The peach blossoms come from the peach tree, which is native to China. Historians and archaeologists think this plant has been around for more than 2,500 years. They’ve found literature and text that mentions peaches and even little fossilized peach stones as evidence of this fact. There is also evidence to show that the Chinese particularly revered the flowers of the peach tree, as peach blossoms were a part of most major celebrations. The Chinese believed (and still do) that peach blossoms can ward off evil spirits and increase vitality in a person. Soldiers walked before Emperors, carrying peach blossoms, and people all over the country would hang peach blossoms on their front doors to kick off the New Year.
Persia had a big role to play in the spread of this plant to other regions. In fact, the Latin name, ‘Prunus persica,’, which translates to ‘Present from Persia,’ refers to when Persians introduced this fruit to the Romans. When Alexander the Great conquered Persia in 334 B.C., he took the seeds of this plant to Europe, and soon, explorers were taking the peach all over the world.Â
By the 16th century, the peach came to the U.S. via Spanish explorers. From there, it traveled to England, becoming a rare and prized delicacy. Colonists began domesticating the peach tree in America, and by the 1800s, peaches were being commercially grown in the U.S. The first peaches grown for sale were by farmers in Maryland, Delaware, Georgia, and Virginia. Today, the peach blossom has found a place in popular culture, appearing in art, paintings, and even folk tales.
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