U-Pick and Small Market Blueberry Cultivars for Mississippi S.J. Stringer and D.A. Marshall-Shaw USDA-ARS TCSHL, Poplarville, MS

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1 U-Pick and Small Market Blueberry Cultivars for Mississippi S.J. Stringer and D.A. Marshall-Shaw USDA-ARS TCSHL, Poplarville, MS

2 Rabbiteye Blueberry

3 Rabbiteye Blueberry Rabbiteye plants can get quite large, up to 20 feet if allowed to grow unchecked. If you wish to keep them at a height where you can easily reach all the berries, you will need to prune vigorously after a few years of growth. In commercial operations they are often hedge rowed to accommodate mechanical pickers.

4 Rabbiteye Blueberry Need well-drained acid soil and supplemental water during dry times Tend to be a bit more tolerant of drought and less-than-ideal ph. Rabbiteyes are practically disease free, and they tend to have much longer productive lives. The chilling hour s requirement for rabbiteye plants is 350 to 650 for regular leaf and bloom development.

5 Alapaha Rabbiteye

6 Alapaha Rabbiteye Origin: UGA, USDA / ARS (2001) Chilling requirement: 450 hrs Plants: vigorous, upright, narrow crowns Flowering: 7-10 days after Climax Productivity: high Berries: Small med size, light blue, firm, good scar and flavor Ripening: Same time as Climax, (2 wk) Pollinator: Austin, Climax, Prince, Premier Notes: In dry years, berries may be smaller than expected.

7 Austin Rabbiteye

8 Austin Rabbiteye Origin: UGA, USDA/ARS (1996) Chilling requirement: hr Plants: Upright, moderately vigorous, adequate cane renewal Flowering: late March early April Productivity: very high Berries: Medium large, light blue, good scar and flavor; slightly soft Ripening: Late May mid June (2 3 wk) Pollinator: Prince, Alapaha, Brightwell Notes: Seeds are large and can be abundant and objectionable in some years following excellent pollination

9 Bluesfest Rabbiteye

10 Bluesfest Rabbiteye Origin: USDA / ARS (2014) Chilling requirement: hr Plants: moderately vigorous and spreading, adequate cane renewal Flowering: ~ Powderblue (late March early April) Productivity: Medium - High Berries: Medium Large, exceptionally light blue, very firm and relatively small picking scars, very good flavor when fully ripe Ripening: late June Early July (~3 wk) Pollinator: Brightwell, Tifblue, Ochlochonee, DeSoto Notes: may sucker under heavy mulching, berries should remain on plant at least 7 d after turning light blue to obtain optimum sugar content

11 Brightwell Rabbiteye

12 Brightwell Rabbiteye Origin: UGA, USDA / ARS (1981) Chilling requirement: hrs Plants: Vigorous, Upright Flowering: Similar to Premier Productivity: high very high Berries: Medium large, small dry stem scar, good color and flavor Ripening: ~ 35d, early mid June in So. MS Pollinator: Alapaha, Austin, Bluesfest, Premier Notes: Extended ripening period excellent feature for U-Pick but uneven ripening may slow hand harvest

13 DeSoto Rabbiteye

14 DeSoto Rabbiteye

15 DeSoto Rabbiteye Origin: USDA/ARS (2004) Chilling: hr Plants: Semi Dwarf, spreading, narrow medium crowns, adequate cane renewal Flowering: Early mid April Productivity: Medium - High Berries: Large, good color, firmness, picking scar and flavor Ripening: Late June early August Pollinator: Bluesfest, Powdereblue, Ochlochonee, Tifblue Notes: Very late season cultivar that never has frost injury (not widely available so ask your nurserymen to propagate!)

16 Ochlockonee Rabbiteye

17 Ochlockonee Rabbiteye Origin: UGA, USDA/ARS Chilling: hr Plants: Vigorous, upright Flowering: Mid April Productivity: High Berries: Medium Large, good color, firmness, scar and flavor Ripening: Mid July Mid August Pollinator: Tifblue, Powderblue, Bluesfest, Notes: Spring frost seldom problem,

18 Premier Rabbiteye

19 Premier Rabbiteye Origin: NCSU, 1978 Chilling: 550 hr Plants: Upright, vigorous Flowering: Mid March Productivity: Medium - high Berries: Medium Large, good color, stem scar and flavor, can be somewhat soft Ripening: late May Mid June Pollinator: Prince, Brightwell, Austin Notes: Widely planted since ripens with or ahead of Climax, some fruit set issues due to deformed flowers, susceptible to gall midge damage to flower buds and terminal vegetative buds in spring

