How to tell if a peach is ripe

The clearest sign of a ripe peach is a background color that has turned from green to yellow or orange.

• The background color changes from green to yellow or orange as the fruit ripens.
• A fully ripe peach has a dark yellow background color.
• The flesh softens as the fruit ripens, especially in melting-flesh varieties.
• Many peaches give off a strong peachy aroma as they ripen.
• A ripe peach separates from the tree easily when picked.
• The red coloration is not a reliable sign of ripeness, even though it affects how the fruit looks.