White-fleshed
Belle of Georgia is a large-fruited peach with firm white flesh blushed red, a variety that has delighted home gardeners for over 130 years since its discovery in Georgia around 1870. Hardy in zones 5-8, this vigorous tree reaches 12 to 16 feet tall and produces reliable crops of fine-flavored fruit with minimal fuss. A true original Georgia peach alongside the Elberta, it thrives in heat and humidity while tolerating salt exposure, making it adaptable to diverse growing conditions.
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Full Sun
—
5-8
192in H x ?in W
Perennial
High
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Belle of Georgia earned its reputation as one of the original Georgia peaches for good reason. The large, classically colored fruit with its distinctive firm white flesh and red tint has remained a favorite among home gardeners for generations. This variety is remarkably long-lived and bud-hardy, producing dependable yields year after year with the minimal care typical of peaches, and the fruit drops cleanly when ripe, signaling peak harvest readiness.
Belle of Georgia peaches are primarily enjoyed fresh, their fine flavor and firm texture making them ideal for eating out of hand or sliced into desserts. The white flesh and classic peach color make them visually striking for preserves, jams, and canning applications, while their reliable production and large fruit size suit them well to fresh market sales and home use.
Plant bare-root or container-grown trees in early spring or fall, when the tree is dormant. Choose a location with full sun exposure and well-draining soil. Space trees 14 feet apart in a circle to allow for mature spread.
Harvest Belle of Georgia peaches when they drop naturally from the tree, a reliable indicator that they've reached peak ripeness. Pick fruit that yields slightly to gentle hand pressure and displays full color development; the white flesh will have developed a warm peachy tone. Harvest carefully to avoid bruising, as the firm white flesh, while sturdy, is still delicate. Peak harvest occurs approximately 4 weeks after Red Haven variety ripens, providing a useful timing reference for multi-variety orchards.
Prune Belle of Georgia in late winter while the tree is dormant, removing dead or crossing branches and thinning the canopy to allow light penetration. Young trees benefit from heading back to encourage a strong branching structure, while mature trees need only light thinning and removal of overcrowded growth to maintain productivity.
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“Belle of Georgia emerged in Georgia around 1870, arriving at a time when American fruit cultivation was reshaping itself around regional specialties. Alongside the Elberta, it became one of the defining peaches of the South, its reliable vigor and fine flavor earning it a place in orchards and home gardens across the country. For over 130 years, this variety has been passed from gardener to gardener, preserved not by seed-saving societies but by the simple act of continued planting, a testament to the genuine satisfaction it delivers. The peach remains a living link to late 19th-century American horticulture.”