Peaches are a favorite fruit in late summer and early fall. Since peaches are a fragile fruit, they’re often picked unripe when shipped to faraway places. They taste best, though, when they’re picked after they’re ripe. The most delicious peaches you’ll eat are those grown close to where you live.
Visit farmers’ markets or look for orchards in your area. Eat peaches fresh or add them to smoothies, granola, or ice cream. Make them into jam or grill them with a little cinnamon.
Fun Facts
- Peaches are related to nectarines, apricots, and plums. They’re in the rose family and they’re considered a stone fruit.
- There are over 2,000 varieties of peaches. Peaches grow best in places with mild winters and springs. Georgia is the peach capital of the U.S. Many peaches grow in California too.
- Peaches are a good source of vitamin C and A. These nutrients help fight disease and help build healthy eyes and bones.
- Peaches are ripe when they smell sweet and yield slightly when you touch them. The color has more to do with the peach variety than its ripeness. A peach that is beautifully red and orange isn’t necessarily ripe.
- Peaches and nectarines are closely related. The only difference between the two is that nectarines don’t have a fuzzy skin.
- Peaches come in many varieties. Some have white flesh, most have yellow or orange flesh. Some are shaped like a donut.
- The first peach orchard in the U.S. was in Florida.
- The city of Gaffney, South Carolina has a water tower shaped like a peach – the largest peach in the world.
- Some people believe eating peaches can reduce stress.
- Peach pits have a lot of flavor. Throw a couple in the pot when you’re making peach jam. Peach pits are also ground up and added to facial cleansers.
Vocabulary
Questions and Answers
Question: Where do peaches come from?
Answer: Peaches probably originated in China, where they’re still considered a symbol of good luck and prosperity.
Learn More
Watch workers harvesting peaches at a peach orchard.
