Reka
This variety of New Zealand origin has many advantages. It is very vigorous and can thus adapt in less favourable soil conditions. Its blueberries are known for having a pleasant woody aroma. Reka is particularly recommended for plantations intended for fresh eating, local sale or processing.
Duke
This early variety, identified in 1985, has undeniable qualities. The Duke blueberry bush is vigorous and the blooming season starts relatively late. Fruits are light blue, with a good size, and a long shelf life. It is a strong producer and harvest is concentrated during 2-3 weeks. The erect shape of the bush and the firmness of the berries make the Duke variety one of the most suitable for mechanical harvesting.
Blue One
At last, an early variety that rivals Duke! Blue One is a vigorous shrub, with good-sized fruit of excellent firmness. It produces slightly less than the Duke variety, however its fruit are much more aromatic. It is the variety that we have been waiting for, for a very long time!
Mid-season varieties
Bluecrop
Bluecrop is still one of the most commonly planted varieties in the world. It is a relatively vigorous and very erect bush. Fruits are medium to large in size, with a slightly frosted appearance. Ripening is staggered over 5-6 weeks. In Angers (France), it crops about two weeks after the Bluetta variety. Bluecrop is considered to be an excellent mid-season variety and a go-to for high-yield production.
Draper
Variety released by the Michigan state university. Draper has set a new standard in terms of fruit quality for long distance export. Berry size, firmness, colour and scar are great. In areas with severe winter frost, Draper might not be hardy enough. Overall vigour is only average and might be a limiting factor where soils are not optimal.
Osorno
Osorno is a new mid-season variety from the MSU breeding program. Osorno is an interspecific hybrid with excellent fruit quality. High heat during harvest is not an issue for the fruits but the cold hardiness of Osorno is limited. Therefore, it is
not recommended to plant Osorno in very cold winter areas.
Katahdin
New release of the Michigan state University. Katahdin is a mid-season alternative to Draper for professional growers.
The berry size is in-between Bluecrop and Draper. Cold hardiness and vigour are both superior to Draper. Berries are firmer, larger and with a much better scar than Bluecrop.
Chandler
Chandler is a vigorous, upright bush, and is the variety producing THE largest fruit. Its berries are both flavoursome and very attractive, remaining a good size throughout the harvest. The ripening period is very staggered and several stages of harvesting are required to collect the entire crop. These characteristics make the Chandler blueberry an ideal “pick-your-own” fruit.
Legacy
The Legacy is an upright and vigorous bush with an open growth. It is a “warm blooded” variety, and only partially loses its leaves in our climate (Angers, France). It has many qualities including a high yield of fruit, which ripens within a short period of time. The berries are medium sized, light blue and have a good quality flavour. The fruit stay very firm, even in periods of hot weather. Their shelf life is one of the best.
Liberty
Variety released by the Michigan State University. Liberty has been on the market for over 10 years. It has been a great alternative in areas where Brigitta wasn’t productive enough. Fruit quality is just as great as Brigitta. Liberty is vigorous and very productive.
Calypso
Calypso is a new mid-season variety from the MSU breeding program. Calypso is very vigorous and productive. Overall fruit quality is excellent. The variety should be easier to handle and pruning easier to manage as it is for Liberty.
Elisabeth
The Elisabeth is a vigorous, upright, open bush. It produces good-sized, light blue fruit which is very aromatic. The Elisabeth variety is a late bloomer that we recommend for cold regions.
Darrow
A vigorous, medium-sized, open bush and very high-yielding variety. Darrow crops one month after the Bluetta variety and harvest is staggered over 6-8 weeks. Fruit flavour is exceptional, although the size of the berries varies during the ripening season; they are very large at the beginning of the harvest, but diminish in size as picking advances.
Ozarkblue
Ozarkblue is a “hybrid” cultivar combining characteristics of both the Southern and Northern Highbush. It was developed by the University of Arkansas. It is a versatile variety that can be planted in very different latitudes. The bush is vigorous and hardy, producing large, light blue fruit with top-class flavour. The firmness and shelf life are remarkable for fruit of this size. When planted in the right place, with good cross pollination, Ozarkblue is a very productive variety.