(Prunus persica var. nucipersic or Amygdalus persica var. nectarina— Family Rosaceae)
Nectarine
brugnon (French), Nektarinenpfirsich (German), nocepesca (Italian), nectarino (Portuguese), nectáreo/nectarino (Spanish), nektarin (Danish/Swedish), nektariini (Finnish), gladkiy persik (Russian), brzoskwinia zwyczajna (Polish), breskva glatke kore (Serbo-Croat), piersica (Romanian), melorobakino (Greek), shaleel (Persian), you tao (Chinese), nekutarin (Japanese)
The nectarine is so similar to the peach that it is often mistaken – except for their skin. Peaches have a dull fuzzy skin, while the nectarines have a smooth colourful surface.
Their flavour is so rich and fine that their name was inspired from the classical drink or “nectar of the gods”.
The botanical name for nectarines means “Persian plum”, despite the fact that they are not a plum and are a native of China.
The origin of the nectarine is a mystery. It is a true peach and not a cross between a peach and a plum as some have supposed in the past. Peach trees can bear nectarines and vice versa.
In early literature, from the time of the peach’s origin in China to medieval times, there is no clear reference to the nectarine. In France, however, there is.
“Brugnon” was used in late medieval times for “fuzz-less peaches”; and in the 16th century, one French writer gave a clear description of the nectarine. By 1629, there were at least six varieties of nectarine in England, and the name was firmly established.
The fruit was a latecomer to the US, and was first mentioned in print in 1722 in a book about Virginia. Cultivation in the eastern US did not start in earnest until the 19th century, mainly in California, where there are now more than 150 varieties, surpassing that of the freestone peach.
Ruby Grand
and Mayglo
are the most important commercial varieties grown in the US. The Independence
is a yellow-fleshed freestone nectarine, and the Snow Queen
is a white clingstone nectarine from California.
Nectarines taste very similar to peaches, but a bit more acidy.
The flesh can be yellow, white, or pinkish, with a delicate and sweet flavor.
The skin is generally red and yellow, but there is a variety called Blanca del Jalon which is greenish white.
Unlike peaches, nectarines do not require peeling and can be eaten or cooked in the same way as peaches. Nectarines are sometimes crossed with peaches, but the fuzzy skin of the peach remains dominant. Thus, the hybrids are often actually peaches.
Nectarines have a lower calorie count than peaches and are a good source of potassium, phosphorus, dietary fiber, and vitamins A and C.
