Peaches
| Peach | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Peach flower, fruit, seed and leaves as illustrated by Otto Wilhelm Thomé (1885). | |
 |
|
| Autumn Red peaches, cross section | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Rosales |
| Family: | Rosaceae |
| Genus: | Prunus |
| Subgenus: | Amygdalus |
| Species: | P. persica |
| Binomial name | |
|
Prunus persica (L.) Batsch 1801 not Stokes 1812 nor (L.) Siebold & Zucc. 1845 |
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Synonymy
|
|
| Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) | |
|---|---|
| Energy | 165 kJ (39 kcal) |
|
9.54 g
|
|
| Sugars | 8.39 g |
| Dietary fiber | 1.5 g |
|
0.25 g
|
|
|
0.91 g
|
|
| Vitamins | |
| Vitamin A equiv. |
(2%)
16 μg
(2%)
162 μg |
| Thiamine (B1) |
(2%)
0.024 mg |
| Riboflavin (B2) |
(3%)
0.031 mg |
| Niacin (B3) |
(5%)
0.806 mg |
| Pantothenic acid (B5) |
(3%)
0.153 mg |
| Vitamin B6 |
(2%)
0.025 mg |
| Folate (B9) |
(1%)
4 μg |
| Choline |
(1%)
6.1 mg |
| Vitamin C |
(8%)
6.6 mg |
| Vitamin E |
(5%)
0.73 mg |
| Vitamin K |
(2%)
2.6 μg |
| Minerals | |
| Calcium |
(1%)
6 mg |
| Iron |
(2%)
0.25 mg |
| Magnesium |
(3%)
9 mg |
| Manganese |
(3%)
0.061 mg |
| Phosphorus |
(3%)
20 mg |
| Potassium |
(4%)
190 mg |
| Sodium |
(0%)
0 mg |
| Zinc |
(2%)
0.17 mg |
| Other constituents | |
| Fluoride | 4 µg |
|
|
|
|
|
| Percentages are roughly approximated using US recommendations for adults. Source: USDA Nutrient Database |
|
The peach (Prunus persica) is a deciduous tree native to the region of Northwest China between the Tarim Basin and the north slopes of the Kunlun Shan mountains, where it was first domesticated and cultivated. It bears an edible juicy fruit called a peach or a nectarine.
The specific epithet persica refers to its widespread cultivation in Persia, whence it was transplanted to Europe. It belongs to the genus Prunus which includes the cherry, apricot, almond and plum, in the rose family. The peach is classified with the almond in the subgenus Amygdalus, distinguished from the other subgenera by the corrugated seed shell.
Peach and nectarines are the same species, even though they are regarded commercially as different fruits. In contrast to peaches, whose fruits present the characteristic fuzz on the skin, nectarines are characterized by the absence of fruit-skin trichomes (fuzz-less fruit); genetic studies suggest nectarines are produced due to a recessive allele, whereas peaches are produced from a dominant allele for fuzzy skin.
The People's Republic of China is the world's largest producer of peaches.
Prunus persica grows to 4–10 m (13–33 ft) tall and 6 in. in diameter. The leaves are lanceolate, 7–16 cm (2.8–6.3 in) long, 2–3 cm (0.79–1.18 in) broad, pinnately veined. The flowers are produced in early spring before 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 is red-brown, oval shaped, approximately 1.3–2 cm long, and is surrounded by a wood-like husk. Peaches, along with cherries, plums and apricots, are stone fruits (drupes). There are various heirloom varieties, including the Indian peach, which arrives in the latter part of the summer.
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