What is the history of peaches?

Answer 1

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.