Nectarine tree--`Scarlet Sun` cultivar

Abstract

A new and distinct cultivar of nectarine tree is provided that is named Scarlet Sun. The new cultivar originated from an open-pollinated peach seed of unknown parentage that was planted by the originator when seeking to develop new peach and nectarine cultivars of commercial potential primarily for California growing conditions. The new variety produces large freestone fruit with a high degree of bright red skin coloration. The harvest time is relatively early and commonly provides a crop suitable for commercial harvest from about June 15th to 25th when grown in central San Joaquin Valley of California near Fresno. The new cultivar offers improvements in fruit quality, color, and size over other freestone nectarine cultivars maturing at approximately the same time. For instance, the new cultivar is proposed as a superior alternative to the Sunfre nectarine cultivar (non-patented in the United States) that currently is harvested in approximately the same season when grown in the stone-fruit production areas of Washington State.

I claim: 
     
       1. A new and distinct cultivar of nectarine cultivar, having the following combination of characteristics. (a) forms attractive early-maturing fruit having a generally uniformly large size wherein approximately 75 to 90 percent of the skin is bright red in coloration.   (b) forms firm, crisp, highly-flavored yellow freestone flesh of excellent quality having a small amount of red tinging, and   (c) exhibits a spreading and slightly growth habit; substantially as herein shown and described.