Early American botanists at one time assumed that the peach was native to the New World. This is because Native Americans were growing peaches even before the founding of the Jamestown settlement. The peach is native to China, but they were distributed to Native Americans by early Spanish explorers in Mexico and Florida. You can still find Native Americans in the southwest growing peaches. Unfortunately, many Native American peach orchards in Arizona and Utah disappeared after the construction of Lake Powell. Utah State University is working to preserve the heirloom trees and the Indigenous Culture associated with growing peaches.
Growing Home: Peaches
