Fantasia Nectarine Tree

Fantasia Nectarine Tree (Prunus persica var. nucipersica 'Fantasia') is a deciduous fruit tree, 3 to 4m high and about 3.5m wide, that bears large yellow-fleshed nectarines in mid to late season. The fruit is firm, freestone and tangy-sweet, with bright red skin over a yellow ground. It is the one to plant if you like a nectarine with some bite to it.

Why you'll love it

• Large, firm fruit. Fantasia nectarines are big and hold their shape, so they handle picking and keep a few days longer than soft varieties.
• Tangy-sweet yellow flesh. The flavour balances sugar with a clean acidity.
• Freestone. The stone lifts out cleanly, which suits slicing, cooking and preserving.
• Self-fertile. A single tree crops without a second variety.
• Spring blossom. Pink flowers open on the bare branches at the end of winter.

Where it works best

Backyard fruit tree. Give it a sunny, open position with 3.5 to 4m of clear space.

Home orchard. Plant 4m apart. As a mid to late variety it follows on from early nectarines and peaches.

Fan-trained on a fence. Trained flat on wires along a sunny fence it takes little ground and is easy to net.

Growing Fantasia Nectarine in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun with shelter from strong wind. Fantasia needs a moderate amount of winter chill, so it is at its best in cool temperate, warm temperate and Mediterranean gardens. It is less reliable in the subtropics, where mild winters can leave it with a light crop. The tree is frost hardy, though late frost can damage open blossom.

Soil. Well-drained soil enriched with compost is best. Nectarines dislike waterlogged roots, so plant on a mound in clay.

Water and feed. Water deeply each week from flowering to harvest, as uneven watering leads to small or split fruit. Feed with a complete fruit tree fertiliser in early spring and again after harvest, and mulch well.

Pruning. Prune in winter to an open vase shape. Nectarines fruit on wood grown the previous summer, so cut out some older wood each year to keep new shoots coming. Spray with copper at bud swell in late winter to prevent peach leaf curl, thin heavy crops so the remaining fruit sizes up, and net or bag the fruit where fruit fly is active.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Fantasia Nectarine as single trees in 300mm pots. It is deciduous, so a tree sent in winter arrives bare and one sent in the growing season arrives in leaf. Named varieties like this are grafted, and grafted trees crop sooner than seedlings. Plant at the same depth as the pot and water in well. Our growers do not hold every size all year, so a size can show as on backorder at times. An order for a backorder size is confirmed with you before anything ships.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse fruit trees
• Edible plants for the garden
• Deciduous trees
• Planning an edible backyard

Common questions

Is Fantasia self-pollinating?

Yes. It is self-fertile, so one tree will set fruit on its own.

Will it crop in a subtropical garden?

It may, but it is less reliable there. Fantasia needs moderate winter chill, so a low-chill variety is the safer choice for warm-winter districts.

When is the fruit ready?

Mid to late season, in the second half of summer. Pick when the yellow ground colour has lost any green and the fruit gives slightly at the stem end.