The Origin of Peaches

China is widely held to be the native home of peaches. This is supported by the fact that there is a wide range of wild peach types in the countryside. The peach was brought to the Mediterranean area from Iran (formerly called Persia), the source the scientific name for the peach "Prunus persica". The peach was known in Greece by 300 BC and by the Romans shortly after 100 AD.

Early peaches were propagated by seed, the easiest way to transport the peach plant. Budded trees (so-called inoculated trees) became available in America around the time of the American Revolution.