UPDATE: 2024 was the last year we are offering Reliance in any significant numbers compared to previous years. It has not been that hardy for us. All Reliance we planted near Frenchtown (just outside of Missoula) had bit the dust when met with -29F on the morning of Jan. 13th 2024. Meanwhile, Contender and Siberian peach had fared much better, along with our seedlings of Contender and Veteran.

Reliance is a medium sized fruit that is dark red splashed over a yellow background. Bright yellow firm flesh is honey sweet, fine flavored, and freestone. After exhibiting beautiful showy pink flowers in early spring, the fruit ripens around the middle of August. Good for canning, freezing, and fresh eating. Some say the flavor isn’t that great but in our experience, a tree ripened Reliance is excellent. The tree is vigorous and fast growing. Could be planted in zone 4a depending on the site (don’t plant in zone 4a if exposed and out in a field unless you are prepared to either engage in lots of cultural practices such as wrapping in burlap if we see cold falls and really cutting the water off come second week of August. Probably both). If you’re unprotected zone 4a and don’t want to do everything we just mentioned, we would plant Siberian Peach, which won’t be available until well into growing season 2022. Freestone. Zone 4b. -25F is likely its limit in our experience.

Reliance is self-fertile, but as with all peaches (and nectarines) it’s best when planted with a partner. Any of our others would work fine for pollination.

Trees are 5-7 ft. tall and grafted onto Lovell semi-dwarf rootstock.