Nectarine tree (Spring Bright)

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 June, with first picking on June 21, 1989, and is uniformly large in size, clingstone in type, fully dark red in skin color, slightly acidic but very 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, May Diamond (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,454), and an unnamed seedling as the selected pollen parent.

We claim: 
     
       1. A new and distinct variety of clingstone nectarine tree, substantially as illustrated and described, whose fruit matures at nearly the same time as Spring Red (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 3,619), but is distinguished therefrom and an improvement thereon by producing fruit that is darker red in skin color, very much firmer in texture, much sweeter in flavor, and clingstone instead of freestone in type; whose fruit most nearly resembles the May Diamond (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,454), the seed parent, by being a full red colored nectarine with excellent firmness, but is distinguished therefrom and an improvement thereon by ripening sixteen days later, by being a clingstone instead of a freestone, and by having a sweeter flavor; and whose tree is distinguished from the May Diamond by producing a large instead of small blossom and by having globose instead of reniform glands.