Stone Fruit Bud Stage Reference List

Michigan Sate University Extension Michigan Fruit Michigan Stone Fruit

Fruit AOE Bud Stage Reference -- Stone Fruit

Tart Cherry Montmorency	Sweet Cherry Hedelfingen	Apricot Goldcot	Peaches Red Haven	Plums Stanley	Description
Dormant	Dormant	Dormant	Dormant	Dormant	No swelling visible
Bud Swell	Bud Swell	Bud Swell	Bud Swell	Bud Swell	Swollen buds become noticeable.
Side Green	Side Green			White Side	The tissue green or white is visible on the sides of the bud
Bud Burst Green Tip Tight Cluster	Bud Burst Green Tip Tight Cluster	Bud Burst Red Tip Red Calyx	Bud Burst Green Calyx	Bud Burst Green Cluster Green Tip Tight Cluster	The top of the bud has opened and individual flower buds are visible. Cerries and Plums have several flowers in each bud. Apricots and peaches have only one flower in each flower bud.
			0.25" Green Red Calyx		Refers to a 1/4" of leaf tissue showing from the leaf buds.
Early White Bud	Early White Bud	First White	First Pink	Early White Bud	The flower buds continue to open. The petals become visible.
White Bud	White Bud	White Bud	Pink	White Bud	The individual flowers expand and the petals enlarge.
First Bloom	First Bloom	First Bloom	First Bloom	First Bloom	When the first flowers open.
Full Bloom	Full Bloom	Full Bloom	Full Bloom	Full Bloom	All or most of the flowers on the tree are open.
Petal Fall	Petal Fall	Petal Fall	Petal Fall	Petal Fall	When the petals are falling off the tree.
In the Shuck	In the Shuck	In the Shuck	In the Shuck	In the Shuck	The petals have all fallen and the young fruit is enclosed in a papery shuck.
Shuck Split	Shuck Split	Shuck Split	Shuck Split	Shuck Split	When the growth of the fruit splits the shuck.
6- 25 mm Fruit	6- 25 mm Fruit	6- 25 mm then 1 to 2 inch Fruit	6- 25 mm then 1 to 3 inch Fruit	6- 25 mm then 1 to 2 inch Fruit	Refers to fruit diameter.
Pit Hardening	Pit Hardening	Pit Hardening	Pit Hardening	Pit Hardening	Not really a visible stage. Pit hardening when the pit of the fruit becomes hard. This is tested by cutting the fruit in half through the pit.
Straw-colored Fruit	Straw-colored Fruit			Pale Green Fruit	The fruit color changes from green to yellowish green.
Coloring Fruit	Coloring Fruit	Coloring Fruit	Red Color	Coloring Fruit	The fruit color changes from yellow to red or begins to show a blush.
	First Harvest	First Harvest	First Harvest	First Harvest	First picking of ripe fruit
Harvest	Harvest	Harvest	Harvest	Harvest	The fruit is ripe and ready to harvest! General Harvest (multiple pickings) of ripe fruit

Pages created and maintained by Mark Longstroth and Jon Clements

Back to Fruit AOE Bud Stages

Critical Bud Temperatures for Spring Frost Damage