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The peach (''Prunus persica'') is a deciduous tree first domesticated and cultivated in
Zhejiang province Zhejiang ( or , ; , also romanized as Chekiang) is an eastern, coastal province of the People's Republic of China. Its capital and largest city is Hangzhou, and other notable cities include Ningbo and Wenzhou. Zhejiang is bordered by Jiangs ...
of
Eastern China East China () is a geographical and a loosely defined cultural region that covers the eastern coastal area of China. A concept abolished in 1978, for economical purposes the region was defined from 1949 to 1961 by the Chinese Central Governme ...
. It bears edible juicy fruits with various characteristics, most called peaches and others (the glossy-skinned, non-fuzzy varieties), nectarines. The specific name ''persica'' refers to its widespread cultivation in Persia (modern-day Iran), from where it was transplanted to Europe. It belongs to the genus '' Prunus'', which includes the
cherry A cherry is the fruit of many plants of the genus ''Prunus'', and is a fleshy drupe (stone fruit). Commercial cherries are obtained from cultivars of several species, such as the sweet ''Prunus avium'' and the sour ''Prunus cerasus''. The nam ...
,
apricot An apricot (, ) is a fruit, or the tree that bears the fruit, of several species in the genus ''Prunus''. Usually, an apricot is from the species '' P. armeniaca'', but the fruits of the other species in ''Prunus'' sect. ''Armeniaca'' are also ...
,
almond The almond (''Prunus amygdalus'', syn. ''Prunus dulcis'') is a species of tree native to Iran and surrounding countries, including the Levant. The almond is also the name of the edible and widely cultivated seed of this tree. Within the genus ...
, and
plum A plum is a fruit of some species in ''Prunus'' subg. ''Prunus'.'' Dried plums are called prunes. History Plums may have been one of the first fruits domesticated by humans. Three of the most abundantly cultivated species are not found i ...
, in the rose family. The peach is classified with the almond in the
subgenus In biology, a subgenus (plural: subgenera) is a taxonomic rank directly below genus. In the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, a subgeneric name can be used independently or included in a species name, in parentheses, placed between t ...
''
Amygdalus ''Prunus'' subg. ''Prunus'' is a subgenus of ''Prunus''. This subgenus includes plums, apricots and bush cherries. Most species inside this subgenus bear fruit that is sugary, storing large amounts of energy, which is why most ''Prunus'' species' ...
'', distinguished from the other subgenera by the corrugated seed shell ( endocarp). Due to their close relatedness, the kernel of a peach stone tastes remarkably similar to almond, and peach stones are often used to make a cheap version of
marzipan Marzipan is a confectionery, confection consisting primarily of sugar, honey, and almond meal (ground almonds), sometimes augmented with almond oil or extract. It is often made into Confectionery, sweets; common uses are chocolate-covered marzi ...
, known as persipan. Peaches and nectarines are the same species, though they are regarded commercially as different fruits. The skin of nectarines lacks the fuzz (fruit-skin trichomes) that peach skin has; a mutation in a single gene (''MYB25'') is thought to be responsible for the difference between the two. In 2018, China produced 62% of the world total of peaches and nectarines.


Description

''Prunus persica'' grows up to tall and wide, but when pruned properly, trees are usually tall and wide. The
leaves A leaf (plural, : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant plant stem, stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", wh ...
are lanceolate, long, broad, and pinnately veined. The flowers are produced in early spring before the leaves; they are solitary or paired, 2.5–3 cm diameter, pink, with five petals. The fruit has yellow or whitish flesh, a delicate aroma, and a skin that is either velvety (peaches) or smooth (nectarines) in different cultivars. The flesh is very delicate and easily bruised in some cultivars, but is fairly firm in some commercial varieties, especially when green. The single, large seed is red-brown, oval shaped, around 1.3–2 cm long, and surrounded by a wood-like husk. Peaches, along with cherries, plums, and apricots, are stone fruits (
drupe In botany, a drupe (or stone fruit) is an indehiscent fruit in which an outer fleshy part (exocarp, or skin, and mesocarp, or flesh) surrounds a single shell (the ''pit'', ''stone'', or '' pyrena'') of hardened endocarp with a seed (''kernel'') ...
s). The various
heirloom varieties An heirloom plant, heirloom variety, heritage fruit (Australia and New Zealand), or heirloom vegetable (especially in Ireland and the UK) is an old cultivar A cultivar is a type of cultivated plant that people have selected for desired trai ...
including the 'Indian Peach', or 'Indian Blood Peach', which ripens in the latter part of the summer, and can have color ranging from red and white, to purple. Cultivated peaches are divided into clingstones and freestones, depending on whether the flesh sticks to the stone or not; both can have either white or yellow flesh. Peaches with white flesh typically are very sweet with little
acid In computer science, ACID ( atomicity, consistency, isolation, durability) is a set of properties of database transactions intended to guarantee data validity despite errors, power failures, and other mishaps. In the context of databases, a sequ ...
ity, while yellow-fleshed peaches typically have an acidic tang coupled with sweetness, though this also varies greatly. Both colors often have some red on their skins. 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
cultivars A cultivar is a type of Horticulture, cultivated plant that people have selected for desired phenotypic trait, traits and when Plant propagation, propagated retain those traits. Methods used to propagate cultivars include: division, root and st ...
. Peach trees are relatively short-lived as compared with some other fruit trees. In some regions orchards are replanted after 8 to 10 years, while in others trees may produce satisfactorily for 20 to 25 years or more, depending upon their resistance to diseases, pests, and winter damage.


