The Rise and Fall of Delaware’s Peachy Empire

On This Day
This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast:

Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode.

May 9, 1888

On this day in 1888, the fair state of Delaware adorned itself with a most becoming floral emblem.

The Peach Blossom, that harbinger of spring's sweet promise, was elected to the esteemed position of State Flower.

Oh, what a sight it must have been, dear readers, as the deep pink petals of democracy unfurled!

These delicate blooms, with their blushing hue reminiscent of a maiden's first dance, grace our landscapes remarkably early in the year.

But let us not be fooled by their fragile appearance, for they are hardy souls indeed, oft braving the capricious whims of late frosts.

How like our own gardening endeavors, wouldn't you say?

Always at the mercy of Mother Nature's fickle temperament!

Now, let us delve into the fascinating world of botanical nomenclature.

The peach fruit, you see, is known in scientific circles as a drupe. Imagine, if you will, a fleshy outer layer, soft and inviting, concealing a hard shell within which nestles a single, precious seed. Nature's own little treasure chest, wouldn't you agree?

At the time of this auspicious floral appointment, Delaware wore the crown of the "Peach State" with great pride.

Picture, if you can, the vast orchards boasting more than 800,000 peach trees (Prunus persica, a charming immigrant from China).

What a spectacle it must have been when those trees burst into bloom!

These arboreal treasures, we're told, were introduced by the Spanish. By the 1600s, peaches were so abundant that Delaware farmers, in a display of either great generosity or perhaps agricultural ennui, were said to feed them to their pigs.

One can only imagine the contented oinks that must have echoed across the orchards!

By 1875, Delaware had ascended to the lofty heights of the country's top peach producer. But alas, dear readers, pride often comes before a fall.

Enter the villainous "yellows," a blight that swept through the orchards like a scythe through wheat. This pernicious disease toppled Delaware from its peachy throne in the late 1800s, a cautionary tale for all who tend the earth.

Yet, let us not despair!

For while Delaware may no longer reign supreme in the peach-growing realm, it still produces a respectable 2,000,000 pounds of peaches annually. A far cry from its heyday, perhaps, but nothing to pit one's nose at!

And what of the current peach potentate, you ask?

Why, it's none other than sunny California, producing a staggering 950,000 tons of peaches each year.

But let us not begrudge them their success, for in the world of horticulture, there's room for every blossom to bloom.

So, dear gardeners, the next time you spy a peach blossom unfurling its delicate petals to the spring sun, spare a thought for Delaware.

For in those soft pink blooms lies a tale of ambition, triumph, and resilience – much like our own gardening adventures, wouldn't you say?

Peach on a tree
Peach on a tree

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