Prunus persica
Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Amygdalis persicus
- Persica vulgaris
- Prunus persica var. nucipersica
- Phonetic Spelling
- PROO-nus PUR-se-kah
- This plant has medium severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
-
The common peach is a deciduous fruit tree in the rose family that is native to Asia and has many cultivars that provide excellent peaches or nectarines. While the fruit is edible the seeds and wilted leaves are poisonous especially if eaten in quantity. This is not technically a wild peach tree as it has been found that they have been cultivated as early as 2000 BC. There are now 100s of cultivars available today.
The tree will grow quickly to 15-25 feet tall and wide with a rounded crown and upward-growing branches. It often wants to grow with multiple trunks but can be trained to a single trunk. Pruning is required to maintain a strong structure. The showy flowers appear in spring followed by the fruit in summer. The fall color is usually yellow.
If growing this three for the fruit, be prepared to follow a spraying regimen as they are susceptible to many insects. They also require a specific number of cold days with temperatures below 45 degrees. For best fruiting provide the tree full sun in moist, fertile, well-drained, acidic soil.
Common peach is a food source for the larvae of the Eastern tiger swallowtail (Papilio glacucus) butterfly.
Insects, Diseases and Other Plant Problems: Subject to many pests such as peach tree borer, plum curculio, oriental fruit moth, root nematodes, mites, and aphids. Very cold winter temperatures and late spring frosts often cause significant damage to the buds/flowers of peaches.
The Clemson Cooperative Extension Home & Garden Information Center has a factsheet on common diseases. The Clemson Cooperative Extension Home & Garden Information Center has a factsheet on common pests.
VIDEO Created by Laura Barth for "Vegetables, Herbs, Fruits, and Nuts," a plant identification course developed in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Bonfire'
- 'Carolina Red'
- 'Corinthian Pink'
- 'Crimson Cascade'
- 'Dwarf Double Red'
- 'Flavortop'
- 'Kwanzan'
- 'Pink Cascade'
- 'Summer Beaut'
- 'Sunglo'
Large-sized, freestone, creamy white fruit
Produces large and high quality of fruit 'Contender'
Produces medium-sized, freestone, red fruit Corinthian hybrids
Beautiful ornamental flowering peaches with smooth gray bark
Produces medium to large sized, golden to yellow over red fruit
Nectarine, produces large-sized, freestone fruit. It features a red skin and yellow firm flesh
Produces medium-sized, dark red over yellow fruit.
Nectarine, featuring glossy red skin with firm yellow flesh 'Redhaven'
Produces medium-sized, dark red over yellow fruit; heavy bearer
Nectarine, with arching, weeping branches 'Winblo'
Produces freestone, yellow flesh fruit with a very high quality - 'Bonfire'
- 'Bonfire', 'Carolina Belle', 'Carolina Red', 'China Pearl', 'Contender', Corinthian hybrids, 'Corinthian Pink', 'Cresthaven', 'Crimson Cascade', 'Dwarf Double Red', 'Fantasia', 'Flavortop', 'Kwanzan', 'Norman', 'Pink Cascade', 'Redgold', 'Redhaven', 'Summer Beaut', 'Sunglo', 'White Glory', 'Winblo'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Bonfire'
- 'Carolina Red'
- 'Corinthian Pink'
- 'Crimson Cascade'
- 'Dwarf Double Red'
- 'Flavortop'
- 'Kwanzan'
- 'Pink Cascade'
- 'Summer Beaut'
- 'Sunglo'
Large-sized, freestone, creamy white fruit
Produces large and high quality of fruit 'Contender'
Produces medium-sized, freestone, red fruit Corinthian hybrids
Beautiful ornamental flowering peaches with smooth gray bark
Produces medium to large sized, golden to yellow over red fruit
Nectarine, produces large-sized, freestone fruit. It features a red skin and yellow firm flesh
Produces medium-sized, dark red over yellow fruit.
Nectarine, featuring glossy red skin with firm yellow flesh 'Redhaven'
Produces medium-sized, dark red over yellow fruit; heavy bearer
Nectarine, with arching, weeping branches 'Winblo'
Produces freestone, yellow flesh fruit with a very high quality - 'Bonfire'
- 'Bonfire', 'Carolina Belle', 'Carolina Red', 'China Pearl', 'Contender', Corinthian hybrids, 'Corinthian Pink', 'Cresthaven', 'Crimson Cascade', 'Dwarf Double Red', 'Fantasia', 'Flavortop', 'Kwanzan', 'Norman', 'Pink Cascade', 'Redgold', 'Redhaven', 'Summer Beaut', 'Sunglo', 'White Glory', 'Winblo'
- Tags:
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-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Prunus
- Species:
- persica
- Family:
- Rosaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- China
- Wildlife Value:
- This is a larval host plant to Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus). You may see three flights from February-November in the deep south and two flights from May-September in the north.
- Play Value:
- Edible fruit
- Wildlife Larval Host
- Edibility:
- Fruit edible raw or cooked. The seed contains hydrogen cyanide and should be discarded
- Dimensions:
- Height: 15 ft. 0 in. - 25 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 15 ft. 0 in. - 25 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Poisonous
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Open
- Rounded
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- High
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Orange
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Drupe
- Fruit Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- Juicy fleshy fruit in summer is yellow to orange, tinged with red with a large, rough pit (stone). They are fuzzy with hairs and called peaches. A recessive gene can cause the fruit to be smooth and hairless and they are called nectarines. Generally round or slightly oval and 3 x 3 inches.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- White
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Cup
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- Pink flowers in spring occur solitary or occasionally paired with 5 petals and appear before leaf-out. 1-1.5 inches across and pleasantly fragrant.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Lanceolate
- Leaf Margin:
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves are 2-6 by 1/2-1.5 inch, alternate, simple with a long-pointed tip, toothed margin and 2 small glands at the base of the blade. Under surface may have a few hairs while the upper surface is smooth. The leaves tend to curl inward along the central vein
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-
Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Scaly
- Bark Description:
- The bark is gray with horizontal lenticels and becomes rough and scaly with age.
-
-
Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- Red/Burgundy
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Cross Section:
- Round
- Stem Description:
- Young stems are reddish and older stems are gray. New growth at the tips is green and smooth
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-
Landscape:
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Edible Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Problems:
- Frequent Insect Problems
- Messy
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses
-
-
Poisonous to Humans:
- Poison Severity:
- Medium
- Poison Symptoms:
- The pits contain cyanide compounds, which are poisonous. If a couple of pits are accidentally swallowed, it will not cause poisoning. The pits are more poisonous if they are ground up/crushed or the seeds are chewed. Fruit that has not been pitted should not be blended into a smoothie. Symptoms include Gasping, weakness, excitement, pupil dilation, spasms, convulsions, coma, respiratory failure.
- Poison Toxic Principle:
- Cyanogenic glycoside, amygdalin
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- No
- Poison Part:
- Seeds
