Donut Peach

The flattened "donut" or "Saturn" peach shape traces back to ancient China, where flat peach varieties (pántáo, meaning "coiled peach") were documented in Chinese texts for well over a thousand years and appear in Chinese folklore, including the 16th-century novel Journey to the West. Flat peaches were first brought to the United States from China around 1869-1871, but remained a genuine rarity for over a century — the trees bloom very early, making them highly susceptible to frost damage, which kept them from thriving in most American growing regions. Breeders at Rutgers University's Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center worked through the 1960s and 1970s to develop a frost-hardier strain, releasing it under the name "Saturn" for its resemblance to the planet's rings. Frieda's Specialty Produce trademarked and marketed this strain under the more consumer-friendly name "Donut Peach" starting in 1986, helping drive the variety's eventual mainstream popularity in American grocery stores. The fruit is flattened with a characteristic central indent, thin skin, and white flesh that is notably sweet with low acidity, often described as having subtle almond or floral notes. It is generally semi-freestone to freestone.