Loring Peach

Loring was bred in Missouri and released commercially in 1946, developed specifically to combine large fruit size with excellent disease resistance and reliable production, becoming a genuinely significant commercial variety throughout the Midwest and parts of the South during the mid-20th century. The fruit is notably large, with firm, freestone flesh that made it particularly valuable for commercial shipping and fresh market sales. Loring's flavor is rich and sweet with good balance, generally considered excellent for fresh eating, and its attractive deep yellow skin with a red blush gave it strong visual appeal for retail display. The tree shows notably good resistance to bacterial spot, a genuinely significant peach disease, making Loring a valuable choice in regions where that disease poses an ongoing threat. This disease resistance, combined with its large, attractive fruit, helped Loring achieve substantial commercial planting from the 1950s through the 1970s. The tree is vigorous and generally productive, requiring standard peach orchard management including regular pruning and thinning. Loring ripens in mid-to-late season. Despite being somewhat overshadowed commercially by newer varieties, Loring remains genuinely well-regarded among peach enthusiasts and home orchardists specifically for its combination of large size, excellent flavor, and real disease resistance. Its continued availability through specialty and heritage-focused nurseries reflects ongoing appreciation for a variety that still offers genuinely excellent performance. Loring's nearly 80-year history secures it a meaningful place in the broader story of mid-20th century commercial peach breeding.