Peach
The peach (Prunus persica) is a deciduous tree first domesticated and cultivated in Zhejiang province of Eastern China.[3] It bears edible juicy fruits with various characteristics, most called peaches and others (the glossy-skinned, non-fuzzy varieties), nectarines.
This article is about the tree and its fruit. For other uses, see Peach (disambiguation), Peachtree (disambiguation), and Peaches (disambiguation).
The specific name persica refers to its widespread cultivation in Persia (modern-day Iran), from where it was transplanted to Europe and in the 16th century to the Americas. It belongs to the genus Prunus, which includes the cherry, apricot, almond, and plum, in the rose family. The peach is classified with the almond in the subgenus Amygdalus, distinguished from the other subgenera by the corrugated seed shell (endocarp).[4] 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, known as persipan.[5]
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.[6][7]
In 2018, China produced 62% of the world total of peaches and nectarines. Spain, Italy, Turkey and Greece, all situated in the Mediterranean region, are prominent producers of peaches.[8]
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 malum persicum ("Persian apple"), later becoming French pêche, whence the English "peach".[12] The scientific name, Prunus persica, literally means "Persian plum", as it is closely related to the plum.
Fossil record
Fossil endocarps with characteristics indistinguishable from those of modern peaches have been recovered from late Pliocene deposits in Kunming, 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.[13]
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
165 kJ (39 kcal)
8.39 g
1.5 g
Quantity
Quantity
Quantity
89 g
Nutrition
Raw peach flesh is 89% water, 10% carbohydrates, 1% protein, and contains negligible fat. A medium-sized raw peach, weighing 100 g (3.5 oz), supplies 39 calories, 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.[84] The glycemic load of an average peach (120 grams) is 5, similar to other low-sugar fruits.[85]
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.[86]
Peach blossoms
Incipient fruit development
Peaches on tree
Peaches in a basket
