Peach, Honey Babe (Dwarf) Prunus persica 'Honey Babe' Height: 5 feet Spread: 5 feet
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Hardiness Zone: 5a Other Names: Common Peach Description: A beautiful dwarf selection, bearing golden peaches flushed with red that are firm and sweet; showy pink flowers in spring on a low, compact habit; freestone; susceptible to late spring freezes, needs full sun and well-drained soil Edible Qualities Peach, Honey Babe (Dwarf) is a medium-sized shrub that is typically grown for its edible qualities. It produces large gold round fruit (technically 'drupes') with a red blush and yellow flesh which are usually ready for picking in mid summer. Note that the fruits have hard inedible pits inside which must be removed before eating or processing. The fruits have a sweet taste and a firm texture. The fruit are most often used in the following ways: Features & Attributes Peach, Honey Babe (Dwarf) is smothered in stunning clusters of fragrant shell pink flowers along the branches in early spring, which emerge from distinctive rose flower buds before the leaves. It has dark green deciduous foliage. The narrow leaves turn yellow in fall. The fruits are showy gold drupes with a red blush, which are carried in abundance in mid summer. The fruit can be messy if allowed to drop on the lawn or walkways, and may require occasional clean-up. This is a spreading deciduous shrub with a shapely oval form. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition. This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration; Aside from its primary use as an edible, Peach, Honey Babe (Dwarf) is sutiable for the following landscape applications; Planting & Growing Peach, Honey Babe (Dwarf) will grow to be about 5 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 5 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 40 years or more. This is a self-pollinating variety, so it doesn't require a second plant nearby to set fruit. This shrub is typically grown in a designated area of the yard because of its mature size and spread. It should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. This plant should be periodically fertilized throughout the active growing season with a specially-formulated acidic fertilizer. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America. Peach, Honey Babe (Dwarf) is a good choice for the edible garden, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its height, it is often used as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden. Special Attributes Growing fruit trees is a very tasty and rewarding food source, it does take time, energy and devotion to maintain so if you are up for the task. Nectarine & Peach trees are a fruit that takes less care here in the Columbia Basin see our website, go to products then fruit trees click on Peaches & Nectarines for our care guide
