Description
Peach Morton
Morton Brugnon is a prestigious American variety created in 1965 by Cornell University in New York. Recognized as one of the best white-fleshed nectarines, this variety is distinguished by its late flowering which allows it to escape spring frosts. The result of a rigorous selection, Morton offers brugnons with smooth shiny red skin and exceptionally juicy and fragrant white flesh.
Characteristics of Morton Brugnon
The fruits of the Morton Brugnon have an average size of 6 to 7 cm in diameter, with a slightly flattened round shape. The smooth skin, characteristic of the brugnons, has a magnificent scarlet red colour that shines when ripe. The white flesh, firm but melting, offers a juicy and fleshy texture with a perfect balance between sweetness and slight acidity.
This variety stands out for its remarkable agronomic qualities:
- ๐ก๏ธ Very resistant to peach leaf curl
- โ๏ธ Exceptional hardiness : withstands temperatures down to -25ยฐC
- ๐ธ Late flowering : ideal for regions with capricious springs
- ๐ณ Great vigour and fertility
- ๐ Maturity spread over 3 weeks
Cultivation and maintenance
Morton Brugnon adapts to all types of soil, as long as it is well-drained and not too calcareous or too wet. Its remarkable hardiness allows it to be cultivated in most French regions, even the northernmost ones. Choose a sunny exposure sheltered from the prevailing winds to optimize production.
Planting and Care
Planting is ideally done in November, outside the frost period. Enrich the soil with universal potting soil and ground horn to promote recovery. Copious watering at planting is essential, but afterwards, Morton Brugnon can live with little water, making it a variety adapted to dry summers.
To prevent diseases, apply a preventive treatment of Bordeaux mixture during budding. Thanks to its natural resistance to blistering, phytosanitary interventions remain limited.
Pruning and training
Morton’s Brugnon requires regular pruning to maintain its productivity. Pruning is carried out at the end of winter (February-March) before flowering:
- Maintain a balanced structure by removing intersecting branches
- Remove dead wood and aerate the center of the tree
- Prune above a wood eye to promote recovery
- For young trees, prune short to stimulate branching
The tree reaches maturity about 4 meters in height with a spreading habit of 3 meters in width, offering a graceful silhouette to the garden.
Pollination and associations
Morton Brugnon is self-fertile, meaning that a single tree is enough to achieve abundant production. This feature makes it an ideal choice for small gardens. However, the presence of other varieties of peach or nectarine trees can improve yield.
To diversify your orchard and stagger harvests, combine the Morton with the Amsden peach tree for earlier fruit in July, or the Queen of the Orchard peach tree to extend the season until August-September.
Complete your summer fruit collection with the Bergeron apricot tree or the Burlat cherry tree to enjoy a succession of tasty harvests.
Harvesting and Use
The harvest of Morton Brugnon begins at the end of July and lasts about 3 weeks, allowing you to take full advantage of the season. The fruits are ripe when they have their characteristic bright red colour and give way slightly under finger pressure.
Culinary Uses
| ๐ Fees | To be eaten plain to appreciate its flavor |
| ๐ฅ Salads | Diced in summer fruit salads |
| ๐ฅง Pastries | Pies, clafoutis, crumbles |
| ๐ฏ Canned goods | Jams, compotes, fruit in syrup |
| ๐ Sweet and savory | Goes with duck and pork |
Morton’s juicy, fragrant white flesh lends itself particularly well to refreshing desserts like sorbets and smoothies. Its slightly vanilla aroma brings a delicate touch to the preparations.
Advantages of the variety
The Morton Brugnon has many advantages that make it a reference among the varieties of Brugnons:
- โ Late flowering : natural protection against frost
- โ Exceptional hardiness : suitable for cold climates (-25ยฐC)
- โ Disease resistance : not very susceptible to blistering
- โ Self-fertile : ideal for small spaces
- โ Regular and abundant production
- โ Superior taste quality : fragrant white flesh
- โ Harvest spread over 3 weeks
- โ Reference variety created by Cornell University
This prestigious American variety, the result of university research, combines hardiness, productivity and taste quality. Its late flowering and cold hardiness make it the ideal choice for northern regions where other strains would struggle to thrive.
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