Etymology

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 (modern-day Iran). The Ancient Romans referred to the peach as ("Persian apple"), later becoming French , whence the English "peach". The scientific name, ''Prunus persica'', literally means "Persian plum", as it is closely related to the
plum A plum is a fruit of some species in ''Prunus'' subg. ''Prunus'.'' Dried plums are called prunes. History Plums may have been one of the first fruits domesticated by humans. Three of the most abundantly cultivated species are not found i ...
.


Fossil record

Fossil endocarps with characteristics indistinguishable from those of modern peaches have been recovered from late Pliocene deposits in
Kunming Kunming (; ), also known as Yunnan-Fu, is the capital and largest city of Yunnan province, China. It is the political, economic, communications and cultural centre of the province as well as the seat of the provincial government. The headquar ...
, dating to 2.6 million years ago. In the absence of evidence that the plants were in other ways identical to the modern peach, the name ''Prunus kunmingensis'' has been assigned to these fossils.


History

Although its botanical name ''Prunus persica'' refers to Persia, genetic studies suggest peaches originated in China, where they have been cultivated since the Neolithic period. Until recently, cultivation was believed to have started around 2000 BC. More recent evidence indicates that domestication occurred as early as 6000 BC in
Zhejiang Province Zhejiang ( or , ; , also romanized as Chekiang) is an eastern, coastal province of the People's Republic of China. Its capital and largest city is Hangzhou, and other notable cities include Ningbo and Wenzhou. Zhejiang is bordered by Jiangs ...
of China. The oldest archaeological peach stones are from the Kuahuqiao site near Hangzhou. Archaeologists point to the
Yangtze River Valley The Yangtze or Yangzi ( or ; ) is the longest river in Asia, the third-longest in the world, and the longest in the world to flow entirely within one country. It rises at Jari Hill in the Tanggula Mountains (Tibetan Plateau) and flow ...
as the place where the early selection for favorable peach varieties probably took place. Peaches were mentioned in Chinese writings and literature beginning from the early first millennium BC. A domesticated peach appeared very early in Japan, in 4700–4400 BC, during the
Jōmon period The is the time in Japanese history, traditionally dated between   6,000–300 BCE, during which Japan was inhabited by a diverse hunter-gatherer and early agriculturalist population united through a common Jōmon culture, which reached a c ...
. It was already similar to modern cultivated forms, where the peach stones are significantly larger and more compressed than earlier stones. This domesticated type of peach was brought into Japan from China. Nevertheless, in China itself, this variety is currently attested only at a later date around 3300 to 2300 BC. In India, the peach first appeared by about 1700 BC, during the Harappan period. It is also found elsewhere in Western Asia in ancient times. Peach cultivation reached Greece by 300 BC. Alexander the Great is sometimes said to have introduced them into Greece after conquering Persia, but no historical evidence for this claim has been found. Peaches were, however, well known to the Romans in the first century AD; the oldest known artistic representations of the fruit are in two fragments of wall paintings, dated to the first century AD, in
Herculaneum Herculaneum (; Neapolitan and it, Ercolano) was an ancient town, located in the modern-day ''comune'' of Ercolano, Campania, Italy. Herculaneum was buried under volcanic ash and pumice in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79. Like the nea ...
, preserved due to the Vesuvius eruption of 79 AD, and now held in the National Archaeological Museum in Naples. Archaeological finds show that peaches were cultivated widely in Roman northwestern Continental Europe, but production collapsed around the sixth century; some revival of production followed with the
Carolingian Renaissance The Carolingian Renaissance was the first of three medieval renaissances, a period of cultural activity in the Carolingian Empire. It occurred from the late 8th century to the 9th century, taking inspiration from the State church of the Roman Emp ...
of the ninth century. An article on peach tree cultivation in Spain is brought down in Ibn al-'Awwam's 12th-century agricultural work, ''Book on Agriculture''. The peach was brought to the Americas by Spanish explorers in the 16th century, and eventually made it to England and France in the 17th century, where it was a prized and expensive treat. Horticulturist George Minifie supposedly brought the first peaches from England to its North American colonies in the early 17th century, planting them at his estate of Buckland in Virginia. Although Thomas Jefferson had peach trees at Monticello, American farmers did not begin commercial production until the 19th century in Maryland, Delaware, Georgia, South Carolina, and finally Virginia. The Shanghai honey nectar peach was a key component of both the food culture and agrarian economy the area where the modern megacity of Shanghai stands. Peaches were the cornerstone of early Shanghai's garden culture. As modernization and westernization swept through the city the Shanghai honey nectar peach nearly disappeared completely. Much of modern Shanghai is built over these gardens and peach orchards. In April 2010, an international consortium, the
International Peach Genome Initiative International is an adjective (also used as a noun) meaning "between nations". International may also refer to: Music Albums * ''International'' (Kevin Michael album), 2011 * ''International'' (New Order album), 2002 * ''International'' (The T ...
, which includes researchers from the United States, Italy, Chile, Spain, and France, announced they had sequenced the peach tree genome (doubled haploid Lovell). Recently, it published the peach genome sequence and related analyses. The sequence is composed of 227 million nucleotides arranged in eight pseudomolecules representing the eight peach chromosomes (2n = 16). In addition, 27,852 protein-coding genes and 28,689 protein-coding transcripts were predicted. Particular emphasis in this study is reserved for the analysis of the genetic diversity in peach germplasm and how it was shaped by human activities such as domestication and breeding. Major historical bottlenecks were found, one related to the putative original domestication that is supposed to have taken place in China about 4,000–5,000 years ago, the second is related to the western germplasm and is due to the early dissemination of the peach in Europe from China and the more recent breeding activities in the United States and Europe. These bottlenecks highlighted the substantial reduction of genetic diversity associated with domestication and breeding activities.


