THE PEACHARINE

Peach x nectarine HEIGHT: 4-5m HARVEST: February-march The fruit is darker on the outside than a typical peach, pale inside and has very little fuzz. It’s flavour is a sweet blend of the two fruit.

“Peacharine is my absolute fave stone fruit, full-stop,” says Kate. “I love the flavour, juiciness, and firm texture. There is a local orchard which gets flocks of customers when the peacharine sign goes out.”

Sarah Frater, of the Edible Garden nursery near Palmerston North, sells peachcots and peacharines. She’s a fan too.

“I love the Koanga heirloom peacharine, Matakohe. It’s firm-fleshed with none of the fuzz of a peach (good for us fuzzaphobics!) and has a bright orange skin and flesh with a lovely buttery taste. My daughter Holly and I could eat a whole tree’s worth without flinching. Beautiful.”

The peacharine Healys’, from Waimea Nurseries, also has superb flavour. It ripens in February and is excellent eaten straight from the tree or bottled.

However, both these varieties of peacharine are susceptible to leaf curl.

There are other oddities not in NZ, like the nectacotum – one-third nectarine, apricot and plum. The ones we have offer something special to your summer palate if you’re lucky enough to live near someone who grows them.

“Plumcots and peacharines are excellent additions to home orchards, b being super tasty, but also because these fruits are rarely available from su supermarkets,” says Kate. “Their care is the same as regular plums and p peaches, with pruning to a vase shape recommended. An organic copper sp spray programme in winter and early spring is usually the only disease p prevention required. Plumcots and peacharines are some of our most p popular fruit trees, with several thousand trees going into home gardens ea each year.”

Any of these hybrids are an excellent addition to a block. The fruits of yo your labour can be sold at farmers’ markets with – so far – little competition.