Peach vs. Plum — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman & Fiza Rafique — Updated on September 19, 2023
A peach is a juicy, sweet fruit with a fuzzy skin, native to Northwest China. A plum is a smooth-skinned fruit, native to regions around the Caucasus, the Caspian Sea, and Northern China. Both are stone fruits but differ in flavor, texture, and uses.
Difference Between Peach and Plum
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Key Differences
A peach is known for its sweet, juicy flesh and fuzzy outer skin. A plum, in contrast, has a smooth skin and comes in a range of flavors from sweet to tart. Both fruits belong to the stone fruit category, meaning they have a large, central pit, but their sensory profiles are notably different.
In terms of culinary uses, peaches are often found in desserts like cobblers and pies or eaten fresh. Plums, while also consumed fresh, are frequently used in sauces, jams, and are even dried to create prunes. Both fruits have versatile applications, yet their unique flavors and textures make them suitable for different dishes.
Nutritionally, peaches are rich in vitamins like A and C and provide good amounts of fiber. Plums are equally nutritious but are particularly known for their antioxidant properties. Both fruits offer nutritional benefits, but they contribute different vitamins and minerals to one's diet.
Peaches are usually larger and rounder, often with a slight "crease" on one side. Plums are generally smaller and can be round or oval, with a more consistent shape. The colors of each also differ: peaches are generally a mix of orange, yellow, and pink, while plums come in various shades from red to purple to black.
In summary, while peaches and plums both belong to the stone fruit family, they differ significantly in texture, flavor, nutritional value, and culinary applications. Peaches are more commonly associated with sweet dishes and have a fuzzier skin, whereas plums have a smooth skin and offer a broader range of flavors.
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Comparison Chart
Skin Texture
Fuzzy
Smooth
Flavor
Sweet
Range from sweet to tart
Culinary Uses
Desserts, fresh
Sauces, jams, fresh, dried
Nutritional Benefits
Rich in Vitamins A and C
High in antioxidants
Physical Shape
Round, often with a crease
Round or oval
Compare with Definitions
Peach
A peach is a sweet, juicy stone fruit with a fuzzy skin.
The peach pie was filled with ripe, juicy peaches.
Plum
A plum is a stone fruit with a smooth skin.
The plum was so sweet and juicy, it was gone in seconds.
Peach
Peaches have a characteristic "fuzzy" texture on their skin.
The fuzzy skin of the peach felt soft to the touch.
Plum
Plums come in a variety of flavors, from sweet to tart.
This plum is a bit tart, perfect for making jam.
Peach
Peaches are native to Northwest China.
The peach originated from Northwest China thousands of years ago.
Plum
Plums are known for their high antioxidant content.
Eating plums can be good for your health due to their antioxidants.
Peach
Peaches are rich in Vitamins A and C.
Eating a peach can provide a good amount of your daily Vitamin C needs.
Plum
Plums can be dried to make prunes.
Prunes are simply dried plums.
Peach
Peaches are commonly used in desserts.
Peach cobbler is a popular Southern dish.
Plum
Plums are native to areas around the Caucasus, the Caspian Sea, and Northern China.
Plums have a diverse range of native regions.
Peach
The peach (Prunus persica) is a deciduous tree native to the region of Northwest China between the Tarim Basin and the north slopes of the Kunlun Mountains, where it was first domesticated and cultivated. It bears edible juicy fruits with various characteristics, most called peaches and others (the glossy-skinned varieties), nectarines.
Plum
A plum is a fruit of some species in Prunus subg. Prunus.
Peach
A small Chinese tree (Prunus persica) in the rose family, widely cultivated throughout temperate regions, having pink flowers and edible fruit.
Plum
Any of several shrubs or small trees of the genus Prunus of the rose family, especially the cultivated species P. domestica and P. salicina, bearing smooth-skinned, fleshy, edible fruit with a single stone.
Peach
The soft juicy fruit of this tree, having yellow or white flesh, downy reddish-yellow skin, and a deeply ridged stone containing a single seed.
Plum
The fruit of any of these trees.
Peach
A light moderate to strong yellowish pink to light orange.
Plum
Any of several trees bearing plumlike fruit.
Peach
(Informal) A particularly admirable or pleasing person or thing.
Plum
The fruit of such a tree.
Peach
To inform on someone; turn informer
"Middle-level bureaucrats cravenly peach on their bosses [when] one of them does something the tiniest bit illegal" (National Observer).
Plum
A raisin, when added to a pudding or cake.
Peach
To inform against
"He has peached me and all the others, to save his life" (Daniel Defoe).
Plum
A sugarplum.
Peach
A tree (Prunus persica), native to China and now widely cultivated throughout temperate regions, having pink flowers and edible fruit.
Plum
A dark purple to deep reddish purple.
Peach
The soft juicy stone fruit of the peach tree, having yellow flesh, downy, red-tinted yellow skin, and a deeply sculptured pit or stone containing a single seed.
Plum
An especially desirable position, assignment, or reward
An ambassadorship granted as a political plum.
