page_title: Peach
section_title: Planting
hierarchical_section_title: Peach / Cultivation / Planting
caption_attribution_description: English: Nectarine (Prunus persica) fruit development over a 7½ month period, from early winter to midsummer; East Gippsland, Victoria, Australia. Bud formation can be observed on new growth on the plant (early winter) (individual image) Flower buds clearly formed and leaves start to develop (early spring, ≈ 3 months) (individual image). Flowers fully develop and are pollinated by wind or insects (early spring, ≈ 3½ months) (individual image). If successfully pollinated, flowers die back and incipient fruit can be observed; leaves have quickly grown to provide tree with food and energy from photosynthesis (mid-spring, ≈ 4 months) (individual image). Fruit is well developed and continues to grow (late spring, ≈ 5½ months) (individual image). Fruit fully ripens to an edible form to encourage spreading of seed contained within by animals (midsummer, ≈ 7½ months) (individual image). Français&#160;: Développement d'une nectarine sur une période de 7,5 mois, du début de l'hiver au milieu de l'été. Est du Gippsland, Victoria (Australie). Formation d'un bourgeon sur une tige de l'année (t0, début de l'hiver). Différentiation de l'aspect des bourgeons floraux et végétatifs (t + 3 mois, début du printemps). Les fleurs sont ouvertes et sont fécondées par le pollen amené vent et les insectes (t + 3,5 mois, début du printemps). Formation des fruits. Le feuillage est pleinement développé et permet la photosynthèse (t + 4 mois, milieu du printemps). Fruit en plein développement (t + 5,5 mois, fin du printemps). Le fruit murit, devenant comestible, ce qui permet de répandre au loin la graine qu'il contient.(t + 7,5 mois, milieu de l'été).
context_page_description: The peach is a deciduous tree native to the region of Northwest China between the Tarim Basin and the north slopes of the Kunlun Mountains, where it was first domesticated and cultivated. It bears edible juicy fruits with various characteristics, most called peaches and others, nectarines.
  The specific name persica refers to its widespread cultivation in Persia, from where 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. Due to their close relatedness, the inside of 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, even though they are regarded commercially as different fruits. The skin of nectarines lacks the fuzz that peach-skin has; it is thought that a mutation in a single gene is responsible for the hair or no-hair difference between the two.
  In 2018, China produced 62% of the world total of peaches and nectarines.
context_section_description: 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'. This 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, peach trees 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 number of flowers on a peach tree is typically thinned out because if the full amount of peaches mature on a branch, they are undersized and lacking in flavor. Fruits are thinned midway in the season by commercial growers. Fresh peaches are easily bruised and 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 is a palmette 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.
caption: The developmental sequence of a nectarine over a ​7 1⁄2-month period, from bud formation in early winter to fruit ripening in midsummer
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