Peach Blossom

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Umbrian

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Peach Blossom
« on: March 22, 2018, 03:04:06 PM »
I was rather surprised on seeing large bunches of  Peach blossom for sale this morning in my local supermarket. At first I thought they were artificial but no they were large bunches of tall, thin branches covered in buds. I am sure we have all nipped of small twigs of  fruit blossoms to enjoy the flowers, and often perfume, in the house but such commercial production of a fruiting tree merely for the blossom rather saddened me. ' Nipped in the bud' was my husband's ' comment. I wonder how fellow gardeners feel about this?
MGS member living and gardening in Umbria, Italy for past 19 years. Recently moved from my original house and now planning and planting a new small garden.

Caroline

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Re: Peach Blossom
« Reply #1 on: March 22, 2018, 09:24:30 PM »
I have occasionally cut two or three branches of blossom from wild peach trees along my road,  knowing that the fruit would never make it to maturity what with birds and rats.  But to stifle the peach at birth as it were, that goes against the grain!
I am establishing a garden on Waiheke Island, 35 minutes out of Auckland. The site is windy, the clay soil dries out quickly in summer and is like plasticine in winter, but it is still very rewarding. Water is an issue, as we depend on tanks. I'm looking forward to sharing ideas. Caroline

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Alisdair

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Re: Peach Blossom
« Reply #2 on: March 23, 2018, 08:55:08 AM »
Peach blossom is highly prized in China, and why not? I found this article which may be of interest:
Xiuying, Z. (1995). THE SECOND REPORT IN THE CLASSIFICATION OF ORNAMENTAL PEACH-BLOSSOM CULTIVARS. Acta Hortic. 404, 102-109
DOI: 10.17660/ActaHortic.1995.404.17
https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1995.404.17
Alisdair Aird
Gardens in SE England (Sussex); also coastal Southern Greece, and (in a very small way) South West France; MGS member (and former president); vice chairman RHS Lily Group, past chairman Cyclamen Society

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Fermi

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Re: Peach Blossom
« Reply #3 on: March 23, 2018, 03:46:40 PM »
We lived in Hong Kong while I was a child and I seem to remember mum buying bunches of peach blossom to use in tall vases in the house.
I presume they had orchards just for the cut-flower trade.
Maybe they were an ornamental variety which wouldn't produce edible fruit?
cheers
fermi
Mr F de Sousa, Central Victoria, Australia
member of AGS, SRGC, NARGS
working as a physio to support my gardening habit!

Umbrian

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Re: Peach Blossom
« Reply #4 on: March 24, 2018, 08:17:12 AM »
To spend resources developing non fruiting varieties of Peach trees ( for example) just for the cut flower trade seems slightly ludicrous to me when there are so many wonderful flowers suitable for this trade. I wonder where the bunches I saw came from - the supermarket where I saw them is part of a large chain in Italy and so the amounts must be enormous and part of a huge commercial enterprise.
MGS member living and gardening in Umbria, Italy for past 19 years. Recently moved from my original house and now planning and planting a new small garden.

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JTh

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Re: Peach Blossom
« Reply #5 on: March 24, 2018, 02:55:48 PM »
I can't say I am terribly upset by non-fruiting varieties of peach trees, it's not that different from any other plants produced as cut flowers. In January they were selling  magnolias branches here at the florists', my first reaction was: what a pity that they ruining the magnolia trees that way, but then I thought I would like to buy some of these (I didn't, though, they were  ridiculously expensive).
Retired veterinary surgeon by training with a PhD in parasitology,  but worked as a virologist since 1992.
Member of the MGS  since 2004. Gardening in Oslo and to a limited extent in Halkidiki, Greece.

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Alisdair

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Re: Peach Blossom
« Reply #6 on: April 04, 2018, 08:38:28 AM »
Carole, I have moved your message about the sad Trachelospermum, as a new topic: "Supermarket plant-abuse"
Alisdair Aird
Gardens in SE England (Sussex); also coastal Southern Greece, and (in a very small way) South West France; MGS member (and former president); vice chairman RHS Lily Group, past chairman Cyclamen Society