Some of the greatest nicknames, stories and quirky sayings come from the food we eat. Peaches, an ancient fruit lends itself quite nicely to this. “Aren’t you a peach” of course refers to the amazing sweetness that can be found within tree-ripened freestone or clingstone peaches. It is also a common phrase used to describe the sweetness (or lack thereof) of an individual. The history of the peach is a fascinating tale of the Silk Road and Christopher Columbus.

Fuzzy Beginnings

In the beginning, the peach arrived on the cold slopes of the Kunlun Shan Mountains in China.  As a fruit bearing tree that requires a certain amount of chilling days before budding and bearing fruit, these foothills provided a cool atmosphere for this need. How they evolved and what they evolved from is still a mystery, as they are believed to have first developed around 2000 BCE.

From China, as a fruit loved by their Emperors as early as 1000 BCE, it also traveled the Silk Road into Persia and the Middle East. After Persia’s conquering by Alexander the Great it was introduced into Europe. The Peach was later introduced into the Americas by Christopher Columbus on his second and third journeys to the America’s. You have to wonder if gold was traded for this marvelous golden hued fleshy fruit.

A Mission of God’s Work

Peaches are originally thought to be introduced to California by Spanish Missionaries to the Natives during the 18th Century, well before settlers began colonizing the area. In fact, new settlers to the area often found peach trees already growing. The first recording of peach trees in California date back to the explorer George Vancouver in 1792, who commented on the peaches, found growing at two missionaries in California.

Of course, part of the expansion of peaches can be attributed also to the Russians. Such a storied history for such a small fruit provides a unique history to a rich industry. Russian explorer and manager for the Russian American Company, K.T. Khlebnikov in his letters mention bringing peach fruit trees from Russia to be planted in California. These trees eventually bore fruit in 1820.

Stop Clinging to the Past

California has traditionally been a major producer of peaches, in fact over 50% of all US Peaches are produced here, (even more than that other so-called Peach state) mostly of the clingstone varietals for canning. However, there is much opportunity for freestone peach variety in our grocery stores, farmer’s markets and restaurants.

There are movements afoot throughout the California Peach industry to start producing these better fresh-eating freestone varieties, ripe from the tree to your home or restaurant. Although the clingstones are great for canning applications, with their juicy yellow insides, sometimes there is nothing like eating a fresh fruit ripe from the tree.

High in antioxidants and Vitamin C, peaches and their brethren nectarines provide a healthy one-two punch to help prevent free radicals. Nectarines are often called the “fuzzless peach” and this is true, as they are genetically the same except for one allele that produces the fuzz on one and not the other.

Peaches have a long and intriguing history, and are still one of the most consumed fruits in the world today, because of their variance from sweet and juicy to firm and tart.

Produce Services of Los Angeles, Inc. is a distributor of California peaches and stone fruit as well as a large variety of other wholesale fruits and vegetables.