Stone Fruits

All stone fruits belong to the Rosaceae family and are called such due to the presence of a single hard pit or stone at the center. The apricot, cherry, nectarine, peach, and plum are all included in this particular genus of Primus. Stone fruits are produced in the summer and are also referred to as drupes. A drupe is a botanical designation for stone fruits. Drupes develop from a single pistil of the flower. As the fruit develops, it forms thick flesh around a hard shell (the pit:), which is the hardened wall of the ovary surrounding the seed.