Nectarine tree (Summer Fire)

Abstract

The present invention relates to a nectarine tree and more particularly to a new and distinct variety broadly characterized by a large size, vigorous, hardy, productive and regular bearing tree. The fruit matures under the ecological conditions described in late July, with first picking on July 22, 1989, making it a mid-seasonal ripening variety. The fruit is uniformly large in size, clingstone in type, dark red in skin color covering almost the entire surface, acidic but sweet in flavor, and exceptionally firm in texture, resulting in excellent quality for keeping and shipping. 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 seedling as the selected pollen parent.

We claim: 
     
       1. A new and distinct variety of mid-seasonal ripening clingstone nectarine tree, substantially as illustrated and described, which most nearly resembles the Summer Bright (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,049) nectarine variety by producing fruit that is nearly full red in color, clingstone in type, and exceptionally firm in texture, but is distinguished from and an improvement on that variety by producing fruit that is somewhat larger in size and that ripens nine days later, thus extending those desirable qualities into a later harvesting and marketing season.