Peaches from an almond tree
A sweet-almond tree was in blossom, and was fertilised with peach pollen. An almond from the crop was sown, and produced a tree which bore eight peaches. Some of them were perfect, and others burst at the centre when ripe, as is the case with almonds. The peaches were finely-formed and coloured; the flesh white, soft, melting, and of good flavour.
.....taken from "A Description and History of Vegatable Substances used in The Arts and in Domestic Economy; Timber Trees ; Fruits", by Charles Knight, Pall Mall East; pub. Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown & Green, Paternoster Row. 1829.
.........Readers may be interested that there is now a lot of interest in peach-almond hybrids. Some development work is being done into their use as rootstocks, particularly in dry areas. The peach-almond hybrid has a greater drought resistance than either almond or peach, and it can be used as a rootstock for either.
Bob Flowerdew, of "Gardeners' Question Time" said a year or so ago that if you're growing peaches or nectarines, you must not let them be fertilised by almond blossom because the fruit will be bitter and inedible.
He may be right; I have tasted a melon fertilised by something other than another melon; it was uneatable; similar to a cucumber when the grower has omitted to remove the male flowers. As for fertilising an almond tree with peach blossom, I guess it would be OK.
Nigel Deacon
