Prunus persica, as the peach is called in Latin, is available in many varieties. In addition to the numerous well-known round peach varieties, there are also hairless nectarines and the very aromatic flat peaches and plate peaches.

200 year old gene mutation

The plate peach (also known as flat peach or Saturn peach) was found in China over 200 years ago. It is probably a gene mutation of the conventional round peach. The very flat, as if pressed fruits are more aromatic and sweeter than the "normal" peaches. Sometimes these peaches are also offered under the name "wild peach" or "vineyard peach", but this is a misnomer - flat peaches are grown on plantations just like all other peaches and are by no means collected from nature. Flat peach varieties - of which there are now many different varieties - also have nothing in common with the vineyard peach.

The plate peach tree has the same requirements as the normal peach tree

Apart from the shape and the taste of the fruit, there is no difference at all in the plate peach and round peach trees. Both species love a sunny location, are quite sensitive to cold and susceptible to the curling disease that is widespread among peaches. Flat peaches show a wonderful pink blossom splendor in spring.

This is what the flat peach tree needs

  • Sun, sun and much more sun
  • a humus rich and loose soil
  • a soil rich in nutrients
  • lots of space (at least two meters away from the next tree / plant!)
  • and regular circumcision
  • you should also treat the tree in the spring as a preventive measure against leaf curl

Remove the stone from a plate peach

If you like eating plate peaches, why not save a few seeds and grow your own peach tree from them - with a little luck and a lot of good care, you can harvest peaches from the peach tree you sowed within a few years. However, keep in mind that peach pits need to be stratified; H. they only germinate after a few months of hibernation. Don't put the seeds in the freezer, though, as that will kill them. However, experience has shown that peaches germinate excellently if you simply throw a few seeds onto the compost heap in the fall and take a look in the spring - there will definitely be little plants, which you should then repot.

tips and tricks

If you like to harvest ripe peaches fresh from the tree, but only have a small terrace or balcony, then you can also use a dwarf peach tree. This will be a meter high at most.

Category:

Trees