Grown By Hand. Sun Ripened. Seven Tasting Favorites.
From nearly 300 cultivars and varieties grown, these seven rise to the top—fruits discovered and rediscovered, as well as saved, grafted or brought to life by Andy Mariani and his orchard. Some began as remarkable seeds carried across continents along the ancient Silk Road. Others were nearly bypassed by commercial agriculture but kept alive because Andy recognized what they could become. Grown in an orchard where climate and timing allow fruit to be picked at peak flavor, each selection reflects a lifetime devoted to taste—each one a delicious story you can share.
1 ‘Silk Road’ Nectarine
Grown from two rare seeds gifted to Andy in Uzbekistan—along the historic Silk Road trade route linking Central Asia to China—this nectarine likely carries a lineage tied to the fabled ‘Golden Peaches of Samarkand.’ Andy planted the seeds, grew the seedlings, then propagated and hybridized the resulting trees—ultimately bringing the ‘Silk Road’ nectarine into the world and giving it its name. Glowing gold with no blush, it offers a vivid, lively sweetness with gentle brightness and apricot-like richness. Even its beginnings were extraordinary; the original kernels tasted like almonds, marking this fruit as something truly singular.
2 ‘Raspberry Red’ Nectarine
Brought into existence through Andy and his friends’ direct work in hybridizing and selection, ‘Raspberry Red’ transforms the legacy of “blood” peaches into something entirely new. Its deep maroon, speckled skin opens to striking red flesh and juice. The flavor is bold—sweet with a tangy edge, reminiscent of ripe raspberries. Rare, expressive and unmistakable, it stands as a testament to Andy’s role in shaping fruit for flavor, not convention.
Andy Mariani, born in San Jose, is a multigenerational orchardist and master stone fruit grower whose work has helped preserve and expand heirloom fruit in California and the United States. At Andy’s Orchard, on land his immigrant family has farmed since 1957, he cultivates and propagates more than 300 varieties—many rare or nearly lost—and harvests only at full ripeness, setting a standard for flavor. Named Cherry Man of the Year (2009), Mariani is the stone fruit expert for the California Rare Fruit Growers and has served on the California Cherry Advisory Board’s research committee, working with growers and university partners to advance cultivation practices. He advises orchards statewide and mentors new growers in the craft of orcharding and stone fruit cultivation. Andy is a contributing writer to the Oxford Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink in America, authored a book on fruit varieties, has written numerous articles and lectures on fruit and fruit culture. He carries forward a legacy of land, trees, expertise and contributions that continue to shape California orchards.
3 ‘Yelena’ Apricot
Introduced by California breeder and grower John Driver after sourcing seeds from Central Asia, Andy grows this fruit for its flavor and performance in California. ‘Yelena’ is part of the “CandyCot” series, known for its high sugar content. Deep orange inside and out, the medium-sized apricot is firm yet bursting with juice—lush, concentrated and almost syrup-like in intensity. It stands out for delivering apricot sweetness at its peak.
4 ‘Black Eagle’ Cherry
Dating to early 1800s England, ‘Black Eagle’ is anancestral cherry that helped shape what would later become the ‘Bing.’ Rarely grown today, Andy cultivates it for its remarkable depth of cherry flavor—small, dark fruit with a tender bite and a rich, layered sweetness that lingers. It’s a cherry that offers a taste of what sweet cherries can be.
5 ‘Flavor Punch’ Pluerry™
A complex interspecific cultivar, ‘Flavor Punch’ is what is called a pluerry—a cross of plum and cherry but with peach and apricot also in its lineage. Andy grows it for its expressive, multi-dimensional fruit punch flavor, with different fruit notes emerging at once in each bite. It has become one of the orchard’s highly sought-after seasonal fruit tasting favorites.
6 ‘Baby Crawford’ Peach
Once a commercial agriculture numbered research project at UC Davis, this peach was set aside due to its medium size and delicate nature.Andy recognized its extraordinary flavor, got permission to propagate it and gave it a name, the ‘Baby Crawford,’ referencing its size and classic peach flavor found in the old Crawford peaches no longer cultivated in California. Modest in appearance, with little blush and no red flesh around the stone, the flavor is rich, fragrant and deeply satisfying. It is now listed on the Slow Food Ark of Taste, recognizing this rare, exceptional fruit and identifying its need to be preserved.
7 ‘Blenheim’ Apricot
A true taste of this region, the ‘Blenheim’ apricot remains one of the most beloved fruits of the Santa Clara Valley. Once grown across more than 19,000 acres and millions of blooming trees—now fewer than 90 acres remain. It remains #1 on the Slow Food Ark of Taste nominated for distinction and its need to be preserved. Andy continues to grow it for its unmistakable flavor and deep local roots. Rich, aromatic and juicy, it captures the quintessential apricot at its peak—whether eaten fresh, dried or made into jam—marking the height of summer.