Cultivation

Peaches grow in a fairly limited range in dry, continental or temperate climates, since the trees have a chilling requirement that tropical or subtropical areas generally do not satisfy except at high altitudes (for example in certain areas of Ecuador,
Colombia Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as well as in the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Car ...
, Ethiopia, India, and Nepal). Most cultivars require 500 hours of chilling around . During the chilling period, key chemical reactions occur, but the plant appears dormant. Once the chilling period is fulfilled, the plant enters a second type of dormancy, the
quiescence Quiescence (/kwiˈɛsəns/) is a state of quietness or inactivity. It may refer to: * Quiescence search, in game tree searching (adversarial search) in artificial intelligence, a quiescent state is one in which a game is considered stable and unl ...
period. During quiescence, buds break and grow when sufficient warm weather favorable to growth is accumulated. The trees themselves can usually tolerate temperatures to around , although the following season's flower buds are usually killed at these temperatures, preventing a crop that summer. Flower bud death begins to occur between , depending on the cultivar and on the timing of the cold, with the buds becoming less cold tolerant in late winter. Another climate constraint is spring frost. The trees flower fairly early (in March in Western Europe), and the blossom is damaged or killed if temperatures drop below about . If the flowers are not fully open, though, they can tolerate a few degrees colder. Climates with significant winter rainfall at temperatures below are also unsuitable for peach cultivation, as the rain promotes peach leaf curl, which is the most serious fungal disease for peaches. In practice, fungicides are extensively used for peach cultivation in such climates, with more than 1% of European peaches exceeding legal pesticide limits in 2013. Finally, summer heat is required to mature the crop, with mean temperatures of the hottest month between . Typical peach cultivars begin bearing fruit in their third year. Their lifespan in the U.S. varies by region; the University of California at Davis gives a lifespan of about 15 years while the University of Maine gives a lifespan of 7 years there.


Cultivars

Hundreds of peach and nectarine cultivars are known. These are classified into two categories—freestones and clingstones. Freestones are those whose flesh separates readily from the pit. Clingstones are those whose flesh clings tightly to the pit. Some cultivars are partially freestone and clingstone, so are called semifree. Freestone types are preferred for eating fresh, while clingstone types are for canning. The fruit flesh may be creamy white to deep yellow, to dark red; the hue and shade of the color depend on the cultivar. Peach breeding has favored cultivars with more firmness, more red color, and shorter fuzz on the fruit surface. These characteristics ease shipping and supermarket sales by improving eye appeal. This selection process has not necessarily led to increased flavor, though. Peaches have a short shelf life, so commercial growers typically plant a mix of different cultivars to have fruit to ship all season long. Different countries have different cultivars. In the United Kingdom, for example, these cultivars have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's
Award of Garden Merit The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established annual award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions. History The Award of Garden Merit ...
: * 'Duke of York' * 'Peregrine' * 'Rochester' * 'Lord Napier' (nectarine) For China specifically see .


Nectarines

The variety ''P. persica'' var. ''nucipersica'' (or var. ''nectarina'') – these are commonly called ''nectarines'' – has a smooth skin. It is on occasion referred to as a "shaved peach" or "fuzzless peach", due to its lack of fuzz or short hairs. Though fuzzy peaches and nectarines are regarded commercially as different fruits, with nectarines often erroneously believed to be a crossbreed between peaches and
plum A plum is a fruit of some species in ''Prunus'' subg. ''Prunus'.'' Dried plums are called prunes. History Plums may have been one of the first fruits domesticated by humans. Three of the most abundantly cultivated species are not found i ...
s, or a "peach with a plum skin", nectarines belong to the same species as peaches. Several genetic studies have concluded nectarines are produced due to a
recessive allele In genetics, dominance is the phenomenon of one variant (allele) of a gene on a chromosome masking or overriding the effect of a different variant of the same gene on the other copy of the chromosome. The first variant is termed dominant and t ...
, whereas a fuzzy peach skin is dominant. Nectarines have arisen many times from peach trees, often as
bud sport In botany, a sport or bud sport, traditionally called ''lusus'', is a part of a plant that shows morphological differences from the rest of the plant. Sports may differ by foliage shape or color, flowers, fruit, or branch structure. The cause is ...
s. 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. 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 nectarines' 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, but they had probably been grown much earlier within the native range of the peach in central and eastern Asia. Although one source states that nectarines were introduced into the United States by David Fairchild of the Department of Agriculture in 1906, a number of colonial-era newspaper articles make reference to nectarines being grown in the United States prior to the Revolutionary War. The 28 March 1768 edition of the ''New York Gazette'' (p. 3), for example, mentions a farm in Jamaica, Long Island, New York, where nectarines were grown.


Peacherines

Peacherines are claimed to be a cross between a peach and a nectarine, but as they are the same species cannot be a true cross (hybrid); they are marketed in Australia and New Zealand. The fruit is intermediate in appearance, though, between a peach and a nectarine, large and brightly colored like a red peach. The flesh of the fruit is usually yellow, but white varieties also exist. The
Koanga Institute ''Koanga'' is an opera written between 1896 and 1897, with music by Frederick Delius and a libretto by Charles Francis Keary, inspired partly by the book '' The Grandissimes: A Story of Creole Life'' by George Washington Cable (1880). Inspiratio ...
lists varieties that ripen in the Southern Hemisphere in February and March. In 1909, ''Pacific Monthly'' mentioned peacherines in a news bulletin for California. Louise Pound, in 1920, claimed the term peacherine is an example of language stunt.


