Deciduous tree to 7 m. Leaves narrowly elliptic to lanceolate, to 18 cm long, finely toothed. Flowers white to pink to red, solitary, sessile or with a short pedicel, to 3.5 cm wide. Fruit fleshy, large in cultivars selected for their fruit, but mostly of a lesser quality in cultivars selected for flowering.
14 new cultivars have been registered for Plant Breeder's Rights to 1999.
Nectarines, Prunus persica var. nucipersica, sometimes dwarf, are also available. Syn. P. persica var. nectarina (Ait. f.) Maxim. The nectarine is simply a smooth-skinned peach. Cultivars include 'Early River', 'Fantasia', 'Flavourtop', 'Goldmine', 'Independence', 'Maygrand', 'Snow Queen' and 'Sunred'. Eleven new cultivars have been registered for Plant Breeder's Rights to 1999.
China.
Source: (2002). Rosaceae. In: . Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 3. Flowering plants. Dicotyledons. Part 2. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.
Flowers white, double.
Flowers double, pink.
Flowers single, pale pink with deep red-purple leaves.
Flowers large, 6 cm wide, deep pink, double.
Flowers pink, double.
Prunus persica 'Lilian Burrows'
Flowers pale pink, semi-double.
Similar to 'Harbinger' with very large, deep pink, double flowers about 6 cm wide, but differs in flowering 2 weeks later and in having flowers more double and 10 rather than 5 sepals.
Flowers double, red-pink.
Flowers double, pale pink to white.
Flowers double; on the same tree there is a mixture of deep pink flowers and pale pink, almost white flowers with deeper pink stripes. Economically, the peach is ranked third of the deciduous tree fruits behind the apple and the pear. Originating in China, it is believed the peach was transported first to Asia and then to the Mediterranean and Europe, where it was available at least 2000 years ago. Peaches are now bred chiefly in the usa, mostly California, and also in Italy. In Australia they are grown mainly in temperate areas: 80% of canned peaches are grown in the Murray/Goulburn Valley in Vic, but there are also large areas in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area of nsw and the Riverland Area of sa. The processing industry uses 'Golden Queen' as its main cultivar but other cultivars extend the processing season. Dessert cultivars include 'Anzac', 'Beale', 'Flordhaprince', 'Maravilha', 'Orion', 'Sherman's Early', 'Springcrest' and 'Springold'. A number of dwarf cultivars are available that are both ornamental and producers of good fruit. These include: