Appearance

Growth form

A small deciduous tree, usually 15–25 ft (4.5–7.5 m) tall and about as wide.

Leaves

Long and narrow, about 3–6 in (7–15 cm) long.

Flowers

Fragrant, 5-petaled flowers about 1 in (2–3.5 cm) across on fruiting varieties, usually pink but ranging from white to deep red.

Flowering time

Blooms in spring, before the leaves appear.

Fruit

The fruit is a fuzzy drupe, about 2–3 in (5–7 cm) across, that ripens in summer. In Georgia, the harvest runs from early May to mid-August. In freestone peaches the flesh pulls away from the pit; in clingstones it sticks. Nectarines are simply smooth-skinned peaches.

Look-alikes

ApricotPrunus armeniaca

Apricots usually bloom in late winter or early spring and have broader, oval leaves. Peach leaves are long and narrow; their larger fruit is often fuzzy.

Why they get mixed up · Both are orchard trees with five-petaled spring blossoms.

Where it lives

Typical habitats

• Orchards
• Backyards and gardens

Range

Native to China and widely cultivated across the United States, including commercial orchards in Georgia and other southern states. It has also naturalized on some Hawaiian islands.

Preferred conditions

Grows in USDA hardiness zones 5–9. Peach varieties differ in how much winter chill they need; chill hours are usually counted between 32–45°F (0–7°C).

Seasons

In Georgia

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Fruit

Fruit May–Aug

Cautions

Cautions

Chewing or crushing the seed inside a peach pit can release cyanide.

Connected species

Ties with other wildlife

Peach trees are a caterpillar host plant for the eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly, and the blossoms draw pollinators.

Pollinators

• Honey beesApis

  Honey bees can carry pollen between peach blossoms in U.S. orchards.

Name and classification

Varieties and forms

Flowering peaches are grown just for their spring blossoms. The Corinthian series (such as 'Corinthian Pink' and 'Corinthian Rose') are narrow, upright trees with double flowers. Weeping, dwarf, and columnar forms are also grown, and flat "pan-tao" peaches are a fruit type with a squashed, round shape.

Conservation

IUCN Red List

NENot Evaluated·Not yet assessed

Culture and stories

Culture and stories

• The name persica points to Persia, because early Europeans wrongly thought peaches came from there.