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84-496: The peach ( Prunus persica ) is a deciduous tree first domesticated and cultivated in Zhejiang province of Eastern China . It bears edible juicy fruits with various characteristics, most called peaches and others (the glossy-skinned, non-fuzzy varieties), nectarines . The specific name persica refers to its widespread cultivation in Persia (modern-day Iran), from where it
168-399: A behavior known as " marcescence " whereby dead leaves are not shed in the fall and remain on the tree until being blown off by the weather. This is caused by incomplete development of the abscission layer. It is mainly seen in the seedling and sapling stage, although mature trees may have marcescence of leaves on the lower branches. A number of deciduous plants remove nitrogen and carbon from
252-415: A cider-like alcoholic beverage known as plum jerkum is made from plums. Dried, salted plums are used as a snack, sometimes known as saladito or salao . Various flavors of dried plum are available at Chinese grocers and specialty stores worldwide. They tend to be much drier than the standard prune. Cream, ginseng , spicy, and salty are among the common varieties. Licorice is generally used to intensify
336-460: A cross between a peach and a nectarine, but as they are the same species cannot be a true cross (hybrid); they are marketed in Australia and New Zealand. The fruit is intermediate in appearance, though, between a peach and a nectarine, large and brightly colored like a red peach. The flesh of the fruit is usually yellow, but white varieties also exist. The Koanga Institute lists varieties that ripen in
420-613: A crossbreed between peaches and plums , or a "peach with a plum skin", nectarines belong to the same species as peaches. Several genetic studies have concluded nectarines are produced due to a recessive allele , whereas a fuzzy peach skin is dominant . Nectarines have arisen many times from peach trees, often as bud sports . As with peaches, nectarines can be white or yellow, and clingstone or freestone. On average, nectarines are slightly smaller and sweeter than peaches, but with much overlap. The lack of skin fuzz can make nectarine skins appear more reddish than those of peaches, contributing to
504-713: A distinct subgenus by some authors In certain parts of the world, some fruits are called plums and are quite different from fruits known as plums in Europe or the Americas. For example, marian plums are popular in Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, otherwise also known as gandaria , plum mango , ma-praang , ma-yong , ramania , kundang , rembunia or setar . Another example is the loquat , also known as Japanese plum and Japanese medlar, as well as nispero , bibassier and wollmispel elsewhere. In South Asia and Southeast Asia, Jambul ,
588-513: A diverse group of species, with trees reaching a height of 5–6 metres (16–20 ft) when pruned. The fruit is a drupe , with a firm and juicy flesh. China is the largest producer of plums, followed by Romania and Serbia . Japanese or Chinese plums dominate the fresh fruit market, while European plums are also common in some regions. Plums can be eaten fresh, dried to make prunes, used in jams , or fermented into wine and distilled into brandy . Plum kernels contain cyanogenic glycosides , but
672-602: A greater rate of transpiration (and hence CO 2 uptake as this occurs when stomata are open) during the summer growth period. The deciduous characteristic has developed repeatedly among woody plants. Trees include maple , many oaks and nothofagus , elm , beech , aspen , and birch , among others, as well as a number of coniferous genera , such as larch and Metasequoia . Deciduous shrubs include honeysuckle , viburnum , and many others. Most temperate woody vines are also deciduous, including grapes , poison ivy , Virginia creeper , wisteria , etc. The characteristic
756-436: A loanword from an unknown language of Asia Minor . In the late 18th century, the word plum was used to indicate "something sweet or agreeable", probably in reference to tasty fruit pieces in desserts , as in the word sugar-plum. Plums are a diverse group of species. The commercially important plum trees are medium-sized, usually pruned to 5–6 metres (16–20 ft) height. The tree is of medium hardiness. Without pruning,
840-435: A natural waxy surface that adheres to the flesh. The plum is a drupe , meaning its fleshy fruit surrounds a single hard fruitstone which encloses the fruit's seed. Japanese or Chinese plums are large and juicy with a long shelf life and therefore dominate the fresh fruit market. They are usually clingstone and not suitable for making prunes. They are cultivars of Prunus salicina or its hybrids. The cultivars developed in