Flat peaches

Flat peaches, or ''pan-tao'', have a flattened shape, in contrast to ordinary near-spherical peaches.


Planting

Most peach trees sold by nurseries are cultivars budded or
grafted Grafting or graftage is a horticultural technique whereby tissues of plants are joined so as to continue their growth together. The upper part of the combined plant is called the scion () while the lower part is called the rootstock. The succ ...
onto a suitable rootstock. Common rootstocks are 'Lovell Peach', 'Nemaguard Peach', ''Prunus besseyi'', and 'Citation'. The rootstock provides hardiness and budding is done to improve predictability of the fruit quality. Peach trees need full sun, and a layout that allows good natural air flow to assist the thermal environment for the tree. Peaches are planted in early winter. During the growth season, they need a regular and reliable supply of water, with higher amounts just before harvest. Peaches need nitrogen-rich fertilizers more than other fruit trees. Without regular fertilizer supply, peach tree leaves start turning yellow or exhibit stunted growth.
Blood meal Blood meal is a dry, inert powder made from blood, used as a high-nitrogen organic fertilizer and a high protein animal feed. N = 13.25%, P = 1.0%, K = 0.6%. It is one of the highest non-synthetic sources of nitrogen. It usually comes from cattle ...
, bone meal, and calcium ammonium nitrate are suitable fertilizers. The flowers on a peach tree are typically thinned out because if the full number of peaches mature on a branch, they are undersized and lack flavor. Fruits are thinned midway in the season by commercial growers. Fresh peaches are easily bruised, so do not store well. They are most flavorful when they ripen on the tree and are eaten the day of harvest. The peach tree can be grown in an espalier shape. The Baldassari palmette is a design created around 1950 used primarily for training peaches. In walled gardens constructed from stone or brick, which absorb and retain solar heat and then slowly release it, raising the temperature against the wall, peaches can be grown as espaliers against south-facing walls as far north as southeast Great Britain and southern Ireland.


