fruit, but those left will be of higher quality and have an improved flavor.

Propagation

Peach ‘Bonanza’ can be propagated by grafting. Select healthy and strong that have 3-4 fully developed buds for grafting in mid-spring, or directly use buds for grafting in the summer.
Cut a T-shaped opening in the stock, and insert the branch or bud into the cut between its xylem and phloem, while making sure the phloem vessels are in contact with each other. Then, use plastic wrapping to bind them together. After 10-20 days, when the cut has healed and the branch or bud has survived, the plastic wrap can be removed.

Transplanting

For peach ‘Bonanza’, the prime transplanting seasons are early to mid-spring or early winter, when the plant is dormant. Choose a sunny location with well-drained soil. Ensure the site provides ample space for growth, optimizing future health and beauty.

Pests and Diseases

Bonanza peach trees aren’t tolerant to any extreme weather conditions or diseases, so bring your potted peach tree indoors during periods of very high or low temperature.

• Diseases

These trees are highly susceptible to peach leaf curl, mildew, brown rot and peach scab. Peach leaf curl is a fungal disease that causes the peach leaves to curl down and turn red or purple and causes a smaller crop yield and misshapen fruit. You can protect against this disease by covering the plant during winter rains to keep excess moisture out.

Mildew attacks any part of the tree with a gray, powdery substance. Brown rot creates gray, fuzzy spots, and scab disease creates olive green or brown spots. All of these will attack any part of the plant, including the leaves, fruits, and branches.

• Wildlife Threats

Common garden pests that can attack your fruit tree include moths, stink bugs, borers, aphids, nematodes, and caterpillars. Certain animals like deer, squirrels, and opossums may also steal your peaches for food. To prevent wildlife from damaging your tree, pick up and dispose of fallen peaches, prune or remove fruit tree limbs, and cover the peach tree’s leaves with reusable plastic mesh bird netting about three weeks before the peaches are ripe.

III. Uses and Benefits

A good dwarf plant with an edible fruit for smaller gardens and large containers.

IV. Harvesting and Storage

The fruits of peach ‘Bonanza’ usually ripen in the early fall and can be picked for eating. If the fruit needs to be stored or transported a long distance, it is better to harvest the fruit before it softens, such as during the late summer or early fall. Note that fruit should be handled gently and, ideally, and the twig should remain on the fruit.