COMMERCIAL HORTICULTURE SERIES
Agriculture & Natural Resources
TIMELY INFORMATION
Rabbiteye Blueberry Cultivars for
Alabama
Dr. Elina Coneva, Extension Fruit Crops Specialist, Alabama Cooperative Extension System
July 7, 2011
Blueberries are a high value fruit crop that is becoming increasingly popular worldwide.
Alabama’s blueberry farm gate value has increased by approximately 13% in the last decade.
Proper cultivar selection is one of the first and perhaps the most important decision a grower
can make when planting blueberries. Among the first things to consider are the intended market
and marketing strategy, local climate, season of ripening, berry quality, and the method of
harvest. These factors will determine the desired vegetative, flowering, and fruiting
characteristics of the blueberry cultivar to consider. For example, cultivars intended for the
fresh market will require high quality fruit and large berries to be desirable, and fruit that is
intended to be shipped should be firm. Fruit that is not suitable for the fresh market may have
qualities that make it good for processing.
Some cultivars are better adapted to cooler growing areas, while others are not. Each
cultivar has different chilling requirements that must be met before the bush will blossom and
produce crop. If bush blooms too early in the season, the flowers can be damaged, and this will
lead to potential yield loss.
Rabbiteye blueberry cultivars are grouped as early, mid, and late season ripening. Early
crops can secure a premium price, but the risk of frost damage associated with the early
blooming is generally higher. Some cultivars have extended harvest season which is a desirable
characteristic for You Pick operations.
Cultivar pollination biology is also very important. Some rabbiteye cultivars are selffruitful, but in order to produce a full crop, cross-pollination with another cultivar is needed.
Planting cultivars that have compatible flowering season is highly recommended.
Method of harvesting blueberries is also important. Some cultivars lend themselves to
mechanical harvest while others are more suitable for hand harvest. Upright growing cultivars
with firm berries that ripen more uniformly in a relatively short period of time are best for
machine harvesting. Blueberry cultivars that form their fruit clusters at the tip of the shoots are
desirable for hand picking.
Cultivars that are not well established and proven to work in a given area should be
planted on a trial basis first, since proper cultivar selection will have a great impact on the future
of any blueberry operation.
On-going research and experimental work at Auburn University is aiming to evaluate the
overall performance of selected newly released and well-established rabbiteye blueberry
cultivars in order to assist growers in cultivar selection. The following information is a brief
description (with photos) of blueberry varieties under test at the North Alabama Horticulture
Research Center, Cullman. Mean berry size and average yield per bush of studied cultivars are
shown in Table 1.
Alapaha is an early season cultivar, requiring 450-550 hours of chilling. Alapaha bushes are
vigorous, upright, and narrow (Figure 1A). Alapaha produces high yield with excellent quality
fruit (Figure 1B). Alapaha may serve to replace Climax for early cropping, as it ripens with
Climax, but flowers later. Alapaha should be planted on a trial basis. Austin and Premier
should be used as pollinators.
A
B
Figure 1(A, B). Alapaha bush habit is upright (A) with an excellent quality berries (B).
Climax is an early ripening cultivar, requiring 400-450 chilling hours. It has a good to moderate
yield as well as good plant vigor (Figure 2 A). It has firm, good size berries, with a good flavor
(Figure 2B). Climax has a concentrated ripening period, and often 80% of the crop is harvested
in the first two harvests. Climax is suggested for both mechanical harvest and fresh market.
Due to the early flowering, there is a risk of frost damage to the crop. Austin and Premier are
recommended as pollinators.
A
B
Figure 2 (A, B). Climax blueberry bush (A) and berries (B).
Premier is an early season blueberry, requiring 550-600 chilling hours. It is highly productive,
vigorous cultivar. It has large berries with an excellent flavor (Figure 3). Premier often begins
ripening before Climax. Due to the fruit quality, Premier is recommended for the fresh market. It
has good disease resistance and is suitable for mechanical harvest. Young canes can have
problems supporting the fruit load and the berries tend to get soft if not picked frequently.
Recommended for planting with Austin and Alapaha for pollination.
Figure 3. Premier blueberry crop.
