Peach & Nectarine Culture - Nectarine Trees

Peaches have been grown in Asia for more than two thousand years, and produced for centuries in the United States. Peaches are considered the "Queen" of the fruits and are second only to apples in popularity as a deciduous tree fruit because of their fine flavor and many uses.

Nectarines can be used in the same way as peaches, and may be considered as substitutes for peaches. The only difference between peaches and nectarines is the lack of fuzz on the nectarine skin. Nectarines tend to be smaller and more aromatic than peaches and have more red color on the fruit surface.

Fresh peaches provide respectable amounts of the antioxidant vitamins A and C in addition to potassium and fiber. Nectarines provide twice the vitamin A, slightly more vitamin C, and much more potassium than peaches.

There are hundreds of different peach cultivars (varieties), which can be divided into two categories--the freestones and the clingstones. In freestone types, the flesh separates readily from the pit. In the clingstone type, the flesh clings tightly to the pit. The flesh may be either yellow or white. Freestone types are usually preferred for eating fresh or for freezing, while clingstone types are used primarily for canning. Nectarines may be either yellow or white-fleshed.

Adapted from Gary Gao, Ohio State University Extension, 2000
Copyright Â© 2012 University of Rhode Island.