Peach
(color) A light moderate to strong yellowish pink to light orange color.
Plum
Variant of plumb.
Peach
(informal) A particularly admirable or pleasing person or thing.
Plum
Variant of plumb.
Peach
(often in plural) buttock or bottom
Plum
The fruit and its tree.
Peach
Of or pertaining to the color peach.
Plum
An edible, fleshy stone fruit of Prunus domestica (European plum), often of a dark red or purple colour.
Peach
Particularly pleasing or agreeable.
Plum
A stone-fruit tree which bears this fruit, Prunus domestica.
Peach
To inform on someone; turn informer.
Plum
The edible, fleshy stone fruit of several species resembling the plum, or the tree from which they grow.
Peach
To inform against.
Plum
A dried grape or raisin, as used in a pudding or cake.
Peach
To accuse of crime; to inform against.
Plum
Extended senses.
Peach
To turn informer; to betray one's accomplice.
If I be ta'en, I'll peach for this.
Plum
One hundred thousand pounds; generally a fortune.
Peach
A well-known high-flavored juicy fruit, containing one or two seeds in a hard almond-like endocarp or stone. In the wild stock the fruit is hard and inedible.
Plum
A desirable or choice thing of its kind; a prize selection; a choice appointment, assignment etc.
The mayor rewarded his cronies with cushy plums, requiring little work for handsome pay.
Peach
The tree (Prunus Persica syn. Amygdalus Persica) which bears the peach fruit.
Plum
A dark bluish-red color/colour, the colour of some plums.
Peach
The pale red color of the peach blossom, or the light pinkish yellow of the peach fruit.
Plum
A testicle.
Peach
Cultivated in temperate regions
Plum
A fool, an idiot.
Peach
A very attractive or seductive looking woman
Plum
(comparable) Of a dark bluish-red colour.
Peach
Downy juicy fruit with sweet yellowish or whitish flesh
Plum
(not comparable) Choice; especially lavish or preferred.
She landed a plum position as an executive for the firm.
Peach
A shade of pink tinged with yellow
Plum
Plumb
Peach
Divulge confidential information or secrets;
Be careful--his secretary talks
Plum
Completely; utterly.
You're going to think I'm plum crazy for this, but I want to adopt all seven kittens.
Plum
(mining) To plumb.
Plum
The edible drupaceous fruit of the Prunus domestica, and of several other species of Prunus; also, the tree itself, usually called plum tree.
The bullace, the damson, and the numerous varieties of plum, of our gardens, although growing into thornless trees, are believed to be varieties of the blackthorn, produced by long cultivation.
Plum
A grape dried in the sun; a raisin.
Plum
A handsome fortune or property; formerly, in cant language, the sum of £100,000 sterling; also, the person possessing it.
Plum
Something likened to a plum in desirableness; a good or choice thing of its kind, as among appointments, positions, parts of a book, etc.; as, the mayor rewarded his cronies with cushy plums, requiring little work for handsome pay
Plum
A color resembling that of a plum; a slightly grayish deep purple, varying somewhat in its red or blue tint.
Plum
Any of several trees producing edible oval smooth-skinned fruit with a single hard stone
Plum
Any of numerous varieties of small to medium-sized round or oval smooth-skinned fruit with a single pit
Plum
Exactly;
Fell plumb in the middle of the puddle
Plum
Completely; used as intensifiers;
Clean forgot the appointment
I'm plumb (or plum) tuckered out
Common Curiosities
What is a Peach?
A peach is a sweet, juicy stone fruit with a fuzzy skin.
What are the nutritional benefits of a Plum?
Plums are known for their high antioxidant content and provide a range of vitamins and minerals.
Are Peaches and Plums Stone Fruits?
Yes, both peaches and plums are categorized as stone fruits.
What is a Plum?
A plum is a stone fruit that has a smooth skin and can range in flavor from sweet to tart.
Can you eat the skin of a Peach?
Yes, the fuzzy skin of a peach is edible, though some prefer to peel it.
What dishes are Peaches commonly used in?
Peaches are often used in desserts like pies and cobblers.
Can you eat the skin of a Plum?
Yes, the smooth skin of a plum is generally eaten.
Where are Plums native to?
Plums are native to regions around the Caucasus, the Caspian Sea, and Northern China.
What are the nutritional benefits of a Peach?
Peaches are rich in vitamins like A and C and provide good amounts of fiber.
What dishes are Plums commonly used in?
Plums are used in a variety of dishes including sauces, jams, and desserts.
Do Peaches and Plums have pits?
Yes, both fruits have a large, central pit or stone.
Where are Peaches native to?
Peaches are native to Northwest China.
Can you dry Peaches?
Yes, peaches can be dried, though they are more commonly eaten fresh or used in cooking.
Can you dry Plums?
Yes, plums can be dried to make prunes.
Do Peaches and Plums come in different varieties?
Yes, there are multiple varieties of both peaches and plums, differing in size, color, and flavor.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