Insects

The first
pest Pest or The Pest may refer to: Science and medicine * Pest (organism), an animal or plant deemed to be detrimental to humans or human concerns ** Weed, a plant considered undesirable * Infectious disease, an illness resulting from an infection ** ...
to attack the tree early in the year when other food is scarce is the earwig ('' Forficula auricularia'') which feeds on
blossom In botany, blossoms are the flowers of stone fruit trees (genus ''Prunus'') and of some other plants with a similar appearance that flower profusely for a period of time in spring. Colloquially, flowers of orange are referred to as such as wel ...
s and young leaves at night, preventing fruiting and weakening newly planted trees. The pattern of damage is distinct from that of caterpillars later in the year, as earwigs characteristically remove semicircles of petal and leaf tissue from the tips, rather than internally. Greasebands applied just before blossom are effective. The larvae of such moth species as the peachtree borer (''
Synanthedon exitiosa ''Synanthedon exitiosa'', the peachtree borer, is a species of moth in the family Sesiidae that is native to North America.Strickland, J. S''Synanthedon exitiosa''.Featured Creatures. Department of Entomology and Nematology. University of Florida ...
''), the yellow peach moth (''
Conogethes punctiferalis ''Conogethes punctiferalis'', the durian fruit borer or yellow peach moth, is a moth of the family Crambidae. Description The larvae live concealed in their foodplant in a case lined with silk. Full-grown larvae are about 20 mm long. It ...
''), the well-marked cutworm (''
Abagrotis orbis ''Abagrotis orbis'', the well-marked cutworm or Barnes' climbing cutworm, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Augustus Radcliffe Grote in 1876. It is in southwestern North America, extending eastward across the ...
''), '' Lyonetia prunifoliella'', ''
Phyllonorycter hostis ''Phyllonorycter hostis'' is a moth of the family Gracillariidae. It is known from Italy, Serbia, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Tunisia. There are some records from Great Britain and Germany. There are four generations per year in Italy. The ...
'', the fruit tree borer (''
Maroga melanostigma The fruit tree borer (''Maroga melanostigma'') is a moth of the family Xyloryctidae. It is native to Australia. The wingspan is about 40 mm. The adults have satin white forewings, with a black dot near the centre of the wing. The hindwings a ...
''), ''
Parornix anguliferella ''Parornix anguliferella'' is a moth of the family Gracillariidae. It is found from Germany to Sardinia, Sicily and Greece and from the Netherlands to southern Russia. The larvae feed on ''Amelanchier ovalis'', ''Cydonia oblonga'', ''Prunus aviu ...
'', ''
Parornix finitimella ''Parornix finitimella'' is a moth of the family Gracillariidae. It is found in nearly all of Europe, except Ireland, the Iberian Peninsula and parts of the Balkan Peninsula. The wingspan is about 10 mm. Adults are on wing in May and again ...
'', ''
Caloptilia zachrysa ''Caloptilia zachrysa'' is a moth of the family Gracillariidae. It is known from China, India, Japan (the islands of Honshū and Kyūshū), Korea, Sri Lanka and Taiwan. The wingspan is 10.2–13.2 mm. The larvae feed on ''Rhododendron ...
'', ''
Phyllonorycter crataegella The apple blotch leafminer (''Phyllonorycter crataegella'') is a moth of the family Gracillariidae. It is known from Canada (Nova Scotia, Québec, Ontario and New Brunswick) the United States (Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Hamp ...
'', ''
Trifurcula sinica ''Trifurcula sinica'' is a moth of the family Nepticulidae. It was described by Yang in 1989. It is known from the Shaanxi in China. Adults have been recorded in April. The larvae make galls in young branches of ''Prunus cerasifera'', ''Prunus ...
'', Suzuki's promolactis moth (''
Promalactis suzukiella Suzuki's promalactis moth (''Promalactis suzukiella'') is a moth of the family Oecophoridae. It is native to Korea, Japan and Taiwan, but is an introduced species in the United States. It was originally recorded from the mid-Atlantic states in th ...
''), the white-spotted tussock moth (''
Orgyia thyellina ''Orgyia thyellina'', the white-spotted tussock moth, is a species of moth of the subfamily Lymantriinae first described by Arthur Gardiner Butler in 1881. It is native to the Russian Far East, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and China. It was discovered ...
''), the apple leafroller (''
Archips termias ''Archips termias'', the apple leafroller, is a moth of the family Tortricidae. It is found in Vietnam, India, Nepal and China. Larvae have been recorded feeding on ''Acacia nilotica'', ''Citrus'', ''Rosa'', ''Coffea liberica'', ''Malus pumila ...
''), the catapult moth (''
Serrodes partita ''Serrodes partita'', the catapult moth, is a moth of the family Erebidae. The species was first described by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1775. It is found in western, eastern, central and southern Africa, India, Indonesia (Borneo, Java) and Sr ...
''), the wood groundling ('' Parachronistis albiceps'') or the omnivorous leafroller (''
Platynota stultana The omnivorous leafroller (''Platynota stultana'') is a moth of the family Tortricidae. It is found in Mexico and the United States (California, Arizona, Texas, Florida and Hawaii). The wingspan is about 14 mm. Adults are on wing year-roun ...
'') are reported to feed on ''P. persica''. The flatid planthopper (''
Metcalfa pruinosa ''Metcalfa pruinosa'', the citrus flatid planthopper, is a species of insect in the Flatidae family of planthoppers first described by Thomas Say in 1830. Subspecies * ''Metcalfa pruinosa cubana'' (Metcalf & Bruner, 1948) Distribution The spe ...
'') causes damage to fruit trees. The tree is also a host plant for such species as the Japanese beetle (''Popillia japonica''), the unmonsuzume (''
Callambulyx tatarinovii ''Callambulyx tatarinovii'', or in Japanese, is a moth of the family Sphingidae. The species was first described by Otto Vasilievich Bremer and William Grey in 1853. Distribution It is found from northern Xinjiang across northern China, Mon ...
''), the promethea silkmoth (''
Callosamia promethea ''Callosamia promethea'', commonly known as the promethea silkmoth, is a member of the family Saturniidae, which contains approximately 1,300 species. It is also known as the spicebush silkmoth, which refers to is one of the promethea silkmoth's ...
''), the orange oakleaf (''
Kallima inachus ''Kallima inachus'', the orange oakleaf, Indian oakleaf or dead leaf, is a nymphalid butterfly found in Tropical Asia from India to Japan. With wings closed, it closely resembles a dry leaf with dark veins and is a commonly cited example of cam ...
''), ''
Langia zenzeroides ''Langia zenzeroides'', the apple hawkmoth, is a moth of the family Sphingidae. It was described by Frederic Moore in 1872. Distribution It is found in northern India, eastern and southern China, South Korea, northern Thailand, northern Vietn ...
'', the speckled emperor (''
Gynanisa maja ''Gynanisa maja'', the speckled emperor or chipumi, is a moth of the family Saturniidae. The species was first described by Johann Christoph Friedrich Klug in 1836. It is known from South Africa to eastern Africa (up to Angola and Zambia). ''Gyna ...
'') or the brown playboy (''
Deudorix antalus ''Deudorix antalus'', the brown playboy, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in Africa (including Madagascar) and south-west Arabia. The wingspan is 22–34 mm for males and 22–40 mm for females. Adults are on wing y ...
''). The European red mite (''
Panonychus ulmi ''Panonychus ulmi'', the European red mite, is a species of mite which is a major agricultural pest of fruit trees. It has a high reproductive rate, a short generation time (21 days at ) and produces many broods in a year, all of which contribute ...
'') or the yellow mite (''
Lorryia formosa ''Lorryia formosa'', commonly known as the yellow mite or the citrus yellow mite, is a species of acariform mite. They are in the subfamily Tydeinae of the family Tydeidae. Commonly found on the foliage of citrus trees around the world, ''Lorryi ...
'') are also found on the peach tree. It is a good pollen source for honey bees and a honeydew source for aphids.


Diseases

Peach trees are prone to a disease called
leaf curl Peach leaf curl is a plant disease characterized by distortion and coloration of leaves and is caused by the fungus ''Taphrina deformans'', which infects peach, nectarine, and almond trees. ''T. deformans'' is found in the United States, Europe, ...
, which usually does not directly affect the fruit, but does reduce the crop yield by partially defoliating the tree. Several fungicides can be used to combat the disease, including
Bordeaux mixture Bordeaux mixture (also called ''Bordo Mix'') is a mixture of copper(II) sulphate (CuSO4) and quicklime ( Ca O) used as a fungicide. It is used in vineyards, fruit-farms and gardens to prevent infestations of downy mildew, powdery mildew and other ...
and other copper-based products (the University of California considers these organic treatments), ziram, chlorothalonil, and dodine. The fruit is susceptible to brown rot or a dark reddish spot.


Storage

Peaches and nectarines are best stored at temperatures of 0 °C (32 °F) and in high humidity. They are highly perishable, so are typically consumed or canned within two weeks of harvest. Peaches are climacteric fruits and continue to ripen after being picked from the tree.


Production

In 2020, world production of peaches (combined with nectarines for reporting) was 24.6 million tonnes, led by China with 61% of the world total (table). The U.S. state of Georgia is known as the "Peach State" due to its significant production of peaches as early as 1571, with exports to other states occurring around 1858. In 2014, Georgia was third in US peach production behind California and South Carolina.


