Peach: Meaning (information, definition, explanation, facts)

This article is about the fruit; peach also refers to a range of pale pinkish-orange colors, see Peach (color)

Peach
Peach flower
Scientific classification
: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Rosales Family: Rosaceae Genus: Prunus Species: persica
Binomial name
Prunus persica

The peach is a tree, Prunus persica, and the juicy fruit that it bears, which has a single large seed encased in hard wood (called the pit or stone), yellow or whitish flesh, a delicate aroma, and a velvety skin. Peaches, along with cherries, plums, and apricots, are stone fruits. Cultivated peaches are divided into freestone and clingstone varieties, depending on whether the flesh sticks to the pit; both kinds can be any color. Peaches with white flesh typically are very sweet with little acid flavor, while yellow-fleshed peaches typically have an acidic tang coupled with sweetness. Both colors often have some red on their skin. Low-acid white-fleshed peaches are the most popular kinds in China, Japan, and neighboring Asian countries, while Europeans and North Americans have historically favored the acidic, yellow-fleshed kinds.

The peach blossom is the state flower of Delaware.

Nectarines

The nectarine is a kind of peach that has a fuzzless, shiny skin. Though grocers treat fuzzy peaches and nectarines as different fruits, they belong to the same species. Nectarines have arisen many times from fuzzy peaches, often as bud sports. Nectarines can be white, yellow, clingstone, or freestone. Regular peach trees occasionally produce a few nectarines, and vice versa. Nectarines are more easily damaged than fuzzy peaches.

Peach trees grow well in a fairly limited range, since they have a chilling requirement that subtropical areas cannot satisfy, and they are not very hardy. A lot of summer heat is required to mature the crop. Important peach-producing areas are California, the countries surrounding the Mediterranean, South Carolina, Georgia and neighboring US states, and parts of China.

Most peach trees sold by nurseries are grafted cultivars. The trees are prone to a disease called leaf curl, which usually does not affect the fruit crop, merely the aesthetics of the tree, and the fruit is very susceptible to brown rot.

Botanists believe peaches are native to Persia, China and Asia where it became known not only as a popular fruit but for the many folktales and traditions associated with it. The word peach itslef is a corruption of the latin word Persica meaning Persian. Momotaro, one of Japan's most noble and semi-historical heroes, was born from within an enormous peach floating down a stream. Momotaro or "Peach Boy" went on to fight evil oni and face many adventures.

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. Yu Huang or the Jade Emperor had a wife named Hsi Wang Mu also known as Queen Mother of the West. Hsi Wang Mu ensured the gods' everlasting existence by feeding them the peaches of immortality. The immortals residing in the palace of Hsi Wang Mu were said to celebrate an extravagant banquet called P'an-t'ao 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 Hsi Wang Mu's attendants often held three peaches.

The peach often plays an important part in Chinese tradition and are symbolic of long life. One example is in the peach-gathering story of Chang Tao-ling, who many say is the true founder of Taoism. Chang Kuo, one of the Chinese Eight Immortals, is often depicted carrying a Peach of Immortality.

Though Cosmo Kramer, a character on Seinfeld, eats a Mackinaw peach, no such variety exists.