PESCAL-PEACH TREE-MELOCOTONERO

[Marta Elena Díaz García]

Pescal is Asturian name of the peach tree. The fruit is the piesco or piescu. The Latin name of the fruit is Prunus Persica while in Spanish it is "melocotón" or "durazno".

There are some places in Asturias with the name La Pescal (e.g. in Cancienes, Corvera).

According to J.A. González Calle (in his book Historia de Corvera de Asturias y su área), “pescal” cames from “piescu” and it from the Latin “persicum” (fruit from Persia).

Do you know which was the tree that deceived the Devil?

It was the pescal, because it is the first tree to blossom in spring and is the last to bear fruit!

[Bob]

Very interesting, Marta.

Peaches and nectarines are the same species, although peaches have fuzzy skins and nectarines smooth skins. Here is the EEUU they are traditionally divided into freestone and clingstone, depending whether or not the flesh adheres to the pit. Peaches are originally from east Asia and were carried to Persia and grown in abundance there. Hence the scientific name Prunus persica.

[Anzu]

Tamién ye mui común la forma "piescal", con "i", sobremanera na zona'l cientru y sur-suroesti d'Asturies.

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It is also very common the form "piescal" with "i", especially in the center and South-South West zone of Asturies.

[Marta Elena Díaz García]

Hi, Bob:

Yes, there are many different varieties of peaches in the market. I don't know if they are hybrids or just genetic variants.

Recently, a new type of nectarine that is similar to a "paraguayo" (Prunus persica var. Platycarp) but with smooth skin is in the market. It is called "platerina" . Personally, I prefer "paraguayos" than "platerinas" in spite of their smooth skin.

Marta.