Rosaceae family(Prunus persica)
Rosaceae family
Peaches (above, left) were first domesticated around 4000 B.C. in China. They arrived in Europe during the Roman era. Spanish peaches spread rapidly throughout North America, from tribe to tribe of Native Americans. Originally they were propagated via seed, but since the late 1800s clonal propagation via budding has become widespread. They are closely related to almonds, apricots, plums, cherries, and sour cherries, all of which are stony-seeded drupes. The nectarine (above, right) is merely a single-gene mutation that confers smooth, rather than fuzzy, skin. The introduction of the 'Chinese Cling' from Asia to North America in 1850, and its subsequent hybridization with many of the native North American peaches, gave rise to many of the modern peach varieties, including the 'Elberta'.