924-547: A part that is no longer needed or useful" and the "falling away after its purpose is finished". In plants, it is the result of natural processes. "Deciduous" has a similar meaning when referring to animal parts, such as deciduous antlers in deer , deciduous teeth (baby teeth) in some mammals (including humans); or decidua , the uterine lining that sheds off after birth. In botany and horticulture , deciduous plants , including trees , shrubs and herbaceous perennials, are those that lose all of their leaves for part of
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#17328512083981008-761: A patchwork of leafy and leafless trees. Plum A plum is a fruit of some species in Prunus subg. Prunus . Dried plums are often called prunes , though in the United States they may be labeled as 'dried plums', especially during the 21st century. Plums are likely to have been one of the first fruits domesticated by humans, with origins in East European and Caucasian mountains and China . They were brought to Britain from Asia, and their cultivation has been documented in Andalusia , southern Spain . Plums are
1092-407: A peach stone tastes remarkably similar to almond, and peach stones are often used to make a cheap version of marzipan , known as persipan . 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
1176-416: A peach tree are typically thinned out because if the full number of peaches mature on a branch, they are undersized and lack flavor. Fruits are thinned midway in the season by commercial growers. Fresh peaches are easily bruised, so do not store well. They are most flavorful when they ripen on the tree and are eaten the day of harvest. The peach tree can be grown in an espalier shape. The Baldassari palmette
1260-598: Is a deciduous woody shrub found in Japan . Forests where a majority of the trees lose their foliage at the end of the typical growing season are called deciduous forests. These forests are found in many areas worldwide and have distinctive ecosystems, understory growth, and soil dynamics. Two distinctive types of deciduous forests are found growing around the world. Temperate deciduous forest biomes are plant communities distributed in North and South America, Asia, Southern slopes of
1344-421: Is a design created around 1950 used primarily for training peaches. In walled gardens constructed from stone or brick, which absorb and retain solar heat and then slowly release it, raising the temperature against the wall, peaches can be grown as espaliers against south-facing walls as far north as southeast Great Britain and southern Ireland. The first pest to attack the tree early in the year when other food
1428-537: Is a good pollen source for honey bees and a honeydew source for aphids. Peach trees are prone to a disease called leaf curl , which usually does not directly affect the fruit, but does reduce the crop yield by partially defoliating the tree. Several fungicides can be used to combat the disease, including Bordeaux mixture and other copper-based products (the University of California considers these organic treatments), ziram , chlorothalonil , and dodine . The fruit
1512-465: Is also widely cultivated. In Russia, apart from these three commonly cultivated species, there are also many cultivars resulting from hybridization between Japanese plum and myrobalan plum, known as Russian plum ( Prunus × rossica ). When it flowers in the early spring, a plum tree will be covered in blossoms , and in a good year approximately 50% of the flowers will be pollinated and become plums. Flowering starts after 80 growing degree days . If
1596-550: Is built over these gardens and peach orchards. In April 2010, an international consortium, the International Peach Genome Initiative , which includes researchers from the United States, Italy, Chile, Spain, and France, announced they had sequenced the peach tree genome (doubled haploid Lovell). Recently, it published the peach genome sequence and related analyses. The sequence is composed of 227 million nucleotides arranged in eight pseudomolecules representing
1680-700: Is completed (marked by the transition from bright green spring leaves to dark green summer ones) the chlorophyll level in the leaves remains stable until cool temperatures arrive in autumn. When autumn arrives and the days are shorter or when plants are drought-stressed, the chlorophyll steadily breaks down, allowing other pigments present in the leaf to become apparent and resulting in non-green colored foliage. The brightest leaf colors are produced when days grow short and nights are cool, but remain above freezing. These other pigments include carotenoids that are yellow, brown, and orange. Anthocyanin pigments produce red and purple colors, though they are not always present in
1764-605: Is done to improve predictability of the fruit quality. Peach trees need full sun, and a layout that allows good natural air flow to assist the thermal environment for the tree. Peaches are planted in early winter. During the growth season, they need a regular and reliable supply of water, with higher amounts just before harvest. Peaches need nitrogen -rich fertilizers more than other fruit trees. Without regular fertilizer supply, peach tree leaves start turning yellow or exhibit stunted growth. Blood meal , bone meal , and calcium ammonium nitrate are suitable fertilizers. The flowers on
