Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Bonanza Dwarf Peach
Bonanza is a true dwarf peach that tops out around 5 to 6 feet tall, small enough for a patio pot or a tight side yard. It still grows full-size, sweet yellow freestone peaches that ripen in mid to late May in the low desert. It needs only about 250 chill hours and sets fruit on its own, so one tree is enough. Pink blossoms cover the branches in early spring.
Best for: a peach tree in a large patio pot, a fruit tree for a small yard or side yard, and a short fruiting row along a wall.
Bonanza is a natural dwarf, so it stays about 5 to 6 feet tall without a dwarfing rootstock. It grows well in a large container or half whiskey barrel on a sunny patio. Potted trees need water more often than trees in the ground.
It is self-fruitful, so a single tree bears without a second peach nearby. The yellow freestone fruit is full size, sweet and low in acid, and it ripens in mid to late May in the low desert.
Plant several trees about 4 to 5 feet apart along a wall or fence for a low row that grows together. Give separate trees about 6 to 8 feet so you can reach around each one to pick and prune.
It sets so much fruit that it needs thinning, or the peaches stay small. Birds find ripe fruit first, the trunk can sunburn without white paint, and the leaves and pits are toxic to pets.
- Fruiting row along a wall4-5 ft apart
- Separate trees in a bed6-8 ft apart
In the ground, soak the root zone at least 18 inches deep about every 1 to 2 weeks while it is growing. Water about once a month in winter. In a pot, check the soil often in summer and water when the top 2 inches are dry.
Prune while the tree is bare, before the buds break in January. Peaches fruit on the growth made the year before, so cut some of it back each winter to keep new fruiting wood coming.
Bonanza sets more fruit than it can size up. Soon after fruit set, thin the small peaches so they sit about 4 to 8 inches apart.
Feed in early spring as the tree wakes up. In the ground, feed again in May and in September.
Paint the trunk with white tree paint to prevent sunburn. Birds find ripe fruit first, so cover the tree with netting or bag the fruit before it ripens.
Drops its leaves in winter and leafs out again in spring.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
How big does a Bonanza dwarf peach get?
It stays about 5 to 6 feet tall and about 4 to 6 feet wide. It is a natural dwarf, so it keeps that small size without a special rootstock.
Will Bonanza fruit in the Valley?
Yes. It needs only about 250 chill hours or less, and most of the low desert gets about 300 to 400 a year. Low-chill peaches like this one fruit reliably here.
Do I need two trees for fruit?
No. Bonanza is self-fruitful, so one tree sets fruit on its own. That makes it a good fit for a small yard or a single patio pot.
When does Bonanza ripen?
It ripens in mid to late May in the low desert. The yellow freestone peaches are sweet and low in acid, and the pit pulls away from the flesh easily.
Can I grow a Bonanza peach in a pot?
Yes. Its small size suits a large container or half whiskey barrel on a sunny patio. Use a pot with drain holes, and check the soil often in summer, because potted trees dry out much faster.
How far apart should I plant dwarf peaches?
Plant them about 4 to 5 feet apart for a row that grows together. Give separate trees about 6 to 8 feet. The Spacing tab shows both.
How do I get bigger peaches?
Thin the fruit soon after it sets, leaving about 4 to 8 inches between peaches. Bonanza sets heavy crops, and the fruit left on grows larger.
When and how should I prune it?
Prune in January while the tree is bare, before the buds break. Peaches fruit on last year's growth, so cut back some of that growth each winter to keep new fruiting wood coming.
How often should I water a peach tree in the ground?
Once it is rooted in, soak it at least 18 inches deep about every 1 to 2 weeks while it is growing. Water about once a month in winter.
Is it cold hardy?
Yes. The tree is rated hardy to about minus 10°F. It actually needs some winter cold, about 250 chill hours, to bloom and fruit.
Are peach leaves and pits safe for pets?
No. The stems, leaves and seeds contain cyanide compounds that are toxic to dogs, cats and horses, and wilted leaves are the worst. Pick up fallen fruit and pits, and call your vet if a pet chews them.
How do I keep birds off the fruit?
Birds find ripe peaches before you do. A small tree is easy to cover, so drape bird netting over it or slip bags over the fruit before it ripens.
Bonanza Dwarf Peach for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Bonanza Dwarf Peach gives Valley gardeners real peaches on a tree that stays about 5 to 6 feet tall. Below is what to expect, including chill hours, ripening time, growing it in a pot, spacing, watering, pruning, thinning and the problems people ask about most.
Sourced from trusted Arizona growers and delivered directly to your door, job site, or property. We deliver across the Valley and to nearby towns, and quote delivery anywhere else in Arizona.
Best dwarf peach tree for Phoenix
Bonanza stays about 5 to 6 feet tall and needs only about 250 chill hours. Most of the Valley gets about 300 to 400, and the tree is self-fruitful.
Growing a peach tree in a pot in Arizona
Bonanza is small enough for a large container or half whiskey barrel on a sunny patio. Use a pot with drain holes and check the soil often in summer.
When does Bonanza peach ripen in Arizona?
It ripens in mid to late May in the low desert. The fruit is a sweet, low-acid yellow freestone.
How far apart to plant dwarf peach trees
Plant them about 4 to 5 feet apart for a row that grows together, and about 6 to 8 feet apart for separate trees.
Pruning and thinning a dwarf peach
Prune in January before the buds break, cutting back some of last year's growth. Thin the small fruit to about 4 to 8 inches apart for bigger peaches.
Protecting peaches from sun and birds
Paint the trunk white to prevent sunburn. A small tree is easy to cover with bird netting before the fruit ripens.
We deliver across the Valley, from Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa out to San Tan Valley, Maricopa and Casa Grande, and up to Prescott, Sedona, Payson and Globe. See delivery areas and rates.