Photo: Nectarine Trees Central Otago

Rows of nectarine trees in an orchard near Roxburgh in Central Otago, New Zealand.

Orchards near the town of Roxburgh in Central Otago, New Zealand grow some of the best apricots, apples, cherries and nectarines in the region. Nectarine trees are closely related to peach trees in terms of what is needed to grow the finest fruit as well as being very close in their looks.The main difference being that the peach has a fuzzy exterior where the nectarine is smooth but the nectarine is a fair bit brighter in colour. When harvesting the trees after the nectarines are ripe, careful handling is required as the skin is quite tender and damaged easily.There is nothing like picking a fresh nectarine off the trees to test the quality. The nectarine is an excellent source of vitamins A and C and are low in calories just like most types of fresh fruit.Nectarine trees only have a time span of about twelve years and can be controlled to reach a certain height or can be left alone and sometimes reach up to twenty feet tall. ... continue below the picture...

... The climate in Roxburgh, Central Otago is ideal for having an orchard full of beautiful nectarine trees. Summers are hot and winters can become fairly cold which is what the trees thrive on.Nectarine Trees in an orchard near Roxburgh, Central Otago, South Island, New Zealand.