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#17328512083981848-400: Is formed between the leaf petiole and the stem. This layer is formed in the spring during active new growth of the leaf; it consists of layers of cells that can separate from each other. The cells are sensitive to a plant hormone called auxin that is produced by the leaf and other parts of the plant. When auxin coming from the leaf is produced at a rate consistent with that from the body of
1932-523: Is recorded in medieval monasteries in England. A garden with 'ploumes' and 'bulaces' is referred to by Chaucer. The cultivation of plums increased during the 17th and 18th centuries. During this period greengages were given their English name and the Mirabelle plum became firmly established. Advances in the development of new varieties in England were made by Thomas Rivers . Two examples of River's work are
2016-451: Is red-brown, oval shaped, around 1.3–2 cm long, and surrounded by a wood-like husk. Peaches, along with cherries, plums, and apricots, are stone fruits ( drupes ). The various heirloom varieties including the 'Indian Peach', or 'Indian Blood Peach', which ripens in the latter part of the summer, and can have color ranging from red and white, to purple. Cultivated peaches are divided into clingstones and freestones , depending on whether
2100-608: Is required to mature the crop, with mean temperatures of the hottest month between 20 and 30 °C (68 and 86 °F). Typical peach cultivars begin bearing fruit in their third year. Their lifespan in the U.S. varies by region; the University of California at Davis gives a lifespan of about 15 years while the University of Maine gives a lifespan of 7 years there. Hundreds of peach and nectarine cultivars are known. These are classified into two categories—freestones and clingstones. Freestones are those whose flesh separates readily from
2184-449: Is scarce is the earwig ( Forficula auricularia ) which feeds on blossoms and young leaves at night, preventing fruiting and weakening newly planted trees. The pattern of damage is distinct from that of caterpillars later in the year, as earwigs characteristically remove semicircles of petal and leaf tissue from the tips, rather than internally. Greasebands applied just before blossom are effective. The larvae of such moth species as
2268-472: Is supposed to have taken place in China about 4,000–5,000 years ago, the second is related to the western germplasm and is due to the early dissemination of the peach in Europe from China and the more recent breeding activities in the United States and Europe. These bottlenecks highlighted the substantial reduction of genetic diversity associated with domestication and breeding activities. Peaches were introduced into
2352-410: Is susceptible to brown rot or a dark reddish spot. Peaches and nectarines are best stored at temperatures of 0 °C (32 °F) and in high humidity. They are highly perishable, so are typically consumed or canned within two weeks of harvest. Peaches are climacteric fruits and continue to ripen after being picked from the tree. Deciduous In the fields of horticulture and botany ,
2436-522: Is useful in plant identification; for instance in parts of Southern California and the American Southeast , deciduous and evergreen oak species may grow side by side. Periods of leaf fall often coincide with seasons: winter in the case of cool-climate plants or the dry-season in the case of tropical plants, however there are no deciduous species among tree-like monocotyledonous plants, e.g. palms , yuccas , and dracaenas . The hydrangea hirta
2520-468: The Japanese beetle ( Popillia japonica ), the unmonsuzume ( Callambulyx tatarinovii ), the promethea silkmoth ( Callosamia promethea ), the orange oakleaf ( Kallima inachus ), Langia zenzeroides , the speckled emperor ( Gynanisa maja ) or the brown playboy ( Deudorix antalus ). The European red mite ( Panonychus ulmi ) or the yellow mite ( Lorryia formosa ) are also found on the peach tree. It
2604-694: The Kuahuqiao site near Hangzhou . Archaeologists point to the Yangtze River Valley as the place where the early selection for favorable peach varieties probably took place. Peaches were mentioned in Chinese writings and literature beginning from the early first millennium BC. A domesticated peach appeared very early in Japan, in 4700–4400 BC, during the Jōmon period . It was already similar to modern cultivated forms, where
