A new ornamental peach cultivar Fenxianju

Abstract: Fenxianju derived from 2001-109 hybrid with open pollination. The 2001-109 was F1 of Juhuatao × Hongchuizhi. The cultivar was initially selected in 2009 for its extraordinary flower type and early bloom date. When we investigated seeding population during flowering phase, the variety was discovered that had chrysanthemum-like flowers and bloomed earlier than others. After they were observed in Zhengzhou, Xinxiang, Yanling, Xihua, Shanghai and Beijing areas between 2010 and 2018, the seedlings were quite stable in botanical and biological traits. It passed the run-off election and was named in 2015, licensed by Ministry of Agriculture in 2018, and approved by Henan Forest Variety Cer- tification Committee in 2018. The cultivar is talland vigorous with arboreal habits and can be self-fruit- ed. Internodes is 2.26 cm. Leaves are long lliptic-lanceolate, aristate, cuneate, green, 12.65 cm long and 4.0 cm wide. The petiole gland shape is reniform. The flowers are chrysanthemum-like form, simple pet- al, 3.8 cm in flower size, pink petals, widely separated and scattered with five petals and one round, wrinkled and slender; thirty-five to thirty-seven pink filaments and orange anthers with pollens; one pis- til, pistil and stamen equal height; one round and five pieces of reddish brown sepals with light yellow inner calyx tub color. Fruit is very small and round, the top of which has a small tip, cling stones and sour taste. The percentage of long fruit shoot, middle fruit shoot, short fruit shoot and water sprout branch with flower buds is 44.44%, 32.22%, 21.11% and 2.22%, respectively. The ratio of single bud/ multiple bud is 35.29% and the site of first node with flower is 1 or 2. In Zhengzhou area, the flower buds expanded on March 2, and began to bloom on March 20. The flowering period lasted for 8 to 10 days. The fruit was mature in late August, and the fruit development period was about 155 days. The ter- mination period of fallen leaves was late November, and the full growth period was 270 days. Fenxianju chilling requirement was 650 h, and it can be planted in the Yellow River Basin and the Yangtze River  Basin peach-producing areas. The early-period pruning was mainly to train the canopy shape, and the late-period pruning was to control the growth and promote the differentiation of flower buds. In order to improve the quality and quantity of flower buds, phosphorus and potassium fertilizer could be added in combination with watering before flower bud differentiation. In the period of flower bud expansion, the sulphur mixture should be sprayed, in order to reduce aphids, scale insects and some fungi. Fenxianju grows vigorous in flowerpot, so we should take some treatments such as twisting and pinching the cur- rent growths, which can increase numbers of shoots at prior stage and weaken the growth of shoots at later stage. In order to reduce the capacity of crown and make the tree more compact, we should spray paclobutrazol on to leaves at the end of June or at the beginning of July, and the concentrations of pa- clobutrazol is about 0.05% to 0.075%.