Prunus persica Dwarf Crimson Bonfire

The Crimson Bonfire Dwarf Peach Tree is a small fruit tree, as decorative as it is delicious, perfectly suited for container cultivation on the terrace or balcony, as well as small gardens. Its spring flowering, abundant and long-lasting, is pink in colour and gives way to beautiful purple leaves, which turn slightly green in summer and redden again in autumn. It produces large, velvety peaches that ripen to a red colour, with sweet, firm, slightly juicy and highly aromatic yellow flesh. Harvesting takes place in August-September, depending on the region. This dwarf peach tree is easy to grow: it does not require pruning, does not need to be pollinated by another peach tree to bear fruit, and is rather resistant to diseases: usually only one preventive treatment in February is necessary.

The species name "persica" of Prunus persica was given to the ancestor of all our peaches because it was thought to originate from Persia. In reality, all cultivated forms originate from northern China. It appeared in Europe in the 6th century and experienced significant development in the 19th century. From there, numerous selections aimed at improving the fruit's taste qualities took place. In recent years there has been an emergence of dwarf fruit trees, resulting from a specific grafting technique on selected rootstocks with dwarfing power. These fruit trees have small growth and are well-suited for container cultivation, bearing fruit at a very young age, around 3 years old. When grown in open ground, their development will be slightly more significant. 'Crimson Bonfire' was obtained at the University of Arkansas in Little Rock, United States.

Like many fruit trees, the Crimson Bonfire Dwarf Peach Tree prefers light, rich, and deep soils, and it does not tolerate excessive water or heavy and compact soils. A sunny location sheltered from the wind will aid in fruiting. It is a slow-growing tree that does not exceed 1.50m (5ft) in all directions when fully grown in open ground. It will be smaller in containers, adapting its growth to the amount of available soil. Its naturally bushy and compact habit does not require pruning.

Its dark purple to chocolate-colored foliage emits a slight almond scent when crushed. Its leaves are 8 to 15cm (3 to 6in) long and 3 to 4cm (1 to 2in) wide, with short petioles that attach them to the branches. They fall in autumn. Its abundant and fairly deep pink flowers, which start in March, are very decorative and attractive to pollinating insects. The flowers are hermaphroditic and self-fertile. The peaches takes the form of large-calibre fruits, measuring approximately 7cm (3in) in diameter. When ripe the skin is red in colour. The flesh is yellow.

Peaches can be enjoyed raw, cooked, sweet, savory, flambéed, glazed etc. They pair very well with wine and certain meats, such as duck. They can be found in numerous recipes, including jams, compotes, pastries. They can also be preserved for winter use, in tarts or fruit salads.