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2688-577: The Royal Horticultural Society 's Award of Garden Merit : For China specifically see Peach production in China § Cultivars . The variety P. persica var. nucipersica (or var. nectarina ) – these are commonly called nectarines – has a smooth skin. It is on occasion referred to as a "shaved peach" or "fuzzless peach", due to its lack of fuzz or short hairs. Though fuzzy peaches and nectarines are regarded commercially as different fruits, with nectarines often erroneously believed to be
2772-670: The Southern Hemisphere in February and March. In 1909, Pacific Monthly mentioned peacherines in a news bulletin for California. Louise Pound, in 1920, claimed the term peacherine is an example of language stunt. Flat peaches, or pan-tao , have a flattened shape, in contrast to ordinary near-spherical peaches. Most peach trees sold by nurseries are cultivars budded or grafted onto a suitable rootstock . Common rootstocks are 'Lovell Peach', 'Nemaguard Peach', Prunus besseyi , and 'Citation'. The rootstock provides hardiness and budding
2856-503: The foliage before they are shed and store them in the form of proteins in the vacuoles of parenchyma cells in the roots and the inner bark. In the spring, these proteins are used as a nitrogen source during the growth of new leaves or flowers. Plants with deciduous foliage have advantages and disadvantages compared to plants with evergreen foliage. Since deciduous plants lose their leaves to conserve water or to better survive winter weather conditions, they must regrow new foliage during
2940-556: The 19th century in Maryland, Delaware, Georgia, South Carolina, and finally Virginia. The Shanghai honey nectar peach was a key component of both the food culture and agrarian economy the area where the modern megacity of Shanghai stands. Peaches were the cornerstone of early Shanghai's garden culture. As modernization and westernization swept through the city the Shanghai honey nectar peach nearly disappeared completely. Much of modern Shanghai
3024-768: The Americas in the 16th century by the Spanish . By 1580, peaches were being grown in Latin America and were cultivated by the remnants of the Inca Empire in Argentina. In the United States the peach was soon adopted as a crop by American Indians . The peach also became naturalized and abundant as a wild species in the eastern U.S.. Peaches were being grown in Virginia as early as 1629. Peaches grown by Indians in Virginia were said to have been "of greater variety and finer sorts" than those of
3108-596: The English colonists. Also in 1629, peaches were listed as a crop in New Mexico . William Penn noted the existence of wild peaches in Pennsylvania in 1683. In fact, peaches may have already spread to the American Southeast by the early to mid 16th century, actively cultivated by Indigenous communities before permanent Spanish settlement of the region. Peach plantations became an objective of American military campaigns against
3192-630: The Great is sometimes said to have introduced them into Greece after conquering Persia, but no historical evidence for this claim has been found. Peaches were, however, well known to the Romans in the first century AD; the oldest known artistic representations of the fruit are in two fragments of wall paintings, dated to the first century AD, in Herculaneum , preserved due to the Vesuvius eruption of 79 AD, and now held in
3276-834: The Himalayas, Europe and for cultivation purposes in Oceania. They have formed under climatic conditions which have great seasonable temperature variability. Growth occurs during warm summers, leaf drop in autumn, and dormancy during cold winters. These seasonally distinctive communities have diverse life forms that are impacted greatly by the seasonality of their climate, mainly temperature and precipitation rates. These varying and regionally different ecological conditions produce distinctive forest plant communities in different regions. Tropical and subtropical deciduous forest biomes have developed in response not to seasonal temperature variations but to seasonal rainfall patterns. During prolonged dry periods
3360-634: The Indians. In 1779, the Sullivan Expedition destroyed the livelihood of many of the Iroquois people of New York . Among the crops destroyed were plantations of peach trees. In 1864, Kit Carson led a successful U.S. army expedition to Canyon de Chelly , Arizona to destroy the livelihood of the Navajo . Carson destroyed thousands of peach trees. A soldier said they were the "best peach trees I have ever seen in
3444-771: The National Archaeological Museum in Naples. Archaeological finds show that peaches were cultivated widely in Roman northwestern Continental Europe, but production collapsed around the sixth century; some revival of production followed with the Carolingian Renaissance of the ninth century. An article on peach tree cultivation in Spain is brought down in Ibn al-'Awwam 's 12th-century agricultural work, Book on Agriculture . The peach