20 Prince Rabbiteye

21 Prince Rabbiteye Origin: USDA/ARS Chilling: Plants: Very vigorous, upright, spreading, abundant cane growth Flowering: Mid late Mar Productivity: very high Berries: Med size, very firm, good color, scar and flavor, produced on long tags following excellent pollination (like Brightwell ) Ripening: late May mid Jun Pollinator: Austin, Premier, Climax, Notes: Berries subject to rain induced splitting during ripening, juvenile lateral branches require pruning; begins blooming early but has extended blooming period

22 Powderblue Rabbiteye

23 Powderblue Rabbiteye Origin: NCSU, 1978 Chilling: h Plants: Upright, spreading Flowering: Late March early April Productivity: High Berries: Medium size, very light blue, small dry stem scar, good firmness and flavor Ripening: Late June mid July Pollinator: Brightwell, Tifblue, Ochlockonee Notes: Also seldom subjected to frost injury

24 Tifblue Rabbiteye

25 Tifblue Rabbiteye Origin: UGA, 1955 Chilling: hr Plants: Upright, spreading, abundant cane growth Flowering: Late March Productivity: High Berries: small med, average color and picking scar, good firmness and flavor Ripening: Late June late July Pollinator: DeSoto, Bluesfest Brightwell, Ochlockonee, Notes: Berries subject to rain induced splitting during ripening

26 Titan Rabbiteye

27 Titan Rabbiteye Origin: U Ga Chilling: h Plants: Vigorous, upright, narrow crowns Flowering: Mid late March Productivity: High Berries: Very Large, medium dry scar, good color, firmness and flavor Ripening:? Mid June early July Pollinator: Premier, Brightwell, Vernon Notes: Fruit subject to rain-induced splitting

28 Vernon Rabbiteye

29 Vernon Rabbiteye Origin: UGA, 2004 Chilling: Plants: Vigorous, upright, spreading Flowering: Mid late March (~1wk > Climax ) Productivity: high Berries: Medium Large., Ripening: Early mid June

30 Ripening Times

31 Southern Highbush

32 Southern Highbush Southern Highbush blueberries bushes are often a cross between a rabbiteye and a northern highbush or lowbush blueberry plant. Thinner skinned Ripen 1 to 3 weeks earlier than the earliest ripening rabbiteye cultivars. The blueberries from southern highbush are as large as and often larger than rabbiteye blueberries which make it more desirable for fresh and processing markets.

33 Southern Highbush The plants are less vigorous, and plants do not become as tall as rabbiteyes, Usually lower yielding, and are more vulnerable to diseases and insects. Certain of these new southern highbush varieties have low-chill requirements of only 200 to 300 hours at temperatures of 45 degrees F and lower. This has made it possible to extend blueberry production as far south as Florida. The low chilling requirement of the southern highbush promotes very early flowering and much greater danger of late spring frosts damage.

34 Dixieblue Southern Highbush

35 Dixieblue Southern Highbush

36 Dixieblue Southern Highbush Origin: USDA /ARS, 2008 Chilling: h Plants: Medium height., spreading, vigorous after establishment Flowering: Mid-late March Productivity: high Berries: large, average color, medium & dry scar, good firmness and very good flavor, flat attractive shape Ripening: Mid May early June Pollinator: Sante Fe, Pearl, Gupton, Magnolia Notes: Availability Check Berries Unlimited website, (ask your nurseryman to propagate)

37 Pearl Southern Highbush

38 Pearl Southern Highbush Origin: USDA/ARS, 2012 Chilling: 450 Plants: Upright, spreading, narrow crowns Flowering: Mid late Mar Productivity: Moderate Berries: Very Large size, light blue, small dry picking scar, excellent firmness and flavor Ripening: Late May early June Pollinator: Dixieblue, Sante Fe, Star, Rebel Notes: Very attractive firm berry, presents clusters for easy harvest

39 Gupton Southern Highbush

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41 Gupton

42 Gupton Southern Highbush Origin: USDA/ARS, 2010 Chilling: Plants: Upright, narrow crowns, adequate regrowth Flowering: Mid late March Productivity: Medium - High Berries: Large size, very light blue color, good picking scars, firmness and flavor Ripening: Mid late May Pollinator: Dixieblue, Sante Fe, Star, Rebel Notes: Sleeper variety on East Coast

43 Rebel Southern Highbush

44 Rebel Southern Highbush Origin: U Ga. (2006) Chilling: Plants: Vigorous, spreading, narrow crown, precocious Flowering: Mid - late March Productivity: Medium - high Berries: Large size, medium to light blue color, small dry scar, firm. Somewhat bland flavor Ripening: Mid Late May Pollinator: Pearl, Star, Gupton, Sante Fe

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