Origin: in Davis, Calif., by E.F. Serr and H.I. Forde, California Agr. Expt. Sta. Introd. in 1968. Sharkey × Marchetti. Cross made in 1955; selected in 1961; tested as UC 56-206. Nut: Persian; round; 33 mm in cheek diam.; shell seal fair to good; kernel 49% of nut, quality excellent; 90% of those tested had light colored kernels; size of nut will be too small if pruning neglected, because trees will overbear; matures early to midseason. Tree: leafs out 6 days after Payne; 80% of lateral buds producing pistillate flowers; sheds pollen late, after the peak of its pistillate flower receptivity, making it a suitable pollenizer for moderately early leafing varieties that shed their pollen, early such as Ashley, Marchetti, Lompoc, Serr, Gustine, and Vina. This selection is mainly a pollenizer variety, but may be suitable for a main producing variety in some districts. Named after the city of Chico, near which it has produced well. Fruit:
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