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3528-562: The US are mostly hybrids of P. salicina with P. simonii and P. cerasifera . Although these cultivars are often called Japanese plums, two of the three parents ( P. salicina and P. simonii ) originated from China and one ( P. cerasifera ) from Eurasia. In some parts of Europe, European plum ( Prunus domestica ) is also common in fresh fruit market. It has both dessert (eating) or culinary (cooking) cultivars , which include: In West Asia, myrobalan plum or cherry plum ( Prunus cerasifera )
3612-629: The United States by David Fairchild of the Department of Agriculture in 1906, a number of colonial-era newspaper articles make reference to nectarines being grown in the United States prior to the Revolutionary War. The 28 March 1768 edition of the New York Gazette (p. 3), for example, mentions a farm in Jamaica, Long Island, New York, where nectarines were grown. Peacherines are claimed to be
3696-680: 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. Although its botanical name Prunus persica refers to Persia, genetic studies suggest peaches originated in China, where they have been cultivated since the Neolithic period . Until recently, cultivation was believed to have started around 2000 BC. More recent evidence indicates that domestication occurred as early as 6000 BC in Zhejiang Province of China. The oldest archaeological peach stones are from
3780-572: The acidic, yellow-fleshed cultivars . Peach trees are relatively short-lived as compared with some other fruit trees. In some regions orchards are replanted after 8 to 10 years, while in others trees may produce satisfactorily for 20 to 25 years or more, depending upon their resistance to diseases, pests, and winter damage. 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
3864-588: The blossom is damaged or killed if temperatures drop below about −4 °C (25 °F). If the flowers are not fully open, though, they can tolerate a few degrees colder. Climates with significant winter rainfall at temperatures below 16 °C (61 °F) are also unsuitable for peach cultivation, as the rain promotes peach leaf curl , which is the most serious fungal disease for peaches. In practice, fungicides are extensively used for peach cultivation in such climates, with more than 1% of European peaches exceeding legal pesticide limits in 2013. Finally, summer heat
3948-410: The chilling period, key chemical reactions occur, but the plant appears dormant. Once the chilling period is fulfilled, the plant enters a second type of dormancy, the quiescence period. During quiescence, buds break and grow when sufficient warm weather favorable to growth is accumulated. The trees themselves can usually tolerate temperatures to around −26 to −30 °C (−15 to −22 °F), although
4032-445: The country, every one of them bearing fruit.” Peaches grow in a fairly limited range in dry, continental or temperate climates, since the trees have a chilling requirement that tropical or subtropical areas generally do not satisfy except at high altitudes (for example in certain areas of Ecuador , Colombia , Ethiopia , India, and Nepal ). Most cultivars require 500 hours of chilling around 0 to 10 °C (32 to 50 °F). During
4116-667: The difference between the two. 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. Prunus persica trees grow up to 7 m (23 ft) tall and wide, but when pruned properly, they are usually 3–4 m (10–13 ft) tall and wide. The leaves are lanceolate , 7–16 cm (3– 6 + 1 ⁄ 2 in) long, 2–3 cm ( 3 ⁄ 4 – 1 + 1 ⁄ 4 in) broad, and pinnately veined. The flowers are produced in early spring before
4200-428: The earliest trees to lose their leaves in the fall. In sub-Arctic climates such as Alaska , leaves begin turning colors as early as August. However, for most temperate regions it takes place in late September through early November and in subtropical climates such as the southern US, it may be November into December. Leaf drop or abscission involves complex physiological signals and changes within plants. When leafout
4284-417: The eight peach chromosomes (2n = 16). In addition, 27,852 protein-coding genes and 28,689 protein-coding transcripts were predicted. Particular emphasis in this study is reserved for the analysis of the genetic diversity in peach germplasm and how it was shaped by human activities such as domestication and breeding. Major historical bottlenecks were found, one related to the putative original domestication that
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#17328512083984368-677: The fall months and the Western United States as it has more evergreen and fewer deciduous plants, combined with the West Coast and its maritime climate. ( See also : Autumn leaf color ) Most of the Southern Hemisphere lacks deciduous plants due to its milder winters and smaller landmass, most of which is nearer the equator with only far southern South America and the southern island of New Zealand producing distinct fall colors. The beginnings of leaf drop starts when an abscission layer
