Sun Snow Nectarine Tree

Sun Snow Nectarine (Prunus persica var. nucipersica 'Sun Snow') gives you smooth skinned summer fruit from a tree that stays around 3.5m tall and 3m wide, small enough for an ordinary backyard. Pink blossom covers the bare branches in late winter and early spring, then the fruit follows through summer. It is self fertile, so one tree is all you need.

Why you'll love it

• Fruit from a tree that fits. About 3.5m by 3m unpruned, and easily held at 2.5m with an annual prune after harvest.
• Blossom before the fruit. Pink flowers open on bare wood ahead of the leaves, and the bees working them set your crop.
• One tree is enough. Nectarines are self fertile, so you do not need a second variety nearby to get fruit.
• Roots that stay out of trouble. Non-invasive, so it can sit near a path, a shed or a fence line without lifting anything.

Where it works best

Small gardens. Give it 3m of clear space and full sun. A shaded tree makes leaves and very little fruit.

Pots and containers. A pot 500mm or wider works. Expect around 2m and a smaller crop, and be honest with yourself about daily watering through summer.

Feature planting. Blossom in late winter, fruit in summer and yellow tones before the leaves drop give it three distinct seasons.

Growing Sun Snow Nectarine in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, at least six hours a day. It suits subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate and Mediterranean gardens. It is frost hardy and heat tolerant, though a hard frost during blossom can cost you that season's crop, so avoid a low frost pocket.

Soil. Deep and free draining, slightly acidic. It will not tolerate wet feet, so on clay plant on a raised mound with compost through the backfill. Mulch 75mm deep and keep it clear of the trunk.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first summer, then weekly while the fruit is sizing, because irregular watering splits fruit and drops it early. Feed a complete fruit tree fertiliser in early spring and again after harvest.

Pruning and thinning. Nectarines fruit on last season's wood, so prune every year after harvest in late summer, taking out about a third of the old fruited wood to force new growth. Thin young fruit to about 10cm apart for size. Summer pruning also reduces the risk of silver leaf and bacterial canker.

What to expect when it arrives

It is sold in one size, a 5 litre pot, and it is currently on backorder, so allow for a wait. A 5 litre nectarine is a young grafted tree, usually a single leader with a few side branches, roughly waist to shoulder height. Prune it to an open vase shape in its first year and the framework is set for life.

The tree is deciduous, so a winter delivery arrives bare, which is normal. Trees are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery, and every tree carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Compare the full fruit tree range.
• Read about choosing fruit trees for every season.
• Browse other edible plants.
• See our guide to growing a fruit and vegetable garden.

Common questions

Do I need a second tree to get fruit?

No. Nectarines are self fertile, so a single tree will set a crop on its own given bees and reasonable weather at blossom time.

When will it start fruiting?

Usually a light crop in the second summer after planting, and a proper one from the third. Thin the first few crops hard so the young framework is not overloaded.

Can I keep it smaller than 3.5m?

Yes. An annual prune after harvest holds it at 2m to 2.5m, and a lower tree is far easier to net and pick.

Is any part of it harmful?

The leaves and the stones inside the fruit contain cyanogenic compounds, so keep prunings away from pets and grazing animals. The fruit flesh itself is perfectly fine to eat.