This article is about the tree. For other uses, see Peach (disambiguation).

Peach
Foliage and fruit
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Rosales Family: Rosaceae Genus: Prunus Subgenus: Amygdalus Species: P. Plants are living Organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. The flowering plants or angiosperms ( Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta) are the most widespread group Magnoliopsida is the Botanical name for a class of Flowering plants By definition the class will include the family Magnoliaceae, but its For other meanings see Rosales (disambiguation. Rosales is an order of Flowering plants including nine families The Rosaceae or Rose family is a large family of Plants with about 3000-4000 species in 100-160 genera Prunus is a Genus of Trees and Shrubs including the Plums cherries, Peaches Apricots and persica
Binomial name
Prunus persica (L.) Batsch

The peach (Prunus persica) is a species of Prunus native to China that bears an edible juicy fruit also called a peach. Prunus is a Genus of Trees and Shrubs including the Plums cherries, Peaches Apricots and China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National

It is a deciduous tree growing to 5–10 m tall, belonging to the subfamily Prunoideae of the family Rosaceae. Botany Autumn leaf color. See --> In Botany and Horticulture, deciduous Plants, including A tree is a perennial Woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or Prunoideae, also called Amygdaloideae, is the Flowering plant subfamily containing the genera Prunus and Prinsepia The Rosaceae or Rose family is a large family of Plants with about 3000-4000 species in 100-160 genera It is classified with the almond in the subgenus Amygdalus within the genus Prunus, distinguished from the other subgenera by the corrugated seed shell. The Almond ( Prunus dulcis, syn Prunus amygdalus Batsch Amygdalus communis L

The leaves are lanceolate, 7–15 cm long and 2–3 cm broad. In Botany, a leaf is an above-ground Plant organ specialized for Photosynthesis. In Botany, the following terms are used to describe the shape of plant leaves: Acicular ( acicularis) Slender and pointed needle-like The flowers are produced in early spring before the leaves; they are solitary or paired, 2. A flower, also known as a bloom or Blossom, is the reproductive structure found in Flowering plants (plants of the division Magnoliophyta, also 5–3 cm diameter, pink, with five petals. The fruit is a drupe, with a single large seed encased in hard wood (called the "stone" or "pit"), yellow or whitish flesh, a delicate aroma, and a skin that is either velvety (peaches) or smooth (nectarines) in different cultivars. The term fruit has different meanings dependent on context and the term is not synonymous in Food preparation and Biology. In Botany, a drupe is a Fruit in which an outer fleshy part ( Exocarp, or skin and Mesocarp, or flesh surrounds a shell (the pit A cultivar is a cultivated Plant that has been selected and given a unique name because of its decorative or useful characteristics it is usually distinct from similar The flesh is very delicate and easily bruised in some cultivars, but is fairly firm in some commercial cultivars, especially when green. A cultivar is a cultivated Plant that has been selected and given a unique name because of its decorative or useful characteristics it is usually distinct from similar A cultivar is a cultivated Plant that has been selected and given a unique name because of its decorative or useful characteristics it is usually distinct from similar The seed is red-brown, oval shaped and 1. 5-2 cm long. Peaches, along with cherries, plums and apricots, are stone fruits (drupes). This article is about the Cherry berry also classified as fruit for the ornamental tree See Cherry Blossom. A plum or gage is a stone fruit Tree in the genus Prunus, subgenus Prunus. The Apricot ( Prunus armeniaca, "Armenian plum" in Latin syn In Botany, a drupe is a Fruit in which an outer fleshy part ( Exocarp, or skin and Mesocarp, or flesh surrounds a shell (the pit

The scientific name persica, along with the word "peach" itself and its cognates in many European languages, derives from an early European belief that peaches were native to Persia (now Iran). The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. The modern botanical consensus is that they originate in China, and were introduced to Persia and the Mediterranean region along the Silk Road before Christian times. The Mediterranean Basin refers to the lands around and surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea. The Silk Road, or Silk Routes, are an extensive interconnected network of Trade routes across the Asian continent connecting East South and Western Asia with the ^[1] Cultivated peaches are divided into "freestone" and "clingstone" cultivars, depending on whether the flesh sticks to the stone or not; both kinds can have either white or yellow flesh. Peaches with white flesh typically are very sweet with little acidity, while yellow-fleshed peaches typically have an acidic tang coupled with sweetness, though this also varies greatly. In Computer science, ACID ( Atomicity Consistency Isolation Durability) is a set of properties that guarantee that Database transactions are Both colours often have some red on their skin. Low-acid white-fleshed peaches are the most popular kinds in China, Japan, and neighbouring Asian countries, while Europeans and North Americans have historically favoured the acidic, yellow-fleshed kinds. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics.