4452-462: The flavor of these plums and is used to make salty plum drinks and toppings for shaved ice or baobing . Pickled plums are another type of preserve available in Asia and international specialty stores. The Japanese variety, called umeboshi , is often used for rice balls, called onigiri or omusubi . The ume , from which umeboshi are made, is more closely related, however, to the apricot than to
4536-493: The flesh sticks to the stone or not; both can have either white or yellow flesh. Peaches with white flesh typically are very sweet with little acidity , while yellow-fleshed peaches typically have an acidic tang coupled with sweetness, though this also varies greatly. Both colors often have some red on their skins. Low-acid, white-fleshed peaches are the most popular kinds in China, Japan, and neighbouring Asian countries, while Europeans and North Americans have historically favoured
4620-426: The foliage is dropped to conserve water and prevent death from drought. Leaf drop is not seasonally dependent as it is in temperate climates. It can occur any time of year and varies by region of the world. Even within a small local area there can be variations in the timing and duration of leaf drop; different sides of the same mountain and areas that have high water tables or areas along streams and rivers can produce
4704-521: The following season's flower buds are usually killed at these temperatures, preventing a crop that summer. Flower bud death begins to occur between −15 and −25 °C (5 and −13 °F), depending on the cultivar and on the timing of the cold, with the buds becoming less cold tolerant in late winter. Another climate constraint is spring frost. The trees flower fairly early (in March in Western Europe), and
4788-485: The fruit surface. These characteristics ease shipping and supermarket sales by improving eye appeal. This selection process has not necessarily led to increased flavor, though. Peaches have a short shelf life, so commercial growers typically plant a mix of different cultivars to have fruit to ship all season long. Different countries have different cultivars. In the United Kingdom, for example, these cultivars have gained
4872-416: The fruit will no longer be edible. Plum is used as a food plant by the larvae of some Lepidoptera , including November moth , willow beauty and short-cloaked moth . The taste of the plum fruit ranges from sweet to tart; the skin itself may be particularly tart. It is juicy and can be eaten fresh or used in jam -making or other recipes. Plum juice can be fermented into plum wine . In central England,
4956-400: The fruit's plum-like appearance. The lack of down on nectarines' skin also means their skin is more easily bruised than peaches. The history of the nectarine is unclear; the first recorded mention in English is from 1616, but they had probably been grown much earlier within the native range of the peach in central and eastern Asia. Although one source states that nectarines were introduced into
5040-727: The hexaploid European plum ( Prunus domestica ) and the diploid Japanese plum ( Prunus salicina and hybrids), are of worldwide commercial significance. The origin of P. domestica is uncertain but may have involved P. cerasifera and possibly P. spinosa as ancestors. Other species of plum variously originated in Europe, Asia and America. Sect. Prunus ( Old World plums) – leaves in bud rolled inwards; flowers 1–3 together; fruit smooth, often wax-bloomed Sect. Prunocerasus ( New World plums) – leaves in bud folded inwards; flowers 3–5 together; fruit smooth, often wax-bloomed Sect. Armeniaca ( apricots ) – leaves in bud rolled inwards; flowers very short-stalked; fruit velvety; treated as
5124-417: The humid maritime climate and lower overall species diversity . It is also a factor that the continental United States and southern Canada are at a lower latitude than northern Europe, so the sun during the fall months is higher and stronger. This combination of strong sun and cool temperatures leads to more intense fall colors. The Southern United States also has poor fall colors due to warm temperatures during
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#17328512083985208-507: The leaves are shed at the same time. Plants that are intermediate may be called semi-deciduous ; they lose old foliage as new growth begins. Other plants are semi-evergreen and lose their leaves before the next growing season, retaining some during winter or dry periods. Many deciduous plants flower during the period when they are leafless, as this increases the effectiveness of pollination . The absence of leaves improves wind transmission of pollen for wind-pollinated plants and increases
5292-470: The leaves. Rather, they are produced in the foliage in late summer, when sugars are trapped in the leaves after the process of abscission begins. Parts of the world that have showy displays of bright autumn colors are limited to locations where days become short and nights are cool. The New England region of the United States and southeastern Canada tend to produce particularly good autumn colors for this reason, with Europe producing generally poorer colors due to
