Fruit and Nut

Plants available

Virus-free plants, container-grown in P9 liners (9cm pots), 2 litre pots and 4 litre pots.

Blueberries Highbush (these are the tallest blueberries, typically growing to 1.6-2.0 m)

Spacing 1.2-1.5 m with 3.0-3.6m between rows (the more compact varieties can be planted closer together)

Cultivars

Bluecrop                                                  
The most common variety, still providing the bulk of the global crop after half a century of dominance. Tall and vigorous with large fruit. Extremely reliable. Cropping late July to late August. Introduced 1941. Available 2020/21

Bluejay                                                  
Bluejay is a vigorous upright maincrop variety, now being used to replace Bluecrop. It flowers relatively late so misses the frosts but fast maturing so fruiting approx 1-2 weeks earlier than Bluecrop. Good disease resistance so particularly suitable for organic cultivation. Recommended.  Available 2020/21

Chandler                                                 
A new cultivar with exceptional fruit, introduced to cultivation in 1994. Vigorous upright shrub growing to 1.5m. The berries are tasty, firm and exceptionally big, the biggest among the blueberry cultivars, often over 2 cm across and weighing more than 2 grams. Yields are high, spread over 4-6 weeks. Somewhere susceptible to disease, requires good maintenance. Mid to late season. Suited to small commercial plantations especially those doing pick-your-own.

Chanticleer                                                 
Upright shrub growing to 1.6 m. Medium sized berries, slightly acid, transports well. Yields up to 8kg per plant. Early season but late flowering so good for frost-prone sites.

Darrow                                                
Vigorous upright bush. Regular pruning beneficial. Fruit large, aromatic and rich flavoured. Main cropping period late August through to late September, but with some production well into October. Very tough variety, highly tolerant of extreme weather conditions. Introduced 1965. Available 2020/21

Duke                                                 
Introduced to cultivation 1986. Spreading shrub growing to 1.6m, occasionally 1.8m. Performs best when regularly pruned. Clusters of medium sized fruit with good flavour, regular and high yields. Good shelf life and transportation qualities. Less tolerant of wet soils. Early to mid season. In spite of the early fruiting, the flowering period is relatively late, so a good choice for frost-prone sites. High disease resistance so suited to organic cultivation. Recommended. Available 2020/21

Goldtraube                              
Very fast growing and robust cultivar. Berries large and aromatic. Performs well in poor conditions. Fruiting late July to the end of August. Introduced 1971.

Legacy                               
Very vigorous cultivar growing to 2 metres. Berries medium to large with excellent flavour - one of the tastiest cultivars. Fruiting mid July to mid August. Introduced 1993.

Nelson                               
Introduced to cultivation 1988. Grows into relatively dense shrub up to 1.6 m high. Big fruits, aromatic and very tasty. Yields up to 6kg per plant. Ripe fruit holds on plants (does not drop off). Transports well. Late season (mid August onwards). Available 2020/21

Ozark Blue                               
Dense bushy cultivar growing to 1.6 metres.. Berries large and sweet. Good disease resistance. Fruiting mid July to mid August. Introduced 1996.

Patriot                               
Vigorous but smaller cultivar allegedly tolerant of wet and heavy soils (unconfirmed). Large fruit with excellent flavour. Ornamental flowers and autumn foliage. Early variety - mid July to early August. Introduced 1976.

Reka                               
Vigorous cultivar from New Zealand. Recommended by some authorities for its tolerance of higher pH (lesser acidity) . Early variety - mid July to early August. Introduced 1988. Available 2020/21

Rubel                               
Productive and disease resistant cultivar cloned directly from a wild selection, 1911. Fruits late August to early September. Attractive red foliage in autumn. Fruit ripens best on a warm sunny site. Available 2020/21

Spartan                               
High yielding with large and well flavoured fruit. 1977.Late flowering, early ripening, requires a warm sheltered site to do well.Available 2020/21

Sunrise                               
High yielding early variety. Small to medium sized fruit, well flavoured. Available 2020/21

Toro                               
Introduced to cultivation 1987. Upright shrub growing to 2 m. The tallest of the selection offered here, suitable for more sheltered sites. Very attractive pink flower buds opening into pure white flowers. Produces clusters of large firm berries with good flavour. Yields up to 7.5kg per plant. Cropping mid season, same as Bluecrop (which it is now replacing) but more concentrated cropping period. Available 2020/21