Peach: Prunus persica (L.) Batsch, Plum (Prunus spp.), and Cherry (Prunus spp.)

Peach is a delicious fruit grown in temperate regions. The edible juicy fruits are eaten fresh and processed for squash preparations. The short stat­ ure of the plant and its showy flowers are valued for ornamental purposes, and it is thus planted in home gardens for landscaping. The wide genetic di­ versity of peach, including wild types, is found in China, from where it is as­ sumed to have originated. Peach is predominantly cultivated in Argentina, Australia, Chile, China, England, France, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, Turkey, and the United States.