Etymology

The scientific name persica, along with the word "peach" itself and its cognates in
many European languages, derives from an early European belief that peaches were
native to Persia (modern-day Iran). The Ancient Romans referred to the peach as
malum persicum "Persian apple", later becoming French pêche, whence the English
peach.[10] The scientific name, Prunus persica, literally means "Persian plum", as
it is closely related to the plum.
Fossil record

Fossil endocarps with characteristics indistinguishable from those of modern

peaches have been recovered from late Pliocene deposits in Kunming, dating to 2.6
million years ago. In the absence of evidence that the plants were in other ways
identical to the modern peach, the name Prunus kunmingensis has been assigned to
these fossils.[11]

Etymology

The scientific name persica, along with the word "peach" itself and its cognates in
many European languages, derives from an early European belief that peaches were
native to Persia (modern-day Iran). The Ancient Romans referred to the peach as
malum persicum "Persian apple", later becoming French pêche, whence the English
peach.[10] The scientific name, Prunus persica, literally means "Persian plum", as
it is closely related to the plum.
Fossil record

Fossil endocarps with characteristics indistinguishable from those of modern

peaches have been recovered from late Pliocene deposits in Kunming, dating to 2.6
million years ago. In the absence of evidence that the plants were in other ways
identical to the modern peach, the name Prunus kunmingensis has been assigned to
these fossils.[11]