History of Peaches

Although its botanical name, Prunus persica, suggests the peach is native to Persia, it actually originated in China where it has been cultivated since the early days of Chinese culture. Peaches were mentioned in Chinese writings as far back as the tenth century B. C and were a favored fruit of emperors.

Its English name derives from the Latin plural of persicum malum, meaning Persian apple. In Middle English, it melded into peche, much closer to what we call it today.

The Persians brought the peach from China and passed it on to the Romans. The peach was brought to America by Spanish explorers in the sixteenth century and eventually made it to England and France in the seventeenth century, where it was a popular albeit rare treat. In Queen Victoria's day, no meal was complete without a fresh peach presented in a fancy cotton napkin.

Various American Indian tribes are credited with migrating the peach tree across the United States, taking seeds along with them and planting as they roved the country.

Although Thomas Jefferson had peach trees at Monticello, United States farmers did not begin commercial production until the nineteenth century in Maryland, Delaware, Georgia and finally Virginia. Although the Southern states lead in commercial production of peaches, they are also produced in California, Michigan, and Colorado.

Today, peaches are the second largest commercial fruit crop in the States, second only to apples. Italy, China and Greece are major producers of peaches outside of the United States

Cultivation

Harvested peaches

Peach trees grow very well in a fairly limited range, since they have a chilling requirement that subtropical areas cannot satisfy, and they are not very cold-hardy. The chilling requirement of a fruit is the minimum period of Cold weather before which the Fruit-bearing tree will Blossom. The trees themselves can usually tolerate temperatures to around −26 °C to −30 °C, although the following season's flower buds are usually killed at these temperatures, leading to no crop that summer. Flower bud kill begins to occur at temperatures between −15 °C and −25 °C depending on the cultivar (some are more cold-tolerant than others) and the timing of the cold, with the buds becoming less cold tolerant in late winter. A cultivar is a cultivated Plant that has been selected and given a unique name because of its decorative or useful characteristics it is usually distinct from similar ^[2] Certain cultivars are more tender and others can tolerate a few degrees more cold. In addition, a lot of summer heat is required to mature the crop, with mean temperatures of the hottest month between 20 °C and 30 °C. Another problematic issue in many peach-growing areas is spring frost. The trees tend to flower fairly early in spring. The flowers can often be damaged or killed by freezes; typically, if temperatures drop below about −4 °C, most flowers will be killed. However, if the flowers are not fully open, they can tolerate a couple of degrees colder.

Peach and nectarine output in 2005

Important historical peach-producing areas are China and Iran, France, and the Mediterranean countries like Italy, Spain and Greece. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία More recently, the United States (where the three largest producing states are California, South Carolina^[3], and Georgia^[4]), Canada (southern Ontario and British Columbia), and Australia (the Riverland region) have also become important. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. South Carolina ( is a state in the southern region ( Deep South) of the United States of America. The State of Georgia ( is a state in the United States and was one of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Ontario (ɒnˈtɛrioʊ is a province located in the central part of Canada, the largest by population and second largest after Quebec British Columbia (ˌbrɪtɨʃ kəˈlʌmbiə ( BC) ( (la Colombie-Britannique C For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. The Riverland, also known as Big River Country, is a region of South Australia. Oceanic climate areas like the Pacific Northwest and coastline of North Western Europe are generally not satisfactory for peach growing due to inadequate summer heat, though they are sometimes grown trained against south-facing walls to catch extra heat from the sun. An oceanic climate (also called marine west coast climate and maritime climate) is the Climate typically found along the west coasts at the middle latitudes The Pacific Northwest is a region in the northwest of North America (the term refers to the land not the ocean Trees grown in a sheltered and south-facing position in the southeast of England are capable of producing both flowers and a large crop of fruit. Peach trees are the second most commonly cultivated fruit trees in the world after apple trees.

