Coconut Ice

Peach

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Scarlet O'Hara' and 'White Lady'

Summary: 'Coconut Ice' is a white fleshed peach variety that matures middle to late in the harvest season, slightly later than 'Scarlet O'Hara' and slightly earlier than 'White Lady'. The fruit of 'Coconut Ice' are medium sized and smaller than 'Scarlet O'Hara' which has large fruit. 'White Lady' has small to medium sized fruit. The fruit skin of 'Coconut Ice' has a lower amount of anthocyanin than the two reference varieties, and in 'Coconut Ice' the overcolour is pink red whereas it is dark red in 'White Lady'. 'Coconut Ice' has very little anthocyanin colouration in the flesh and around the stone, whereas 'Scarlet O'Hara' has strong anthoycanin in the flesh and very strong around the stone.

Description:

TREE: normal type, strong vigour, semi-erect to horizontal habit

LEAF BLADE: large, up-folded profile, tip recurved downwards, acute base, acute apex, no anthocyanin colouration, moderate serrations on margins
PETIOLE: long
NECTARIES: kidney shaped, more than two

FLOWERING SHOOT: weak to medium anthocyanin colouration, medium to high density of flower buds, flower buds isolated
FLOWER: campanulate shape, greenish yellow calyx, mid-season flowering time
PETAL: elongated, large size, light to medium pink, no striping, five in number
STAMEN: equal in length to petal, no pollen on anther
PISTIL: always one, stigmas slightly below anthers, pubescence on ovary

FRUIT: mid-season to late maturity, medium size, rounded in profile view, dimpled tip, asymmetric along suture, high prominence of suture, medium to deep stalk cavity, narrow to medium width of stalk cavity
FRUIT SKIN: thin, dense pubescence, weak adherence to flesh, orange-yellow ground colour, pink red overcolour on approximately 50% of surface, uniform striated and marbled anthocyanin colouration
FRUIT FLESH: firm, cream to yellow colour, no anthocyanin directly under skin, weak anthocyanin around stone, melting texture, no stringiness, very sweet, juicy
STONE: medium size compared to fruit, elongated shape, very few or no splits, weak to medium adherence to flesh

Origin & Breeding History: 'Coconut Ice' originated from an open-pollinated population of seedlings derived from the variety 'Yumyeong'. Seedlings were planted in 1990 at the HortResearch experimental orchard in Havelock North, New Zealand. One seedling was selected in 1993 and propagated by asexual reproduction for further evaluation. The seedling tree was selected for tree productivity, fruit firmness, fruit size and eating quality and appearance. The seedling was subsequently named 'Coconut Ice'. The selection was first budded in 1993 onto 'Golden Queen' peach seedling rootstock, the standard peach rootstock in New Zealand.

Tests & Trials: Trials for 'Coconut Ice' were conducted at the Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Summerland, British Columbia from 2002 to 2005. The candidate and reference varieties were planted in close proximity in test blocks located in Field 6 and 10. The original buds were propagated in nurseries in the Certified Budwood Orchard and planted in a soft fruit block "B". The trials consisted of 9 trees per candidate variety and 6 trees of 'White Lady'. All varieties were grafted onto 'Bailey' rootstock and the trees were planted 2 metres apart in the rows. Measured observations were based on a minimum of 15 measurements.

Comparison tables for 'Coconut Ice' with reference varieties 'Scarlet O'Hara' and 'White Lady'

Leaf blade length (mm)

Leaf blade width (mm)

Fruit weight (gm)

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Peach: 'Coconut Ice'

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Peach: reference variety 'Scarlet O'Hara'

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Peach: reference variety 'White Lady'