Peach Variety: Snowbrite

Hey, I’m Desmond Layne, Peach Specialist at Clemson University. Welcome to the Clemson Tiger Peach Network.

Today is June 23, 2011 and this is our second season of “Everything About Peaches”. This summer our series is called “Peach Picks for South Carolina”. Every week throughout the entire summer we are featuring those cultivars that perform the very best here in “The Tastier Peach” state.

We are here at my variety test block at James Cooley’s Farm in Chesnee, SC. Last time, we featured a yellow, subacid nectarine called Honey Blaze. This time, a white-fleshed, subacid peach called Snowbrite! Snowbrite was developed by Zaiger Genetics in Modesto, California. It was patented in 1993 so the patent is still valid which means that you can only buy trees through a licensed propagator and you will pay a royalty fee when you purchase those trees.

Snowbrite has creamy white flesh that is subacid in flavor. Although the fruit is very sweet, because is it subacid, it doesn’t have the typical “tanginess” we associate with most Southern peaches. Most peaches grown in China are subacid type. Many people of Asian or Hispanic background prefer fruit that have low acidity and very high sugar content.

In our Clemson University research trials over the last 5 years, the performance of Snowbrite has been excellent. Its’ typically harvested between the middle and the end of June depending on where you are located in the state.

Snowbrite has good size averaging from 2 ¾ to 3 inches in diameter. It has a very nice uniform, round shape and an excellent red overcolor (or blush). When you cut through the skin into the flesh you can see that it has beautiful white flesh. There may the occasional red pigmentation in the flesh and these are anthocyanin pigments that are very good antioxidants which make an additional health benefit for you as a peach consumer. Its’ also a melting-flesh type and typically freestone.

Although Honey Blaze was a delicious eating experience, let’s see what it Snowbrite tastes like… “Mmmm. Now that is an excellent peach!” Extremely sweet, juicy. You can see the juice just sort of welling up in there ready to drip off my arm. That’s what you’re looking for!

Why don’t you join us next week when we’ll feature another “Peach Pick for South Carolina”. You know, being a peach specialist is a tough job … somebody’s got to do it!

If this document didn’t answer your questions, please contact HGIC at hgic@clemson.edu or 1-888-656-9988.

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