Cultural significance

Peaches are not only a popular fruit, but also are symbolic in many cultural traditions, such as in art, paintings, and folk tales such as the Peaches of Immortality.


China

Peach blossoms are highly prized in Chinese culture. The ancient Chinese believed the peach to possess more vitality than any other tree because their blossoms appear before leaves sprout. When early rulers of China visited their territories, they were preceded by sorcerers armed with peach rods to protect them from spectral evils. On New Year's Eve, local magistrates would cut peach wood branches and place them over their doors to protect against evil influences. Peach wood was also used for the earliest known door gods during the
Han Han may refer to: Ethnic groups * Han Chinese, or Han People (): the name for the largest ethnic group in China, which also constitutes the world's largest ethnic group. ** Han Taiwanese (): the name for the ethnic group of the Taiwanese p ...
. Another author writes: Peachwood seals or figurines guarded gates and doors, and, as one Han account recites, "the buildings in the capital are made tranquil and pure; everywhere a good state of affairs prevails". Writes the author, further: Peach kernels (桃仁 ''táo rén'') are a common ingredient used in traditional Chinese medicine to dispel blood
stasis Stasis (from Greek στάσις "a standing still") may refer to: * A state in stability theory, in which all forces are equal and opposing, therefore they cancel out each other * Stasis (political history), a period of civil war within an ancient ...
, counter inflammation, and reduce allergies. In an orchard of flowering peach trees, 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''. Another peach orchard, in " The Peach Blossom Spring" by poet
Tao Yuanming Tao Yuanming (; 365–427), also known as Tao Qian (; also T'ao Ch'ien in Wade-Giles), was a Chinese poet and politician who was one of the best-known poets during the Six Dynasties, Six Dynasties period. He was born during the Eastern Jin dyn ...
, is the setting of the favourite Chinese fable and a metaphor for utopias. A peach tree growing on a precipice was where the Taoist master Zhang Daoling tested his disciples. The Old Man of the South Pole, one of the deities of the Chinese folk religion '' fulu shou'', is sometimes seen holding a large peach, representing long life and health. The term " bitten peach", first used by Legalist philosopher Han Fei in his work ''Han Feizi'', became a byword for homosexuality. The book records the incident when courtier
Mizi Xia Mizi Xia () was a semi-legendary figure from the Zhou dynasty Period of China. He was first recorded in the work ''Han Feizi'', by Legalist philosopher Han Fei, as the companion of the historical figure Duke Ling of Wei. While Mizi Xia may have ...
bit into an especially delicious peach and gave the remainder to his lover,
Duke Ling of Wei Duke Ling of Wey () (ruled 534 — 492 BC) was the 28th ruler of the ancient Chinese state of Wey, the son of Duke Xiang of Wey. He was the subject of Chapter 15 of the ''Analects'' of Confucius. His given name was Yuan (). Family Duke Ling wa ...
, as a gift so that he could taste it, as well.


Korea

In Korea, peaches have been cultivated from ancient times. According to ''
Samguk Sagi ''Samguk Sagi'' (, ''History of the Three Kingdoms'') is a historical record of the Three Kingdoms of Korea: Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla. The ''Samguk Sagi'' is written in Classical Chinese, the written language of the literati of ancient Korea, ...
'', peach trees were planted during the Three Kingdoms of Korea period, and ''
Sallim gyeongje ''Sallim gyeongje'', roughly translated as "Farm Management",minhwa Minhwa refers to Korean folk art produced mostly by itinerant or unknown artists without formal training, emulating contemporary trends in fine art for the purpose of everyday use or decoration. The term "minhwa" was coined by Yanagi Muneyoshi. ...
'' (folk paintings). Peaches and peach trees are believed to chase away spirits, so peaches are not placed on tables for '' jesa'' (ancestor veneration), unlike other fruits.


Japan

The world's sweetest peach is grown in
Fukushima may refer to: Japan * Fukushima Prefecture, Japanese prefecture **Fukushima, Fukushima, capital city of Fukushima Prefecture, Japan *** Fukushima University, national university in Japan *** Fukushima Station (Fukushima) in Fukushima, Fukushim ...
, Japan. The Guinness world record for the sweetest peach is currently held by a peach grown in Kanechika, Japan, with a sugar content of 22.2%. However, a fruit farm in rural Fukushima, Koji grew a much sweeter peach, with a Brix score of 32°. Degrees
Brix Degrees Brix (symbol °Bx) is a measure of the dissolved solids in a liquid, and is commonly used to measure dissolved sugar content of an aqueous solution. One degree Brix is 1 gram of sucrose in 100 grams of solution and represents the strength ...
measures the sugar content of the fruit, and is usually between 11 and 15 for a typical peach from a supermarket. Momotarō, a folktale character, is named after the giant peach from which he was birthed. Two traditional Japanese words for the color pink correspond to blossoming trees: one for peach blossoms (), and one for cherry blossoms ( ).


Vietnam

A Vietnamese mythic history states that in the spring of 1789, after marching to Ngọc Hồi and then winning a great victory against invaders from the Qing dynasty of China, Emperor Quang Trung ordered a messenger to gallop to Phú Xuân citadel (now Huế) and deliver a flowering peach branch to the Empress Ngọc Hân. This took place on the fifth day of the first lunar month, two days before the predicted end of the battle. The branch of peach flowers that was sent from the north to the centre of Vietnam was not only a message of victory from the Emperor to his consort, but also the start of a new spring of peace and happiness for all the Vietnamese people. In addition, since the land of Nhật Tân had freely given that very branch of peach flowers to the Emperor, it became the loyal garden of his dynasty. The protagonists of ''
The Tale of Kieu ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
'' fell in love by a peach tree, and in Vietnam, the blossoming peach flower is the signal of spring. Finally, peach
bonsai Bonsai ( ja, 盆栽, , tray planting, ) is the Japanese art of growing and training miniature trees in pots, developed from the traditional Chinese art form of ''penjing''. Unlike ''penjing'', which utilizes traditional techniques to produce ...
trees are used as decoration during Vietnamese New Year ( Tết) in northern Vietnam.


