While it is widely believed that Spanish explorers were responsible for introducing peaches to North America, new research reveals that Indigenous communities played a crucial role in nurturing and spreading this beloved summer fruit across the continent. A groundbreaking study published in *Nature Communications* by researchers from Penn State has unearthed compelling evidence linking the dispersal of peaches to intricate Indigenous social and political networks.

According to Jacob Holland-Lulewicz, the lead researcher and assistant professor of anthropology at Penn State, the cultivation of peaches is not a simple task. "Peaches require significant human intervention—careful planting, sufficient sunlight, well-drained soil, and periodic pruning," he explained. This detailed understanding emphasizes that simply introducing peach seeds was insufficient; Indigenous knowledge and practices were essential for the fruit's propagation.

The research team conducted a thorough analysis of historical documents, including travel narratives from figures like French missionary Jacques Marquette and English merchant Jonathan Dickinson, which provided insights into the presence and trading of peaches during the early colonial period. In addition, they utilized radiocarbon dating to ascertain the ages of peach pits and other organic materials from 28 archaeological sites across states including the Carolinas, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, and Arkansas.

Their findings revealed that peaches significantly permeated Indigenous settlements in the southeastern United States as early as 1620, shortly after the arrival of Spanish expeditions in Florida and Georgia. "These early Spanish settlements acted as important trade hubs within established Indigenous networks, facilitating the spread of peaches," noted Holland-Lulewicz.

Intriguingly, the researchers also identified potential evidence of North America's earliest peach cultivation at a Muskogean farmstead located in the Oconee Valley. Artifacts collected in the 1990s showed occupation at this site occurring between 1520 and 1550, implying that peaches may have been cultivated there decades before the establishment of St. Augustine in 1565.

Victor Thompson, co-author and Distinguished Research Professor at the University of Georgia, remarked on the implications of this study, stating, "Understanding how species like peaches were introduced during colonization highlights the long-standing relationship between Indigenous communities and their environments, which is pivotal in framing American history."

Moreover, the adoption of peaches did not merely stop at cultivation; Indigenous peoples actively bred new varieties that exceeded those found in Europe at that time. "By the mid-1600s, Europeans were astonished to find that Indigenous communities cultivated a far greater variety of peaches than they had ever seen in Europe," Holland-Lulewicz noted, underscoring the fruit's significance in Indigenous culture.

Peaches became so intertwined with Indigenous identity that when the ancestors of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation were forcibly relocated during the 19th century, they carried the fruit with them. Today, Muscogee (Creek) communities continue to grow peaches as a vital cultural practice, a testament to their enduring connection to this fruit.

This rich narrative emphasizes that the story of peaches in North America is not merely one of European influence but rather a complex tale of collaboration, adaptation, and cultural resilience spanning centuries. As researchers continue to explore this history, it is clear that documenting and preserving such knowledge remains essential for understanding our shared agricultural heritage.