Prunus persica (Peach)

One to 27 feet (8 meters) tall tree from the genus Prunus and the family Rosaceae with straight and bare branches. At the sunny side the branches are red colored, at the from sun averted side green. The long shoots have one terminal bud. Lateral buds are present at least usually in a threesome in the leaf axils of strong long shoots. The buds are hairy. The leaves are lanceolate, 3.2 to 6 inches (8 to 15 cm) long and 0.8 to 1.6 inches (2 to 4 cm) wide and pointed to acuminate. Its base is broad wdge-shaped. The leaf margin is usually double and finely toothed, ore or less. The widest part of the leaf blade is located in the middle or slightly above. The upper side and underside of the leaf are darkgreen and bare. In the bud area the leaves are folded. The petiole has a length of 0.4 to 0.6 inches (1 to 1.5 cm).

The mostly single blossoms are very short stalked or nearly sitting. Their diameter amounts 1 to 1.4 inches (2.5 to 3.5 cm). They are surrounded by bud scales at the base and develop before the leaves. The flower cup is bell-shaped, length and width are roughly equal. The sepals are entire and woolly hairs on the outside. The petals are up to 0.8 inches (2 cm) long, oval and usually entire. they are usually low, rarely pale pink in Color. The approximately 20 stamens are slightly shorter than the petals, are usually colored red, rarely yellow.

The most spherical fruit has a diameter of 1.6 to 4 inches (4 to 10 cm) and a longitudinal groove. It is pale green or yellow, reddish crowded and often covered with a velvety coat, but still smooth. The pulp is juicy, thick coated and pale green or orange. The stone core usually has almost the shape of a sphere, thick skin, deep lines and is very hard.

The fruits are used for eating in-kind, also for the production of juices, jams, compotes and ice-creams.

Our both trees we had received by purchasing our yard. It is already amazing, that peach-trees are still growing in the tropics, but also on the Canary Islands peachs are grown. By the reversed seasons the peach does flower in Brazil in August.

Prunus persica in our garden.

Still unripen fruits of Prunus persica in December 2009.

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Created by Joachim Jaeck on March 10th, 2010