5376-400: The leaves; they are solitary or paired, 2.5–3 cm diameter, pink, with five petals. The fruit has yellow or whitish flesh, a delicate aroma, and a skin that is either velvety (peaches) or smooth (nectarines) in different cultivars . The flesh is very delicate and easily bruised in some cultivars, but is fairly firm in some commercial varieties, especially when green. The single, large seed
5460-783: The next suitable growing season; this uses resources which evergreens do not need to expend. Evergreens suffer greater water loss during the winter and they also can experience greater predation pressure , especially when small. Deciduous trees experience much less branch and trunk breakage from glaze ice storms when leafless, and plants can reduce water loss due to the reduction in availability of liquid water during cold winter days. Losing leaves in winter may reduce damage from insects; repairing leaves and keeping them functional may be more costly than just losing and regrowing them. Removing leaves also reduces cavitation which can damage xylem vessels in plants. This then allows deciduous plants to have xylem vessels with larger diameters and therefore
5544-412: The oil made from them is not commercially available. In terms of nutrition , raw plums are 87% water, 11% carbohydrates , 1% protein, and less than 1% fat. They are a moderate source of vitamin C but do not contain significant amounts of other micronutrients . Plums are likely to have been one of the first fruits domesticated by humans. Three of the most abundantly cultivated species are not found in
5628-462: The peach as malum persicum ("Persian apple"), later becoming French pêche , whence the English "peach". The scientific name, Prunus persica , literally means "Persian plum", as it is closely related to the plum . 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
5712-562: The peach stones are significantly larger and more compressed than earlier stones. This domesticated type of peach was brought into Japan from China. Nevertheless, in China itself, this variety is currently attested only at a later date around 3300 to 2300 BC. In India, the peach first appeared by about 1700 BC, during the Harappan period . It is also found elsewhere in West Asia in ancient times. Peach cultivation reached Greece by 300 BC. Alexander
5796-441: The peachtree borer ( Synanthedon exitiosa ), the yellow peach moth ( Conogethes punctiferalis ), the well-marked cutworm ( Abagrotis orbis ), Lyonetia prunifoliella , Phyllonorycter hostis , the fruit tree borer ( Maroga melanostigma ), Parornix anguliferella , Parornix finitimella , Caloptilia zachrysa , Phyllonorycter crataegella , Trifurcula sinica , Suzuki's promolactis moth ( Promalactis suzukiella ),
5880-453: The pit. Clingstones are those whose flesh clings tightly to the pit. Some cultivars are partially freestone and clingstone, so are called semifree. Freestone types are preferred for eating fresh, while clingstone types are for canning . The fruit flesh may be creamy white to deep yellow, to dark red; the hue and shade of the color depend on the cultivar. Peach breeding has favored cultivars with more firmness, more red color, and shorter fuzz on
5964-469: The plant, the cells of the abscission layer remain connected; in autumn, or when under stress, the auxin flow from the leaf decreases or stops, triggering cellular elongation within the abscission layer. The elongation of these cells breaks the connection between the different cell layers, allowing the leaf to break away from the plant. It also forms a layer that seals the break, so the plant does not lose sap. Some trees, particularly oaks and beeches, exhibit
6048-524: The plum production is used to create a similar brandy, called țuică . As with many other members of the rose family , plum kernels contain cyanogenic glycosides , including amygdalin . Prune kernel oil is made from the fleshy inner part of the pit of the plum. Though not available commercially, the wood of plum trees is used by hobbyists and other private woodworkers for musical instruments, knife handles, inlays, and similar small projects. In 2019, global production of plums (data combined with sloes )
6132-625: The plum. In the Balkans , plum is converted into an alcoholic drink named slivovitz (plum brandy, called in Bosnian, Croatian, Montenegrin or Serbian šljivovica ). A large number of plums, of the Damson variety, are also grown in Hungary, where they are called szilva and are used to make lekvar (a plum paste jam), palinka (traditional fruit brandy), plum dumplings, and other foods. In Romania, 80% of
