Perfect peaches
Our peach blossom beginning to bloom
The peach blossom here in Bagni di Lucca this spring has been just fantastic. With no adverse weather conditions at the time of flowering that means, this year will be a bumper year for peaches. There are many varieties of peaches on sale here in Bagni di Lucca from June onwards. If you are staying in the area, look for the deep purple peaches called “Sanguina” with its deep red colour inside or the unusual flat peaches or as they call them in Italian “pesca piatta”. These come in two types Bianco (white) or Giallo (Yellow). This refers to the colour inside the peach, the white are very sweet compared to the yellow variety however, both are so delicious and very different in flavour to the traditional peach.
This is what a "platicarpa bianca (pesca piatta)" or white flat peach looks like. Notice the white flesh inside. As oppose to the Giallo, which inside the flesh is yellow
These are very difficult to grow in this area due to our cold weather however, we have managed to be successful in growing some of these trees. These trees are our best bloomers, although the fruit yield tends to be lower than many other types of peaches, hence the price. Expect to pay over €6 euros per kilo as oppose to €3 euros for traditional looking peaches from this area such as Elbereta and the delicious Buca Incavato.
Our blossoming peach tree with Prato Fiorito in the distance
Fiori Rita in Molazzano, near Gallicano tel 0583 – 74265, is our favourite, as this azienda (farm) produces and sells only local types of antique varierties of trees. Unfortunatley they don’t speak English so ask for a copy of their “Catalogo” as this is easy to understand, and it has pictures of all the trees they sell. The prices here are really cheap and ours yielded fruit year one! Prices start from €4 per tree radici nudi.
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