Nectarines

Nectarine

The nectarine is a cultivar group of peach that has a smooth, fuzzless skin. Under the Botanical nomenclature of the International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants (ICNCP a cultivar group is any gathering of Cultivars Though fuzzy peaches and nectarines are commercially regarded as different fruits, with nectarines often erroneously believed to be a crossbreed between peaches and plums, or a "peach with a plum skin", they belong to the same species as peaches. A plum or gage is a stone fruit Tree in the genus Prunus, subgenus Prunus. Several genetic studies have concluded in fact that nectarines are created due to a recessive gene, whereas a fuzzy peach skin is dominant. ^[5] Nectarines have arisen many times from peach trees, often as bud sports. A bud sport is a part of a Plant or Tree, for example a Leaf, shoot or Flower, which due to a Genetic mutation clearly differs from

As with peaches, nectarines can be white or yellow, and clingstone or freestone. On average, nectarines are slightly smaller and sweeter than peaches, but with much overlap. ^[5] The lack of skin fuzz can make nectarine skins appear more reddish than those of peaches, contributing to the fruit's plum-like appearance. The lack of down on the skin also means their skin is more easily bruised than peaches.

The history of the nectarine is unclear; the first recorded mention in English is from 1616,^[6] but they had probably been grown much earlier within the native range of the Peach in central and eastern Asia.

Regular peach trees occasionally produce a few nectarines, and vice versa.

Diseases

Main article: List of peach and nectarine diseases

The trees are prone to a disease called leaf curl, which usually does not directly affect the fruit but does reduce the crop yield by partially defoliating the tree. This article is a list of diseases of Peaches and Nectarines (Peach Prunus persica; Nectarine P Leaf curl is a Plant Disease caused by a Fungus ( Taphrina_deformans, genus Taphrina) or Virus (especially genus The fruit is very susceptible to brown rot. For brown rot of trees and wood see Dry rot. Brown rot ( Monilinia fructicola) is a Fungal condition that attacks

Planting

The development sequence of a nectarine over a 7½ month period, from bud formation in early winter to fruit ripening in midsummer (see image page for further information)

Most peach trees sold by nurseries are named cultivars grafted onto a suitable rootstock. Grafting is a method of asexual Plant propagation widely used in Agriculture and Horticulture where the tissues of one Plant are encouraged to It is also possible to grow a tree from either a peach or nectarine seed, but the fruit quality of the resulting tree will be very unpredictable.

Peaches should be located in full sun, and with good air flow. This allows cold air to flow away on frosty nights and keeps the area cool in summer. Peaches are best planted in early winter, as this allows time for the roots to establish and be able to sustain the new spring growth. When planting in rows, plant north-south.

Watering

For optimum growth, peach trees require a constant supply of water. This should be increased shortly before the harvest. The best tasting fruit is produced when the peach is watered throughout the season. Drip irrigation is ideal, at least one dripper per tree. See also Irrigation Drip irrigation, also known as trickle irrigation or microirrigation is an Irrigation method which minimizes the use Although it is better to use multiple drippers around the tree, this is not necessary. A quarter of the root being watered is sufficient.

Fertilising

Peaches have a high nutrient requirement, needing more nitrogen than most other fruit trees. Nitrogen (ˈnaɪtɹəʤɪn is a Chemical element that has the symbol N and Atomic number 7 and Atomic weight 14 An NPK fertiliser can be applied regularly, and an additional mulch of poultry manure in autumn soon after the harvest will benefit the tree. Fertilizers ( also spelt fertiliser are chemical compounds given to Plants to promote growth they are usually applied either through the soil for uptake by plant If the leaves of the peach are yellow or small, the tree needs more nitrogen. Blood meal and bone meal, 3–5 kg per mature tree, or calcium ammonium nitrate, 0. Blood meal is dried powdered blood used as a high- Nitrogen fertilizer Bone meal is a mixture of crushed and coarsely ground bones that is used as an Organic fertilizer for plants and formerly in animal feed 5–1 kg, are suitable fertilisers. This also applies if the tree is putting forth little growth.

Tips for good fruit

If the full amount of peaches is left, they will be under-sized and lacking in sugar and flavour. In dry conditions, extra watering is important. The fruit should be thinned when they have reached 2 cm in diameter, usually about 2 months after flowering. Fresh fruit are best consumed on the day of picking, and do not keep well. They are best eaten when the fruit is slightly soft, having aroma, and heated by the sun.

