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Nectarine
Brugnon
Appears in
Published 2010
Prunus persica
The nectarine is indigenous to China and was first cultivated in ancient Persia, Rome, and Greece. Historians believe that the nectarine arrived in Great Britain in the late 16th or early 17th century. It was later introduced to North America by the Spanish. The name nectarine is thought to be inspired by the German word nektarpfirsich, meaning “nectar peach.”
The nectarine is genetically similar to the peach; a recessive gene in the nectarine is what gives its skin a smooth composition. Like the peach, the nectarine has a hard seed at the center. It has a fragrant smooth skin and flesh that deepens into a rich red at the center. The flesh color of the nectarine will not reflect the taste of the fruit in any way. When perfectly ripe, nectarines should be as sweet as nectar.