Sunbob Nectarine Tree

Sunbob Nectarine (Prunus persica var. nucipersica 'Sunbob') is a low chill nectarine, which is the detail that matters: it sets fruit in warm districts where most stone fruit needs a colder winter than it ever gets. Left alone it reaches about 3.5m tall and 3m wide, though most gardeners prune it to around 2.5m so the crop stays within reach. Pink blossom in late winter, sweet yellow fleshed fruit in early summer.

Why you'll love it

• It fruits in warm districts. The low chill requirement means reliable cropping in subtropical and warm temperate gardens, not just cool climate ones.
• Blossom before the fruit. A tree covered in pink flowers in late winter, well before most of the garden has woken up.
• Prune it to picking height. Naturally 3.5m, easily held at 2.5m, which means no ladder and no fruit left for the birds up top.
• Non invasive roots. Safe near paths, paving and services, so it fits a small backyard or a large pot.

Where it works best

A backyard feature tree. Blossom, summer fruit and autumn leaf change from one tree, in a footprint of about 3m. Give it a sunny open spot with air movement around it.

Small gardens. Held at 2.5m with annual pruning it suits a courtyard or a narrow rear yard. Allow 3m of clearance from fences and buildings so you can work around it.

Pots and containers. A half wine barrel or a pot 600mm and wider carries it for years, provided you commit to consistent watering and yearly pruning.

Growing Sunbob Nectarine in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, all day, with good air flow to reduce fungal problems. It suits subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate and Mediterranean gardens, and it is both frost hardy and heat tolerant. In genuinely tropical districts the winter chill is too slight and cropping becomes unreliable.

Soil. Deep, free draining and enriched with compost. Stone fruit will not tolerate wet roots, so on clay plant on a raised mound 300mm high and keep mulch clear of the trunk.

Water and feed. Water deeply twice a week from flowering to harvest, since fruit size drops sharply if the tree dries out while cropping. Feed a complete fruit tree fertiliser in early spring and after harvest.

Pruning and fruit care. Prune every year straight after harvest, opening the centre to a vase shape, because nectarines fruit on wood grown the previous season. Thin young fruit to about 10cm apart for decent size. Fruit fly and brown rot are the two problems to plan for in warm districts, so use exclusion bagging or netting and pick up dropped fruit.

What to expect when it arrives

This nectarine is grown here in a 5L pot: a young grafted tree of roughly knee to waist height with a defined leader and a few side branches. In winter it arrives bare or nearly bare of leaves, because it is deciduous. That is normal.

Plant it into a prepared hole, stake it for the first two years, and expect a light crop in the second or third summer and a proper one by year four. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Planting fruit trees season by season
• Browse the full fruit tree range
• Compare edible plants and bush tucker
• How to prune, explained simply

Common questions

Do I need a second tree to get fruit?

No. Nectarines are self fertile, so a single Sunbob will crop on its own. A second stone fruit nearby can slightly improve set, but it is not required.

How big will it get?

About 3.5m tall and 3m wide if never pruned. Most people hold it at 2.5m with an annual cut after harvest, which keeps picking, netting and spraying manageable.

Is it safe around pets?

The fruit flesh is fine, but the leaves and stones contain cyanogenic compounds and are toxic if chewed. Pick up dropped fruit and prunings if you have a dog that eats what it finds.