Montgomery is an early season selection, requiring 550 hours of chilling. It has moderate vigor
and good yield. Montgomery has medium sized berries of good quality (Figure 4), with an
average firmness. Recommended for trial planting along with Austin and Premier as pollinators.
Figure 4. Montgomery has medium sized berries of good quality.
Ira is a mid-season variety, requiring 700-800 chilling hours. Ira produces good quality, medium
size, firm berries (Figure 5). It is likely a good candidate for mechanical harvesting for the fresh
market. In North Carolina, there have been indications that Ira may be resistant to frost
damage. Ira should only be planted on a trial basis. Powderblue and Tifblue are good
pollinators.
Figure 5. Ira produces good quality, medium size berries.
Brightwell matures mid-season, and requires 550-600 chilling hours. The plant is high yielding
and vigorous (Figure 6). It has high quality fruit, with very good size, color, firmness, and flavor.
It has a short ripening period. Pruning and good post-harvest care are recommended to avoid
diseases as well as poor return cropping. Powderblue, Premier, Austin, and Alapaha are all
suitable pollinators.
Figure 6. Brightwell bush is vigorous and productive.
Tifblue is a mid- to late season blueberry, requiring 550-650 chilling hours. Bushes have high
vigor with an upright growth habit, and produce a high yield (Figure 7). Berries are medium
sized and good quality. Due to a fruit cracking problem, Powderblue is recommended over
Tifblue for commercial production.
Figure 7. Tifblue bushes are vigorous and highly productive.
Yadkin is a late season cultivar, requiring 650-750 chilling hours. Produces medium sized,
good quality berries with an outstanding flavor. It can be mechanically harvested for the fresh
market. Also, the fruit tends to cluster at the tip of the shoot (Figure 8), making it a good
selection for pick your own operations. Should be planted with Tifblue and Brightwell for
pollination.
Figure 8. Yadkin tends to cluster at the tip of the shoot, making harvest very
convenient.
Baldwin matures late, and requires 450-500 hours of chilling. It has moderate yield and high
vigor. The berries are large and of good quality. Baldwin is not recommended for the fresh
market, as the berries are very dark (Figure 9). Baldwin is recommended for pick your own
operations in areas where late season fruit is desired, and is a good plant for home use.
Figure 9. Baldwin cultivar has dark blue berries.
Powderblue is a late season variety, requiring 600-650 hours of chilling. Powderblue produces
high yields and is a vigorous plant with an upright growth habit (Figure 10). It has medium sized
berries of high quality. The berries are particularly firm and have very good light blue color.
Berries are less prone to crack in wet weather than Tifblue. Powderblue can be used in
established Tifblue fields to act as a pollinator. Tifblue and Brightwell are good pollinators.
Figure 10. Powderblue rabbiteye blueberry plant.
Onslow is a late season cultivar with a semi-upright growing habit. Berries are slightly larger
and darker (Figure 11) then Powderblue when fully ripe.
Figure 11. Onslow berries are large and dark blue.
Table 1. Mean berry weight and average yield per bush of selected blueberry cultivars, 2009-2011.
Cultivar
2009
2010
Mean
Mean Berry Yield/bush,
Weight, g
lb
Mean
Mean Berry Yield/bush,
Weight, g
lb
2011 (up to June 27)
Mean
Mean Berry Yield/bush,
Weight, g
lb
Alapaha
Baldwin
0.9
1.5
1.8
2.0
1.0
1.2
4.4
3.5
1.0
1.5
2.1
2.8
Brightwell
Climax
Ira
Montgomery
Onslow
Powderblue
Premier
Tifblue
Yadkin
1.2
1.3
1.1
1.3
1.5
1.1
1.4
1.4
1.2
2.6
2.4
2.4
2.4
2.4
2.0
1.8
2.2
2.4
1.4
1.2
1.4
1.5
1.5
1.2
1.4
1.3
1.3
4.4
4.4
3.7
3.5
3.5
3.5
5.1
5.3
3.7
1.9
1.5
1.6
1.5
2.1
1.5
1.7
1.7
1.9
4.2
2.2
3.4
9.5
7.9
7.3
6.2
6.9
4.6