Peaches in Asian tradition

Pan Tao, the Chinese flat peach. Also called Paraguaya (Paraguayan).

Peaches are known in China, Japan, Korea, Laos, and Vietnam not only as a popular fruit but for the many folktales and traditions associated with it. Momotaro, one of Japan's most noble and semi-historical heroes, was born from within an enormous peach floating down a stream. is a popular Hero from Japanese folklore. His name literally means Peach Tarō; as Tarō is a common Japanese boy's name it is often translated as Momotaro or "Peach Boy" went on to fight evil oni and face many adventures. are creatures from Japanese folklore, variously translated as Demons Devils Ogres or Trolls They are popular characters in Japanese Peach flowers are admired by the Japanese but not as much as the sakura (cherry).

In China, the peach was said to be consumed by the immortals due to its mystic virtue of conferring longevity on all who ate them. The divinity Yu Huang, also called the Jade Emperor, and his mother called Xi Wangmu also known as Queen Mother of the West, ensured the gods' everlasting existence by feeding them the peaches of immortality. The Jade Emperor ( or 玉帝 Yù Dì) is the Taoist ruler of Heaven and all realms of existence below including that of Man and Hell The Queen Mother of the West (西王母 Pinyin: Xīwángmǔ Japanese: Seiōbo) in Chinese mythology, is the ruler of the western Paradise The immortals residing in the palace of Xi Wangmu were said to celebrate an extravagant banquet called the Pantao Hui or "The Feast of Peaches". The immortals waited six thousand years before gathering for this magnificent feast; the peach tree put forth leaves once every thousand years and it required another three thousand years for the fruit to ripen. Ivory statues depicting Xi Wangmu's attendants often held three peaches.

The peach often plays an important part in Chinese tradition and is symbolic of long life. One example is in the peach-gathering story of Zhang Daoling, who many say is the true founder of Taoism. Zhang Daoling (張道陵 Pinyin Zhāng Dàolíng, Wade-Giles Chang Tao-ling) also commonly called Zhang Ling, was an Eastern Taoism (pronounced /ˈdaʊɪzəm/ or /ˈtaʊɪzəm/ also spelled '''Daoism''') refers to a variety of related Philosophical and Religious traditions Elder Zhang Guo, one of the Chinese Eight Immortals, is often depicted carrying a Peach of Immortality. Elder Zhang Guo ( Japanese: Chokaro is one of the Eight Immortals. The Eight Immortals ( are a group of legendary xian ("immortals transcendents fairies" in Chinese mythology. The peach blossoms are also highly prized in Chinese culture, ranked slightly lower than mei blossom.

It was in an orchard of flowering peach trees that Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei took an oath of brotherhood in the opening chapter of the classic Chinese novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Liu Bei (161– June 21 223) styled Xuándé (玄徳 was a general warlord and later the founding emperor of Shu Han during the Guan Yu ( Chinese: 關羽 Guān Yǔ was a general under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of Zhang Fei (?-221 AD was a military general of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of China. Romance of the Three Kingdoms ( written by Luo Guanzhong in the 14th century, is a Chinese Historical novel based upon events in

Due to its delicious taste and soft texture, in ancient China "peach" was also a slang word for "young bride", and it has remained in many cultures as a way to define young women (as in English, with peachy or peachy keen).

Gallery

Peach flower	Flavorcrest peaches	Autumn Red peaches	A peach dessert
Peach (cultivar 'Berry') - watercolour 1895	Peaches in syrup	A sliced peach

Popular culture

Valentin Serov's The girl with peaches (1887) was the painting that inaugurated Russian Impressionism. Valentin Alexandrovich Serov (Russian Валентин Александрович Серов ( January 19[[ 865]] - December 5[[ 911]] was a Russian Impressionism was a 19th-century Art movement that began as a loose association of Paris -based Artists exhibiting their art publicly in the 1860s

