What soil does Peach grow in?

It tolerates these soils: average garden soil, sandy.

Hardy down to -23 °C (USDA zone 6, RHS H7). It gets through winter everywhere at lower altitudes, but may not survive unprotected in a mountain garden.

How far from the house should Peach be planted?

Plant it at least 2.5 m from buildings. Keep it at least 0.5 m from paving.

When does Peach flower?

Flowering: March–April, pink.

How much water does Peach need?

Water need: medium. Drought tolerance: medium.

How much does Peach cost?

It sells for roughly €26 to €45 in local shops, depending on size.

Peach

Prunus persica

Peach (Prunus persica) is a fruit plant. Light: full sun. Hardy down to -23 °C. Drought tolerance: medium. Toxic to dogs and cats. Sold in local shops from about €26.

Illustration of Peach — An illustration of the typical shape of the mature plant, not a photo.

What it's good for, and what it isn't

A fast-growing fruit tree that starts cropping early, with pink spring blossom and juicy fruit ripening from midsummer to early autumn; the smooth-skinned nectarine is a form of the same species. It is self-fertile, so a single tree crops heavily, and the fruit is worth thinning so that it grows large. It is sold grafted and its size depends on the rootstock and on pruning: garden trees are usually kept at 3 to 4 m, dwarf cultivars stay at 1.5 to 2 m and can be grown in a tub, and there is a purple-leaved form that also works as an ornamental tree. Plant it in a warm, sunny, sheltered spot in well-drained soil, and choose it only if you accept hard pruning every year and spring spraying; it is not a long-lived tree.

Watch out for

In Central Europe peach leaf curl (Taphrina deformans) appears every year: the emerging leaves thicken, blister, turn red and fall, and the tree weakens year after year. It can only be prevented: a copper wash before bud burst, then a systemic fungicide when the first tiny leaves show, repeated several times in a cool, wet spring; once curled leaves are visible it is too late. A sunny, airy site and a more resistant cultivar reduce the problem. Other troubles are powdery mildew (mainly on nectarines), shot hole, Monilia blossom and shoot blight and fruit rot, aphids, peach twig borer and oriental fruit moth, which tunnel in shoots and fruit, and plum pox virus. Flower buds are damaged by hard winter frost (roughly below minus 20 °C) and the blossom by spring frost. It fruits on the previous year's shoots, so it needs hard pruning every year (around flowering or in summer, not in winter) or it goes bare inside; the tree often declines after just 15 to 20 years, hastened by gummosis and branch dieback. Do not replant a peach in the same spot, and expect yellowing leaves (iron deficiency) on chalky soil.

Key facts

Light: Full sun
Water need: Medium
Care: High
Size after 10 years: 3.5 m × 3.5 m
Hardiness: down to -23 °C
Foliage: Deciduous
Flowering: J F M A M J J A S O N D March–April, pink

Group	Fruit
Light	Full sun
Size after 10 years	3.5 m × 3.5 m
Ultimate size	3–7.5 m × 3–7.5 m
Hardiness	down to -23 °C (USDA 6, RHS H7)
Soil	Average garden soil, Sandy
Foliage	Deciduous
Flowering	March–April, pink
Harvest	June–September
Self-fertile	yes
Water need	Medium
Drought tolerance	Medium
Maintenance	High
Root aggressiveness	Low
Suckering	no
Spreading	Low
Distance from buildings	at least 2.5 m
Distance from paving	at least 0.5 m
Litter	Fruit
Planting distance	400 cm
For dogs	Toxic
For cats	Toxic
For children	Mildly toxic (uncertain)
Typical price	from about €26

Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor.

Sizes and prices available

The same plant is sold as a small pot and as a specimen several metres tall, and the price follows. Prices are rounded and for guidance only.

Size	Typical price
size not stated	approx. €26 – €45

Frequently asked questions

Data updated: October 13, 2026 · How our data is made

Appears in these lists

Plants for containers Fruit trees and bushes Plants for a Mediterranean garden Plants with edible fruit

Compare with similar plants

Peach vs Apricot Peach vs Sour cherry Peach vs Sweet cherry

Looks good next to it

Photinia 'Red Robin'

Photinia × fraseri 'Red Robin'

Firethorn

Pyracantha coccinea

Evergreen candytuft

Iberis sempervirens