Released: 2007 (Patent date 12 May 2009)
Developed by: Jim Ballington and Susan Rooks, NCSU
Selection Number: NC 3103
Parentage: NC 1522 × 'O’Neal'
Species/type: Vaccinium corymbosum (Southern highbush blueberry)
Bloom Date: April 1 (or approximately 1 week before ‘Croatan’)*
Harvest Season: Begins May 25 (3-4 days later than ‘Croatan’)*
Parentage: NC 1522 × 'O’Neal'
Species/type: Vaccinium corymbosum (Southern highbush blueberry)
Bloom Date: April 1 (or approximately 1 week before ‘Croatan’)*
Harvest Season: Begins May 25 (3-4 days later than ‘Croatan’)*
Chill Requirement: Unknown; likely 800+ hours based on observations of leafing at the NCSU Ideal Tract farm in Castle Hayne.
Description: Moderately upright, sturdy, vigorous bush, flowers white, new leaf growth with reddish-orange tinge. Self-fruitful and very high yielding. Developed for hand harvest. Large, light blue fruit.
Description: Moderately upright, sturdy, vigorous bush, flowers white, new leaf growth with reddish-orange tinge. Self-fruitful and very high yielding. Developed for hand harvest. Large, light blue fruit.
Good Characteristics: Excellent flavor, large, light blue fruit. Vigorous, very high-yielding and early ripening; easily propagated from cuttings.
Flaws: Low spreading branches require aggressive pruning as a young bush to force upright growth. Tearing of the berry skin around the stem scar at harvest (torn scars) has been observed on as much as 5% of the fruit. This tendency is worse on young bushes and when berries are overripe.
Potential: Released for hand harvest, not considered suitable for machine harvest due to wide growth habit, rigid, non-bending canes and large berry size. Though slightly later ripening, 'New Hanover' is recommended as a replacement for 'Croatan' on lowland blueberry soils in the southeastern coastal plain of NC. Not currently recommended for upland, piedmont or mountain sites.
*Dates are for southeastern NC
