What is the history of peaches?
Peaches originated in China around 2000 BC, where the first wild
peach trees produced small, sour fruits. The ancient Chinese
learned to cultivate the trees, resulting in larger, more flavorful
fruit. Peaches were mentioned in Chinese writings as far back as
the 10th century BC. They were a valuable trade commodity and were
also believed to confer immortality, so they were a favored fruit
of emperors.
Carried west by caravans, peaches slowly spread along trade
routes throughout Asia. They arrived in India and western Asia in
ancient times. Peaches likely reached the Middle East by way of the
Silk Road, a 2,500-mile trade route that stretched from East Asia
to ancient Persia (present-day Iran). In Persia, the climate
provided excellent growing conditions for peaches.
By 140 BC, peaches had reached Greece. In 65 BC, the Roman
emperor Pompey introduced peach trees to Roman orchards. Because
the peaches had come to them from Persia, the Romans called peaches
"Persian apples" (persicum malum), which led to their scientific
name, Prunus persica.
Pliny the Elder described several peach varieties that had been
grown by 23 AD. Peach trees are portrayed on the walls of the towns
destroyed by the Vesuvius eruption of 79 AD. Peach stones, like
apple and pear seeds, made their way across Europe along with Roman
legions. When peaches finally reached northern Europe, they were
enjoyed as a rare delicacy as the climate did not encourage peach
farming. In Middle English, the Latin persicum malum it melded into
peche, much closer to what we call it today.
In 1513, Spanish explorers introduced peaches to Florida. In
1524, the Spanish introduced peaches to Guatemala, from which peach
farming spread north through Mexico and eventually, into
California. Peaches may also have come to North America in 1562
with French explorers who established settlements in the area of
present-day Mobile, Alabama. Peaches also arrived in 1565 with the
Spanish colonists who settled in St. Augustine, Florida. Peach
trees from these peach stones quickly naturalized into groves so
widespread that later colonists believed that peaches were a native
American fruit. Franciscan monks introduced them to St. Simons and
Cumberland islands along Georgia's coast in 1571.
Peaches were noted by John Smith in Jamestown as early as 1629.
By 1633, George Minifie had peaches growing at his estate at
Buckland on the James River between Blunt Point and Jamestown in
Virginia. Peach growing began in New Jersey in the early 17th
century when colonists began importing European varieties. The
early settlers learned that peaches thrived better in the coastal
areas of the continent than in Europe. Peaches were also cultivated
in Delaware and Maryland in the 17th century. By 1683, peaches were
available in New York by the wagon-loads from New Jersey orchards.
By the late 17th century, peaches were growing in South Carolina.
During that time, Spanish missionaries from Mexico began to build
the California missions as they traveled north along the coast. In
addition to Christianity, they also brought peaches, which they
planted in their gardens. However, mission cultivation did not
supply the general population. Most peaches were shipped into
California from the eastern states.
By the beginning of the 18th century, peach trees had
naturalized so abundantly throughout the southeastern and
mid-Atlantic colonies that they grew as luxuriantly as weeds. By
the mid-18th century, peaches and plums were cultivated by American
Indians. They helped the trees spread across North America by
taking seeds with them as they migrated. George Washington noted
two varieties of peaches in his Mount Vernon orchard. Thomas
Jefferson cultivated over 38 varieties of peaches in his South
Orchard alone.
American farmers did not begin commercial production of peaches
until the 19th century. In 1849, the gold rush initiated a
population boom in California. As a result, shipments of peaches
from the east could no longer satisfy demand for peaches.
California peach production began, and peaches flourished in
California's Mediterranean-like climate. Raphael Moses, a planter
and Confederate officer from Columbus, was among the first to
market peaches within Georgia in 1851. His method of shipping
peaches in champagne baskets, rather than in pulverized charcoal,
helped to preserve the flavor of the fruit and contributed to his
success. The first Georgia peaches were shipped to the New York
market in 1858. They were transported by wagon to Augusta, then by
shallow-draft boat to Savannah, and finally by steamship to New
York. Henry William Ravenel of Aiken shipped South Carolina's first
reported commercial shipment in 1859, and Colonel R.B. Watson,
South Carolina's first Commissioner of Agriculture, was the first
commercial peach producer to ship peaches out of the state in
1870s.
Samuel Rumph, a middle Georgia peach grower during the early
1900's, revolutionized the peach industry with a new variety which
he named after his wife Elberta. This yellow-fleshed peach was of
superior quality and shipped better than previous varieties.
Elberta remained the leading peach in Georgia until the 1960's but
newer varieties have since replaced the Elberta in commercial
use.
Today, peaches are the second largest commercial fruit crop in
the States, second only to apples. Although the southern states
lead in commercial production of peaches, they are also grown in
California, Michigan, and Colorado. Italy, China and Greece are
major producers of peaches outside of the United States.
