Nectarine tree (Diamond Jewel)

Abstract

The present invention relates to a nectarine tree and more particularly to a new and distinct variety broadly characterized by a medium size, medium vigor, hardy, very productive and regular bearing tree. The fruit matures under the ecological conditions described approximately the first week in June, with first picking on June 6, 1988, making it an early ripening variety, especially for a clingstone nectarine. The fruit is uniformly large in size, clingstone in type, very firm making excellent quality for keeping and shipping, full dark red in skin color, and acidic but sweet in flavor. The variety was developed as a hybridized seedling from the selected seed parent, Red Diamond (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 3,165), and an unnamed nectarine seedling as the selected pollen parent.

We claim: 
     
       1. A new and distinct early ripening variety of clingstone nectarine tree, substantially as illustrated and described, which most nearly resembles the May Diamond (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,454) nectarine variety by producing fruit that is full red in color, ripens in early June, and is very firm in texture, but is distinguished from and an improvement on that variety by having fruit that is clingstone instead of freestone and that is much sweeter in flavor, both being valuable assets in today's marketplace.