Peach Facts Consumer

Essential Peach Receipe

  • The peach belongs to the rose family
  • China is the original home of the peach tree
  • California gold miners were the first to commercially farm Cling Peaches
  • There are two categories of peach, Clingstone and Freestone, distinguished by the ease with which the edible area pulls away from the stone (pit)

California Cling Peach Industry

  • California Cling Peaches are the variety most commonly used for commercial canning as they are exceptional in their ability to retain their flavor and consistency
  • Almost all Cling Peaches are processed and rarely found fresh
  • In 2001 California harvested 470,000 tons of Cling Peaches
  • Butte, Fresno, Kings, Madera, Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tulare and Yuba counties produce most of the state’s Cling Peaches
  • California’s climate provides an ideal setting for peach trees, which require a chilling season followed by warmer days combined with rich soil and adequate water to produce the most flavorful fruit
  • Pruning is usually done in winter and thinning in spring to deliver the premium-sized fruit at harvest
  • Harvest commences at the end of June in the San Joaquin Valley to the south and comes to an end after Labor Day in the Sacramento Valley to the north
  • Peach trees are usually planted with a minimum density of 121 trees per acre, their leaves nearly touching
  • Each acre produces an average of 18 tons of Cling Peaches per year
  • The California Cling Peach Board was established to promote California Cling Peaches domestically and internationally through the use of industry standards, education, research and innovation
  • If you’re interested in additional industry information, please visit our Cal Cling Peach Industry section

The Canned Advantage

  • Results of several nutrition studies show that canned fruit are as nutritious as their fresh and frozen counterparts
  • Canneries operate seven days a week throughout the harvest so that the fruit retains all the nutritional value and flavor
  • In most cases, peaches are canned within 24 hours

Nutrition and Flavor

  • They contain vitamin C, an antioxidant, which boosts the immune system, promotes healing and builds strong connective tissue to stabilize bones
  • Well-balanced diets, rich in fruits and vegetables, including California Cling Peaches, reduce the risk of many types of cancer, heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, stroke and even premature aging
  • Sweet, juicy and ready to eat, canned California peaches are an all-American family favorite
  • Visit our Nutrition & Health section for more information