Are Peaches a Citrus? A Farmer Weighs In

Oranges and peaches have a few key things in common: They’re both round fruits with orange skin, and they taste juicy and sweet when you take a bite. But does that mean they’re in the same fruit family? Here at The FruitGuys, we’ve delivered both peaches and oranges to offices for more than 25 years—so we know all about their family trees. But no one knows fruit like a farmer, so to answer the question “Are peaches a citrus?”, we called on Blake Carlson of Rocking Chair Farm Markets.

Are Peaches a Citrus?

Blake and his wife Lisa grow peaches, nectarines, plums, table grapes, almonds, walnuts, and persimmons in Kingsburg, California. We’ve added their fruit to our fruit mixes for almost two decades. When we asked Blake whether peaches are a citrus, he said that the short answer is: “They’re not!”

Peaches aren’t a citrus fruit—they’re a stone fruit.

Stone Fruits vs. Citrus Fruits

The Stone Fruit Family

Peaches, nectarines, plums, apricots, cherries, and their hybrids are called stone fruits because they have pits (or “stones”) in their centers. Botanically, they’re classified as drupes. Drupes have those signature stones, thin edible skin, and edible flesh.

Stone fruit trees are also deciduous, which means they lose their leaves in the fall, go dormant in the winter, and grow new leaves in the spring. You can learn more about the stone fruit family in our handy guide, “Stone Fruit 101.”

The Citrus Fruit Family

For Blake, the biggest difference between the citrus fruit and stone fruit families is that citrus trees aren’t deciduous—they’re evergreens that hang onto their leaves year-round.

“Citrus is not deciduous, it really doesn’t go dormant,” he explained. “Stone fruit is deciduous and goes dormant. They’re totally different.”

Oranges, grapefruits, lemons, limes, mandarins, and pummelos are just a few of the many fruits you’ll find in the complex citrus family tree. Botanically, citrus fruits are considered hesperidia. Hesperidia don’t have stones. Instead, they have fleshy centers divided into segments and skin that peels away from the fruit.

You can learn more about citrus fruits in our winter citrus guide.

What Stone Fruits and Citrus Fruits Have in Common

Stone fruits and citrus fruits are very different, but that doesn’t mean “Are peaches a citrus?” is a silly question. Peaches and oranges can look pretty similar at a glance with their sunny colors and round shapes. Plus, they come from the same part of the world: Asia.

Pretty much all of the citrus fruits we know and love today are descended from five parent varieties: citron, Citrus Micrantha, pummelo, mandarin, and kumquat. And all five of these parent fruits likely came from Asia, where they appeared about 6–8 million years ago.

Researchers have also traced many stone fruits back to Asia, including peaches and apricots. According to the Royal Horticultural Society, peaches originated in China about 12,000 years ago and didn’t make it to Europe until the time of Alexander the Great (about 2,300 years ago).

Peaches and citrus fruits have one more thing in common, too: They’re both nutritious and delicious snacks, rich in Vitamin C and magnesium. Eating them fresh is a great way to add more vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to your diet, along with a hydration boost.

Order a fresh fruit delivery from The FruitGuys to enjoy them at peak season!