• The peach is the state flower of Delaware and the state fruit of South Carolina and Georgia. This is a list of US state flowers: See also List of US state trees Lists of U Delaware ( is a state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. This is a list of official US state foods: South Carolina ( is a state in the southern region ( Deep South) of the United States of America. The State of Georgia ( is a state in the United States and was one of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule ^[7][8][9] The state of Georgia calls itself the "Peach State". The State of Georgia ( is a state in the United States and was one of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule ^[10]
• Cosmo Kramer, a character on Seinfeld, eats a "Mackinaw peach" which is presumed to be a peach from Oregon. Cosmo Kramer is a character on the American television sitcom Seinfeld (1989–1998 played by Michael Richards. Seinfeld is an American Situation comedy, or sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5 1989 to May 14 1998 lasting nine seasons
• The peach is featured in the children's novel James and the Giant Peach. James and the Giant Peach is a children's book by Welsh author Roald Dahl, originally illustrated by Nancy Ekholm Burkert, first published in
• Eat a Peach is the name of an album released by Georgia Southern Rock Band, The Allman Brothers Band. Eat a Peach is a 1972 Double album by the American Southern rock group The Allman Brothers Band; it was the last to include founding Southern rock is a subgenre of Rock music. It developed in the Southern United States from Rock and roll, Country music, and Blues The Allman Brothers Band is a Southern rock band based in Macon, Georgia. ^[11]
• T. S. Eliot, in "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" asks "Shall I part my hair behind? Do I dare to eat a peach?"
• Baseball player Ty Cobb was nicknamed "The Georgia Peach". Thomas Stearns Eliot, OM (September 26 1888 – January 4 1965 was a poet Dramatist, and Literary critic. The Love Song of J Alfred Prufrock is the 1915 poem that marked the start of T Baseball is a Bat-and-ball Sport played between two teams of nine players each Tyrus Raymond "Ty" Cobb (December 18 1886 – July 17 1961 nicknamed " The Georgia Peach," was a baseball player and is regarded by historians ^[12]
• "Peaches" is a 1994 single by The Presidents of the United States of America. " Peaches " is a single by the Alternative rock band The Presidents of the United States of America.
• In the Super Mario Bros. series, there is a princess named Princess Peach. is a Platform game developed by Nintendo in late 1985 and published for the Nintendo Entertainment System, a sequel to the 1983 game Mario This article is about the princess from the Mario series For the video game starring her see Super Princess Peach.
• In the film Labyrinth, Jareth, the Goblin King (played by David Bowie), uses a peach to induce a hallucination to slow down Sarah Williams (portrayed by Jennifer Connelly), and hinder her efforts in retrieving her stepbrother Toby. Labyrinth is a 1986 Fantasy film directed by Jim Henson, produced by George Lucas, and designed by Brian Froud. Jareth, The Goblin King is a Fictional character in the 1986 movie Labyrinth. David Bowie (ˈboʊiː born David Robert Jones on 8 January 1947 is an English Musician, actor producer, and arranger. A hallucination, in the broadest sense is a Perception in the absence of a stimulus. Jennifer Lynn Connelly (born December 12 1970 is an American film actress and former child model.
• The 1986 Irish film "Eat the Peach" refers to Prufrock and the idea of acting on your dreams.
• A peach sliced in half is used as a symbolism for the vagina in many world cultures where the fruit is native (the middle and far east, especially). The vagina (from Latin, literally " Sheath " or " Scabbard " is a fibromuscular tubular tract leading from the Uterus The visual similarity is sometimes used to replace what would otherwise be considered vulgar in description, or alternatively used in crude humor.
• Peach harvesting and cultivation take on a large historical and symbolic role of John Steinbeck's novel, The Grapes of Wrath. Peaches grown in the Salinas Valley in California are sold as luxury cash crops and its nutritional value is not considered. This stands in marked contrast with the harvesters actually collecting the peaches, who can barely earn enough to feed their families on far less desirable foodstuffs. In this manner, peaches are also used as a literary device that recalls the story of Tantalus in Greek Mythology. Like the harvesters, Tantalus is denied food and is forced to stare at fruit in a tree that is beyond his reach.

References

External links

• Huxley, A. The Oxford English Dictionary ( OED) published by the Oxford University Press (OUP is a comprehensive Dictionary of the English , ed. (1992). New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. Macmillan ISBN 0-333-47494-5.
• National Center for Home Food Preservation - Freezing Peaches
• Prunus persica images at bioimages.vanderbilt.edu