An award-winning yellow freestone nectarine with rich, sweet-tart flavor and firm, smooth-skinned fruit blushed deep red.

The Flavortop is a freestone nectarine bred by the USDA in California and named for exactly what it delivers: full, aromatic flavor at the top of the nectarine class. Its medium-to-large fruit wears bright golden-yellow skin overlaid with a generous crimson blush, while the firm yellow flesh inside is juicy, sweet, and balanced by just enough tang. Because it is a freestone, the flesh pulls cleanly away from the pit, making it a favorite for fresh eating out of hand, slicing into salads, grilling, and putting up jams and preserves. As a tree, it carries clouds of pink spring blossoms before the fruit sets, so it earns its place as much for its looks as its harvest.

Why growers choose the Flavortop

• Standout flavor. A USDA selection prized for rich, sweet-tart taste and high sugar, widely regarded as one of the best-eating yellow nectarines.
• Clean freestone flesh. The pit releases easily from firm, golden flesh, so slicing, canning, and grilling are quick and tidy.
• Self-fertile. A single tree sets a full crop on its own, with no second variety required to get fruit.
• Cold-tolerant range. Hardy in zones 5 through 9, it handles colder winters than many nectarines while still ripening reliably through summer.
• Ornamental spring show. Showy pink blossoms cover the branches before the leaves, adding real seasonal color to the yard.

At a mature 12 to 15 feet tall and 10 to 15 feet wide, the Flavortop suits a sunny backyard, an edible-landscape border, or a small home orchard. With summer pruning it can be kept more compact, and its self-fertile habit means even a single tree in a modest space will reward you with fruit.