flowering peach

Peaches Are From China

  The Latin binomial for peaches is Prunus persica, which is a bit misleading. The genus name is fine – Prunus, a genus in the rose family (Rosaceae) that includes peaches and nectarines, plums, cherries, almonds, and apricots. This reference to Persia (present day Iraq) is a misnomer, since peaches originate from China, which today by far out produces all other countries in edible peach production.  Peaches eventually made it to Persia, then to Europe, then from Spanish explorers to the New World, where they were planted into orchards in Georgia, the Peach State by the...

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Authors
Jim Chatfield