Family: Rosaceae

Origin, Description & Uses
Prunus persica (peach) is a widely cultivated fruit tree originally domesticated from northern central China. It is a small to medium-sized deciduous tree that produces attractive pink blossoms in spring followed by soft, fleshy fruit with sweet, aromatic flesh. Peaches are commonly grown in home gardens and orchards for fresh eating, baking, canning, drying, and making preserves. The tree is also valued ornamentally for its seasonal flowers and edible landscape potential.

Risks & Threats
In Hawaiʻi, this species is naturalized on Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Maui, and Hawaiʻi Island, meaning it is now able to persist outside of cultivation. While it is currently in the Evaluate category, it does possess traits that are cause for concern, including its ability to establish beyond planted sites and potentially spread into disturbed habitats. Seeds may be dispersed by wildlife, increasing its ability to colonize new areas. Ongoing evaluation is needed, and caution is recommended to ensure that it does not negatively impact Hawaiʻi’s ecosystems or displace other plant species.

High Risk Traits:

• Broad climate suitability (primarily temperate but also grown in subtropical climates)
  
• Sparsely naturalizing on Maui, Hawaiian Islands; widely introduced and persisting or naturalized elsewhere
  
• Regarded as a potential environmental weed in Australia and New Zealand
  
• Wilted leaves, twigs, stems and seeds poisonous to animals and people (if accidentally ingested)
  
• Tolerates many soil types
  
• Reproduces by seeds
  
• Hybridizes with other Prunus species
  
• Self-fertile and pollinated by several generalist insect pollinators
  
• Reaches maturity in 2-3 years from seed
  
• Seeds dispersed unintentionally (discarded pits) and intentionally by people; possibly water, and animals
  
• Seeds exhibit physiological seed dormancy and may form a persistent seed bank
  
• Able to coppice and resprout after cutting

Low Risk Traits:

• A domesticated plant with a long history of cultivation
  
• Despite reports of naturalization and weediness, evidence of impacts is usually lacking or unspecified
  
• Unarmed (no spines, thorns, or burrs)
  
• Palatable to deer and probably other browsing animals (in spite of reports of toxicity)
  
• May require full sun to thrive
  
• Not reported to spread vegetatively
  
• Fruits with large, single seeds that are unlikely to be dispersed without human assistance (or larger frugivorous animals)