Europe

Many famous artists have painted with peach fruits placed in prominence.
Caravaggio Michelangelo Merisi (Michele Angelo Merigi or Amerighi) da Caravaggio, known as simply Caravaggio (, , ; 29 September 1571 – 18 July 1610), was an Italian painter active in Rome for most of his artistic life. During the final four years of hi ...
,
Vicenzo Campi Vincenzo Campi (; c.1530/1535–1591) was a 16th-century Italian painter working in Cremona during the Late Renaissance. Campi is best known as one of the first northern Italian artists to work in the Flemish style of realist genre painting. Ea ...
,
Pierre-Auguste Renoir Pierre-Auguste Renoir (; 25 February 1841 – 3 December 1919) was a French artist who was a leading painter in the development of the Impressionist style. As a celebrator of beauty and especially feminine sensuality, it has been said that "R ...
, Claude Monet, Édouard Manet, Henri Fantin-Latour,
Severin Roesen Severin Roesen (c. 1815 in Boppard – c. 1872) was a Prussian-American painter known for his abundant fruit and flower still lifes, and is today recognized as one of the major American painters in that genre from the nineteenth century. Life ...
, Peter Paul Rubens, and Van Gogh are among the many influential artists who painted peaches and peach trees in various settings. Scholars suggest that many compositions are symbolic, some an effort to introduce realism. For example, Tresidder claims the artists of Renaissance symbolically used peach to represent heart, and a leaf attached to the fruit as the symbol for tongue, thereby implying speaking truth from one's heart; a ripe peach was also a symbol to imply a ripe state of good health. Caravaggio's paintings introduce realism by painting peach leaves that are molted, discolored, or in some cases have wormholes – conditions common in modern peach cultivation. In literature,
Roald Dahl Roald Dahl (13 September 1916 – 23 November 1990) was a British novelist, short-story writer, poet, screenwriter, and wartime fighter ace of Norwegian descent. His books have sold more than 250 million copies worldwide. Dahl has be ...
named his children's fantasy novel '' James and the Giant Peach'' because a peach is "prettier, bigger and squishier than a cherry."


United States

South Carolina named the peach its official fruit in 1984. The peach became the state fruit of Georgia, nicknamed the "Peach State", in 1995. The peach went from feral trees utilized opportunistically to a tended commercial crop in the Southern United States in the 1850s, as the boll weevil attacked regional cotton crops. When Georgia reached peak production in the 1920s, elaborate festivals celebrated the fruit. By 2017, Georgia's production represented 3–5% of the U.S. total. Alabama named it the "state tree fruit" in 2006. Delaware's
state flower This is a list of U.S. state, federal district, and territory flowers. See also *List of U.S. state trees * Lists of U.S. state insignia References External linksList of state flowers {{USStateLists * U.S. state flowers Flowers ...
has been the peach blossom since 1995, and peach pie became its official dessert in 2009.


Nutrition

Raw peach flesh is 89% water, 10% carbohydrates, 1% protein, and contains negligible fat. A medium-sized raw peach, weighing , supplies 39
calorie The calorie is a unit of energy. For historical reasons, two main definitions of "calorie" are in wide use. The large calorie, food calorie, or kilogram calorie was originally defined as the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of on ...
s, and contains small amounts of essential nutrients, but none is a significant proportion of the Daily Value (DV, right table). A raw nectarine has similar low content of nutrients. The glycemic load of an average peach (120 grams) is 5, similar to other low-sugar fruits. One medium peach also contains 2% or more daily value of vitamins E and K, niacin, folate, iron, choline, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, zinc and copper. Fresh peaches are a moderate source of antioxidants and vitamin C which is required for the building of connective tissue inside the human body.


