Peach and nectarine trees are a fantastic choice for the garden, featuring pretty pink blossom in spring followed by juicy fruits that are far tastier that imported ones. Nectarine and peach trees like full sun and all the ones we stock are self-fertile, so do not require another tree to pollinate them.

Choosing & Growing Peach & Nectarine Trees

Nectarines and peaches are actually the same species (Prunus persica) and the key difference is that peaches have fuzzy skin but nectarines do not. Both trees have pink spring flowers, with a few varieties featuring semi-double flowers. Sweet, juicy fruits follow and can be picked around August. They are delicious eaten fresh or used in making desserts, sauces and jams.

Peach and nectarine trees like full sun, with the dwarf varieties being suited to keeping in pots on a sunny patio. All of the varieties we offer are pot-grown so can be planted at any time of year, but if you do want bare root peach or nectarine trees, please contact us.

The best time to prune peach and nectarine trees is after the coldest part of the winter has passed but before they start to flower. February is normally a safe time, depending on how severe the winter has been. Both nectarine and peach trees fruit on 1 year old wood, so the pruning technique for these trees is sometimes referred to as ‘replacement’ i.e. replacing old wood with new.

History of Peach & Nectarine Trees

The scientific name "persica" and the English "peach" are actually derived from the incorrect belief that peaches were native to Persia. Ancient Romans even called the fruit Persian apples. However, peaches originate from China and can be traced as far back as 200BC. They weren't introduced to England and France until the 17th century.