Peach

Medium-sized peach tree that resembles the plum and can reach 8m (25ft), although trees in orchards are usually pruned to keep them shorter. The fast-growing and spreading branches bear oblong leaves that taper to a sharp point and have serrated edges. They hang in groups of two or more on slender shoots. Before the leaves are fully open, dainty, pale pink five-petalled blossoms appear that have very little odor. The familiar fruit with its even texture and delicate bloom is similar in structure to the plum and apricot. The sweet-tasting pulp surrounds a hard stone with an oil-filled kernel inside.

The origin of the peach tree is uncertain but it is thought to have come from China. The tree is mentioned in the writings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius in the fifth century BC, and is also represented on antique Chinese porcelain and other artifacts. As its specific botanical name suggests, the tree was introduced to Europe from Persia, probably by the Romans. By the first half of the sixteenth century, the peach had appeared in England and was cultivated in the celebrated London garden of Gerard.

According to the old herbals, peach leaves were capable of expelling worms from the body. To this end, either a poultice of the fresh leaves was applied externally, or an infusion of the dried leaf was drunk. In Italy, peach leaves were considered a cure for warts. After applying the fresh leaf to the wart, it was buried in the ground and left to decay, by which time the wart should have disappeared. Culpeper maintained that the dried and powdered leaves would stop bleeding and hasten the healing of sores and wounds. In modern herbalism, the leaves are not used extensively but may still be recommended for an irritated digestive tract. Both bark and leaves have been traditionally employed in whooping cough and bronchitis.

As early as the seventeenth century, Culpeper recognized the cosmetic importance of peach kernel oil. He pounded the kernels with vinegar and boiled them to a thick paste, declaring that the mixture 'marvelously causes the hair to grow again upon any bald place or where it is thin'. Today, peach kernel oil is still an ingredient in many hair-care products, and is used for massage, and as a moisturizer.

A peach of fine quality is firm and free from blemishes. It has a fresh appearance, and is either whitish or yellowish in color, combined with a red color or blush, depending on the variety. If the peach is picked green or immature it will not ripen satisfactorily, and may develop a pale, weak color and will shrivel. The flesh will become tough and rubbery and will lack flavor. Peaches do not gain sugar after they are picked as they have no reserve of starch.

Peaches are wonderful in combination with other fruits in a salad, and can also be mixed with vegetables. When eaten with other foods they are best with a protein meal. Cheese and peaches can be used in good combination, especially when traveling. They mix well with all dairy products.

Medical properties

Peaches, especially fruit that has a high color, are high in vitamin A. The peach has a high sugar and water content and is very laxative to the body. Peaches are wonderful in alkalinizing the blood stream, and they help stimulate the digestive juices. Peaches can be used to regulate the bowel and build the blood.

Peaches are an excellent food for elderly people, because the body assimilates this food very easily. Because they are easy to digest, very ripe peaches can be eaten in cases of ulcers of the stomach or inflammation of the bowel, and in cases of colitis. For these conditions, peaches should be soaked, cooked, and pureed.

For those who are diet-conscious, peaches are wonderful in helping to eliminate toxins in the body, and they are good to eat on a weight-loss program. They make an ideal food with which to break a fast.

Peach leaves make an excellent tea that is wonderful as a cleanser for the kidneys. The stones of the peach have even been used in years past, broken up in broth, for their calcium content.

Most of the dried peaches sold today are processed in sulfur, and it is better to avoid them if good health is to be maintained. If you eat canned peaches packed in syrup, throwaway the syrup and eat only the peach.

Habitat

Familiar fruit tree that is widely cultivated all over the world in warm and temperate climates. In the southern USA, California is best known for its peaches.