An outstanding variety must also possess a number of other attributes such as attractive skin and flesh color, fruit shape, low percentage of split pits, and acceptable flavor. Flavor becomes especially important when fruits are marketed locally. A number of nectarine varieties have been tested in southern Alabama but very few are being grown commercially. Armking is the leading variety but is rapidly losing popularity because of lack of overall fruit quality. They may have potential but will probably have limited value because of early flowering that usually leads to crop loss by freezes.
Sunlite fruits lack overall quality.
Combined with early flowering, this selection is largely relegated to limited home use in the southernmost areas. Sundollar is worthy of trial but will probably flower too early. The same would generally be true of Sunsplash and Sungem. Mayfire is the earliest nectarine available, but fruits are generally of only fair quality. This selection is not proving to be very popular.