The peach (Prunus persica) is a deciduous tree that bears edible juicy fruits with various characteristics. Most are simply called peaches, while the glossy-skinned, non-fuzzy varieties are called nectarines. Though from the same species, they are regarded commercially as different fruits. In addition to being planted for its fruit, peaches are planted as ornamentals for their flowers. It is relatively short lived, usually not exceeding twenty years of age. Peaches were first domesticated and cultivated in China during the Neolithic period. 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 also includes the cherry, apricot, almond, and plum, and which is part of the rose family. The peach is very popular; only the apple and pear have higher production amounts for temperate fruits. In 2023, China produced 65% of the world total of peaches and nectarines. Other leading countries, such as Spain, Turkey, Italy, the U.S., and Iran lag far behind China, with none producing more than 5% of the world total. The fruit is regarded as a symbol of longevity in China.
Description The peach is a deciduous tree or tree like shrub that may rarely grow to as much as 10 meters (33 ft) tall, but is more typically 3 m (10 ft) with large specimens reaching 4 m (13 ft). The spread of the crown is similar to the height, ranging from 3 to 4 m (9.8 to 13.1 ft). They do not produce suckers or have thorns. The root system is deep, with the roots continuing to grow during the winter season. Unlike apples, the size of peach trees is not generally controlled by dwarfing rootstocks in commercial orchards. A great variety of growth habits have been selected including columnar, dwarf, spreading, and weeping. In order to have a single trunk, trees must be pruned and likewise the branches have a tendency to droop over time and must be trained to allow for access under the tree. The bark on the trunk and branches is dark gray with horizontal lenticels. It becomes more scaly and rough as the tree becomes older. Twigs on peach trees have a smooth, hairless surface, the bark is usually red, but may be green on the sides not exposed to the sun. As they become older, branchlets weather to become gray in color. Twigs have true terminal buds at their ends. Peach leaves are oblong to lanceolate, having sides nearly parallel until tapering at end and base or shaped like the head of a spear. The widest portion of the leaf is midway or further towards the leaf tip. Each leaf folds along the central rib of the leaf and is often curved, usually 7–15 centimeters (3–6 in) long and 2–4.5 cm (1–2 in) wide, though occasionally they may be shorter. The surface of the leaves is smooth and hairless, but the leaf stem sometimes has glands. The edges of the leaves have serrated edges with blunt teeth. The teeth have a reddish-brown gland at the tip. Leaves are attached to the twigs by petioles, leaf stems. They are strong and measure 1 to 2 cm. They can have one or more extrafloral nectaries.
Flowering Flowers on peach trees are either solitary or in groups of two, usually blooming before the leaves begin to grow. They may range in shades from white to red, but having pink or red flowers 2–3.5 cm in width is typical of cultivars selected for their fruit. Trees grown as ornamentals may have double flowers, semi-doubled flowers, or bicolored forms. Each flower has four or five petals and is somewhat cup-shaped with the petals curving to shelter the flower's center. Each flower will have 20 to 30 stamens and purple-red anthers at their ends. The single style is nearly as long as the stamens. The flowers are self-fertile and outcross at about 5%. The bloom period is in the early spring, often cut short by frosts, in February, March, April, or May depending on location. In New Zealand and the southern hemisphere, blooming occurs in August to October.
Fruit Trees can begin producing fruit in the two or three years after sprouting. Because of the hardness of the seed casing, peaches are called stone fruits like the others in the Prunus genus, but are more formally called drupes. Fruits range in color from greenish white to orange yellow, usually with a blush of red on the side of the fruit most exposed to the sun. Their shape varies widely from a flattened sphere resembling a doughnut, egg-shaped, or a slightly compressed sphere usually with a seam on one side. A normal diameter for a fruit is between 5 and 7 centimeters (2 and 3 in), but sometimes may be as small as 3 cm (1.2 in) or as large as 12 cm (4.7 in). The flesh is quite variable in color from greenish-white to white to yellow to dark red. The texture can vary from soft to stone hard. The growth of the fruit is a double-sigmoid growth curve: a beginning quick period of development followed by a resting period of little growth, and then a second period of rapid maturation. The seed is much larger and less round than the seeds of its closest fruit relatives. Unlike the pit of an almond, which is only pitted, the peach pit has a stony exterior which is both pitted and deeply furrowed.
Taxonomy
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