Goldmine Nectarine Tree

Goldmine Nectarine Tree (Prunus persica var. nucipersica 'Goldmine') is an old Australian favourite, a deciduous fruit tree that grows 3 to 4m high and about 3.5m wide. It carries white-fleshed, freestone nectarines that are sweet and very juicy, ripening from mid to late summer. It is considered low-chill, so it crops in warm areas where many nectarines will not.

Why you'll love it

• White flesh, full flavour. The fruit has cream skin blushed with red, and sweet, juicy white flesh.
• Freestone. The flesh pulls cleanly away from the stone, which makes it easy to eat fresh or slice.
• Self-fertile. One tree sets a full crop without a pollinator.
• Crops in warmer districts. Because it is regarded as low-chill, it suits warm temperate and mild subtropical gardens as well as cooler ones.
• Pink blossom in late winter. The bare branches flower before the leaves appear.

Where it works best

Backyard fruit tree. Plant in an open, sunny position with 3.5 to 4m of space and good air movement.

Home orchard. Space trees 4m apart. Planted with an earlier and a later variety it extends the stone fruit season.

Along a sunny fence. It can be fan-trained flat on wires where space is tight, which also makes netting simpler.

Growing Goldmine Nectarine in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun and shelter from strong wind. Goldmine is considered low-chill, so it fruits in warm temperate and mild subtropical gardens as well as cool temperate and Mediterranean ones. It is not a tree for the tropics.

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 Goldmine Nectarine as single trees in 300mm pots. Nectarines are 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

• Fruit trees for the backyard
• Edible plants
• Deciduous trees
• Fruit trees for every season: planting tips

Common questions

Do I need two trees for pollination?

No. Goldmine is self-fertile and a single tree will crop.

Will it fruit in a warm climate?

It is considered a low-chill variety, so it is one of the better nectarines for warm temperate and mild subtropical areas. In fruit fly districts the crop needs netting or bagging.

What is peach leaf curl?

A fungal disease that puckers and reddens new leaves in spring. One copper spray at bud swell, before the buds open, prevents it. Spraying after the leaves are out is too late for that season.