Here's the "Straight Fuzz" about California Cling Peaches.
  • The peach belongs to the rose family
  • China is the original home of the peach tree
  • California gold miners were the first to commercially farm Cling Peaches
  • There are two categories of peach, Clingstone and Freestone, distinguished by the ease with which the edible area pulls away from the stone (pit)


  • California Cling Peaches are the variety most commonly used for commercial canning as they are exceptional in their ability to retain their flavor and consistency
  • Almost all Cling Peaches are processed and rarely found fresh
  • In 2001 California harvested 470,000 tons of Cling Peaches
  • Butte, Fresno, Kings, Madera, Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tulare and Yuba counties produce most of the state's Cling Peaches
  • California's climate provides an ideal setting for peach trees, which require a chilling season followed by warmer days combined with rich soil and adequate water to produce the most flavorful fruit
  • Pruning is usually done in winter and thinning in spring to deliver the premium-sized fruit at harvest
  • Harvest commences at the end of June in the San Joaquin Valley to the south and comes to an end after Labor Day in the Sacramento Valley to the north
  • Peach trees are usually planted with a minimum density of 121 trees per acre, their leaves nearly touching
  • Each acre produces an average of 18 tons of Cling Peaches per year
  • The California Cling Peach Board was established to promote California Cling Peaches domestically and internationally through the use of industry standards, education, research and innovation
  • If you're interested in additional industry information, please visit our Cal Cling Peach Industry section


  • Results of several nutrition studies show that canned fruit are as nutritious as their fresh and frozen counterparts
  • Canneries operate seven days a week throughout the harvest so that the fruit retains all the nutritional value and flavor
  • In most cases, peaches are canned within 24 hours of delivery to the processing plant, which insures that the peaches maintain nutritional value and flavor
  • Canned peaches retain vitamins A and C throughout their canned life
  • Most canned peaches have a shelf life of two years
  • Cling Peaches are processed in one of four ways-sliced, halved, diced or added to fruit cocktail and mixed fruit
  • In 1999-2000, US per capita consumption of canned peaches was 4.4 pounds
  • For more tips and serving ideas, visit the "Versatile Canned Peach" in the Peach Tips section

  • They contain vitamin C, an antioxidant, which boosts the immune system, promotes healing and builds strong connective tissue to stabilize bones
  • Well-balanced diets, rich in fruits and vegetables, including California Cling Peaches, reduce the risk of many types of cancer, heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, stroke and even premature aging
  • Sweet, juicy and ready to eat, canned California peaches are an all-American family favorite
  • Visit our Nutrition & Health section for more information





Sources: Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom, California Cling Peach Board, The Oxford Companion to Food, USDA, The Canned Food Alliance, University of Illinois Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, USDA Economic Research Service. (For source URLs see Links.)