Catherina® is a clingstone peach that is excellent for canning.  The flesh is firm and orangish-yellow.  The flavor is sweet and sub-acid.  It ripens about 20 days after Redhaven.  The tree is moderartely vigorous and spreading.  Requires about 850 chilling hours.  It seems to have good bacteria spot tolerance, better than Baby Gold #5.

Grandpa never grew too many clingstone peaches, except for the "Amish" trade, who liked them for their firm flesh that held up better than most freestone peaches when canned. Most clingstone peaches were grown farther north from Grandpa, closer to the baby food factory which bought most of them.

Almost all peaches are self-fertile and require no pollinators. They will set heavy crops on single trees, which need heavy and aggressive thinning early in the season for best fruit size. Maintain good vigor in peaches by pruning every year, and fertilizing moderately. Aim for 1-3 feet of new growth a year. Fertilize early in the season, so that growth is well hardened off before fall and winter cold weather. 

Height

10-14

Spread

10-14

Zone

5-8

Color

Blushed

Categories

Peach--- All Varieties, 

Tags

Early blooming,  Self-fertile,  Thin early for size,  Thin heavily for size,  Bacterial spot tolerant,  Clingstone