Prunus persica ‘Indian Blood Cling’

The Tradescants were 17th century gardeners who introduced many new plants to England. More than 160 varieties of fruit were listed amongst the inventory of plants grown at the Tradescants nursery in Lambeth, many of which are illustrated in the Orchard. The Garden Museum invited 40 of the worlds leading botanical artists to paint watercolours of fruit in response to the Orchard.

Karen Ringstrand resides in Virginia and three of her paintings appear in the book, American Botanical Paintings: Native Plants of the Mid Atlantic. The Director of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation suggested Karen drew the Indian Blood Peach, due to the unusual markings on its skin and dramatic bi-coloured flesh. The Indian Blood peach may be the original variety brought to North America by the Spanish or French, which naturalized and spread over the south eastern United States and was cultivated by Native Americans.