Blueberry Vaieties (forum)

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Blueberry Variety Guide for Warmer Climates

By Ridley Bell


Many blueberry varieties and selections have been trialled for growing in the warmer climate areas of Northern NSW and Southern QLD since 1981. These varieties come primarily from the Southern States of the U.S. such as Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and Mississippi. Broadly speaking the varieties may be classified into two main types of blueberry :

The Southern Highbush type, which is a Vaccinium hybrid complex. The varieties within this group have been the most profitable ones for the growers in the northern areas because they ripen during the unique window of opportunity that lies between the end of the season for Northern Hemisphere highbush growers in Michigan, Oregon, Canada and Northern Europe and the main blueberry growing regions in South America, New Zealand, South Africa, and the Southern States of Australia.


The rabbiteye type, Vaccinium ashei, which gets its name from the fact that as the fruit ripens, it goes through a pink stage that to some people resembles the eye of a rabbit. The rabbiteye varieties tend to have a longer period from bloom to ripening, hence tend to be later than the Southern highbush in most areas.
Southern Highbush Varieties (In order of Ripening)

SHARPEBLUE ....... this has proved to be the most vigorous and adaptive release. The bush is tough and vigorous, generally maintaining an evergreen appearance throughout the winter months. It has grown well in both sandy soils and heavier loams. The fruit has a pleasant flavour, is large and of medium blue appearance. The fruit has a wet scar, and is likely to become soft during very hot weather, meaning that it needs to be harvested frequently to overcome this.

MISTY ........ this variety is a true enigma, in that where it grows vigorously, such as on the red kraznozem soils of Northern NSW, it is very profitable and popular, yet on other soils it has often not grown well and is not a variety of popular choice. To produce high quality, early fruit, Misty is best grown under the evergreen system with attention being paid to nutrition and leaf diseases in order to keep the older leaves. It is an early fruiting variety, with light blue, medium to large fruit of excellent flavour.

BILOXI

Time: 23rd June 2008 11:23am

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Phil says...
hey thank for the details, nice to know there is such a great choice of varietiesfor gardeners in all states

Time: 25th June 2008 11:13am

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About the Author TyalgumPhil
Woodend, Vic
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Jackie says...
Hello -- which variety would be suitable for me to plant in this frosty area? O'Neal???? I would appreciate your advice and where I can obtain bushes for planting- Thanks - Jackie
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(Stanthorpe - Granite Belt)

Time: 11th August 2008 7:08pm

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Anonymous says...
briggita.

Time: 11th August 2008 11:36pm

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Jackie says...
Thankyou - will follow up !!

Time: 12th August 2008 8:40am

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