Phytochemicals

Total polyphenols in mg per 100 g of fresh weight were 14–102 in white-flesh nectarines, 18–54 in yellow-flesh nectarines, 28–111 in white-flesh peaches, and 21–61 mg per 100 g in yellow-flesh peaches. The major phenolic compounds identified in peach are chlorogenic acid, catechins and
epicatechins Catechin is a flavan-3-ol, a type of secondary metabolite providing antioxidant roles in plants. It belongs to the subgroup of polyphenols called flavonoids. The name of the catechin chemical family derives from ''catechu'', which is the tanni ...
, with other compounds, identified by
HPLC High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), formerly referred to as high-pressure liquid chromatography, is a technique in analytical chemistry used to separate, identify, and quantify each component in a mixture. It relies on pumps to pa ...
, including gallic acid and ellagic acid. Rutin and isoquercetin are the primary flavonols found in clingstone peaches. Red-fleshed peaches are rich in
anthocyanin Anthocyanins (), also called anthocyans, are water-soluble vacuolar pigments that, depending on their pH, may appear red, purple, blue, or black. In 1835, the German pharmacist Ludwig Clamor Marquart gave the name Anthokyan to a chemical compo ...
s, particularly cyanidin
glucoside A glucoside is a glycoside that is derived from glucose. Glucosides are common in plants, but rare in animals. Glucose is produced when a glucoside is hydrolysed by purely chemical means, or decomposed by fermentation or enzymes. The name was o ...
s in six peach and six nectarine cultivars and malvin glycosides in clingstone peaches. As with many other members of the rose family, peach seeds contain cyanogenic glycosides, including amygdalin (note the
subgenus In biology, a subgenus (plural: subgenera) is a taxonomic rank directly below genus. In the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, a subgeneric name can be used independently or included in a species name, in parentheses, placed between t ...
designation: ''Amygdalus''). These substances are capable of decomposing into a sugar molecule and
hydrogen cyanide Hydrogen cyanide, sometimes called prussic acid, is a chemical compound with the formula HCN and structure . It is a colorless, extremely poisonous, and flammable liquid that boils slightly above room temperature, at . HCN is produced on an ...
gas. Cyanogenic glycosides are toxic if consumed in large doses. While peach seeds are not the most toxic within the rose family (see bitter almond), large consumption of these chemicals from any source is potentially hazardous to animal and human health. Peach allergy or
intolerance Intolerance may refer to: * Hypersensitivity or intolerance, undesirable reactions produced by the immune system * ''Intolerance'' (film), a 1916 film by D. W. Griffith * ''Intolerance'' (album), the first solo album from Grant Hart, formerly o ...
is a relatively common form of hypersensitivity to proteins contained in peaches and related fruits (such as
almond The almond (''Prunus amygdalus'', syn. ''Prunus dulcis'') is a species of tree native to Iran and surrounding countries, including the Levant. The almond is also the name of the edible and widely cultivated seed of this tree. Within the genus ...
s). Symptoms range from local effects (e.g.
oral allergy syndrome Oral allergy syndrome (OAS) or pollen-food allergy is a type of food allergy classified by a cluster of allergic reactions in the mouth and throat in response to eating certain (usually fresh) fruits, nuts, and vegetables that typically develops ...
,
contact urticaria Hives, also known as urticaria, is a kind of skin rash with red, raised, itchy bumps. Hives may burn or sting. The patches of rash may appear on different body parts, with variable duration from minutes to days, and does not leave any long-lasti ...
) to more severe systemic reactions, including anaphylaxis (e.g. urticaria, angioedema, gastrointestinal and respiratory symptoms). Adverse reactions are related to the "freshness" of the fruit: peeled or canned fruit may be tolerated.


Aroma

Some 110 chemical compounds contribute to peach aroma, including
alcohols In chemistry, an alcohol is a type of organic compound that carries at least one hydroxyl () functional group bound to a saturated carbon atom. The term ''alcohol'' originally referred to the primary alcohol ethanol (ethyl alcohol), which is ...
,
ketones In organic chemistry, a ketone is a functional group with the structure R–C(=O)–R', where R and R' can be a variety of carbon-containing substituents. Ketones contain a carbonyl group –C(=O)– (which contains a carbon-oxygen double bon ...
, aldehydes, esters, polyphenols and
terpenoids The terpenoids, also known as isoprenoids, are a class of naturally occurring organic chemicals derived from the 5-carbon compound isoprene and its derivatives called terpenes, diterpenes, etc. While sometimes used interchangeably with "terpenes", ...
.


Gallery

File:Peachblossoms3800ppx.JPG, alt=Tree in blossom File:Prunus_persica(花桃)4035837.JPG, Peach blossoms File:Peach flowers.jpg, alt=Blossoms File:Breskva Collins - zametnuti plodovi.jpg, Incipient fruit development File:Prunus persica coupe MHNT.jpg, alt=Wood File:Prunus persica - Peach Hungary.jpg, alt=Fruits on tree File:Prunus persica pit.jpg, alt=Seed File:Starr-130504-4357-Prunus_persica_var_persica-Florida_Prince_fruit_on_branch-Hawea_Pl_Olinda-Maui_(24842890479).jpg, Peaches on tree File:Hillview_Farms_peaches_in_a_basket.jpg, Peaches in a basket


Paintings

File:Retrato de Isabella y John Stewart.jpg, Portrait of Isabella and John Stewart by Charles Willson Peale, 1774 File:Still Life Basket of Peaches by Raphaelle Peale 1816.jpeg, ''Still Life Basket of Peaches'' by
Raphaelle Peale Raphaelle Peale (sometimes spelled Raphael Peale) (February 17, 1774 – March 4, 1825) is considered the first professional American painter of still-life. Biography Peale was born in Annapolis, Maryland, the fifth child, though eldest survivin ...
, 1816 File:Claude Monet - Das Pfirsichglas.jpg, ''A Jar of Peaches'' by Claude Monet File:Bairei_kachō_gafu,_Spring_04,_peach-blossoms_and_green_pheasants.jpg, "Spring 4, peach-blossoms and green pheasants" by
Kōno Bairei was a Japanese painter, book illustrator, and art teacher. He was born (as Yasuda Bairei) and lived in Kyoto. He was a member of the broad Maruyama-Shijo school and was a master of kacho-e painting (depictions of birds and flowers) in the Meiji ...
, 1883 File:Pomological Watercolor POM00005183.jpg, Peach (cultivar 'Berry'), watercolour, 1895


References


Further reading

* Okie, William Thomas. ''The Georgia Peach: Culture, Agriculture, and Environment in the American South'' (Cambridge Studies on the American South, 2016).


External links

*
National Center for Home Food Preservation—Freezing Peaches



Clemson.edu: Everything About Peaches
{{Authority control Crops originating from China Flora of China Fruits originating in East Asia Garden plants of Asia Ornamental trees Peaches Plants described in 1753 Prunus Drupes Fruit trees Symbols of Alabama Symbols of Georgia (U.S. state)