6216-426: The term deciduous ( / d ɪ ˈ s ɪ dʒ u . ə s / ) means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed leaves , usually in the autumn ; to the shedding of petals , after flowering; and to the shedding of ripe fruit . The antonym of deciduous in the botanical sense is evergreen . Generally, the term "deciduous" means "the dropping of
6300-462: The trees can reach 12 metres (39 ft) in height and spread across 10 metres (33 ft). They blossom in different months in different parts of the world; for example, in about January in Taiwan and early April in the United Kingdom. Fruits are usually of medium size, between 2–7 centimetres (0.79–2.76 in) in diameter, globose to oval. The flesh is firm and juicy. The fruit's peel is smooth, with
6384-472: The varieties Early Rivers and Czar. Both are still esteemed. The fame of the Victoria plum , first sold in 1844, has been put down to good marketing rather than any inherent quality. The name plum derived from Old English plume "plum, plum tree", borrowed from Germanic or Middle Dutch , derived from Latin prūnum and ultimately from Ancient Greek προῦμνον proumnon , itself believed to be
6468-702: The visibility of the flowers to insects in insect-pollinated plants. This strategy is not without risks, as the flowers can be damaged by frost or, in dry season regions, result in water stress on the plant. Spring leafout and fall leaf drop are triggered by a combination of daylight and air temperatures. The exact conditions required will vary with the species, but generally more cold-tolerant genera such as Salix will leaf-out earlier and lose their leaves later, while genera such as Fraxinus and Juglans can only grow in warm, frost-free conditions so they need at least 13 hours of daylight and air temperatures of around 70 °F (21 °C) to leaf out. They will be among
6552-400: The weather is too dry, the plums will not develop past a certain stage, but will fall from the tree while still tiny, green buds, and if it is unseasonably wet or if the plums are not harvested as soon as they are ripe, the fruit may develop a fungal condition called brown rot . Brown rot is not toxic, and some affected areas can be cut out of the fruit, but unless the rot is caught immediately,
6636-413: The white-spotted tussock moth ( Orgyia thyellina ), the apple leafroller ( Archips termias ), the catapult moth ( Serrodes partita ), the wood groundling ( Parachronistis albiceps ) or the omnivorous leafroller ( Platynota stultana ) are reported to feed on P. persica . The flatid planthopper ( Metcalfa pruinosa ) causes damage to fruit trees. The tree is also a host plant for such species as
6720-664: The wild, only around human settlements: Prunus domestica has been traced to East European and Caucasian mountains, while Prunus salicina and Prunus simonii originated in China. Plum remains have been found in Neolithic age archaeological sites along with olives, grapes and figs. According to Ken Albala , plums originated in Iran . They were brought to Britain from Asia. An article on plum tree cultivation in Andalusia (southern Spain) appears in Ibn al-'Awwam 's 12th-century agricultural work, Book on Agriculture . Plum cultivation
6804-501: The year. This process is called abscission . In some cases leaf loss coincides with winter—namely in temperate or polar climates . In other parts of the world, including tropical, subtropical, and arid regions, plants lose their leaves during the dry season or other seasons, depending on variations in rainfall . The converse of deciduous is evergreen , where foliage is shed on a different schedule from deciduous plants, therefore appearing to remain green year round because not all
6888-740: Was 12.6 million tonnes , led by China with 56% of the world total (table). Romania and Serbia were secondary producers. Raw plums are 87% water, 11% carbohydrates , 1% protein , and less than 1% fat (table). In a 100-gram ( 3 + 1 ⁄ 2 -ounce) reference serving, raw plums supply 192 kilojoules (46 kilocalories) of food energy and are a moderate source only of vitamin C (12% Daily Value ), with no other micronutrients in significant content (table). The numerous species of Prunus subg. Prunus are classified into many sections, but not all of them are called plums. Plums include species of sect. Prunus and sect. Prunocerasus , as well as P. mume of sect. Armeniaca . Only two plum species,
6972-487: Was brought to the Americas by Spanish explorers in the 16th century, and eventually made it to England and France in the 17th century, where it was a prized and expensive treat. Horticulturist George Minifie supposedly brought the first peaches from England to its North American colonies in the early 17th century, planting them at his estate of Buckland in Virginia. Although Thomas Jefferson had peach trees at Monticello, American farmers did not begin commercial production until
7056-408: 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 , and which is part of 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 ). Due to their close relatedness, the kernel of
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