Vaccinium corymbosum
‘Blue Silk’
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/664,156 filed Jun. 26, 2012, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Seeds obtained from the deliberate crossing of the varieties ‘Elliott’ (not patented) and ‘Puru’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,701), which occurred at Ruakura, Hamilton, New Zealand were shipped to Gilten, Germany. Seedlings obtained from this cross were planted out in Gilten, Germany in 2002. Three seedlings were selected from this family in 2004, one of which was given the breeder code ‘ZDM035’. In the Northern Hemisphere summer of 2008 ‘ZDM035’ was identified as having potential as a new variety and in 2009 it was asexually propagated. The resulting plants were planted out at Gilten and were subsequently found to be true to type demonstrating that the characteristics of the new variety are stable and transmitted without change through succeeding generations. Propagation has since been carried out through both soft and hard wood cuttings. ‘ZDM035’ was later designated ‘Blue Silk’.
‘Blue Silk’ is characterised by its late seasonality, fruit size, bloom, and upright habit. ‘Blue Silk’ is distinguished from a number of other varieties by the following characteristics:
‘Blue Silk’ is harvested significantly later than ‘Bluecrop’ (not patented) grown in Gilten, Germany. Fruit of ‘Blue Silk’ have been observed to be starting to turn blue when approximately 50% of the ‘Bluecrop’ crop has been harvested.
‘Blue Silk’ produces medium to large fruit, averaging 2.2 g, whereas ‘Nui’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,699) produces large fruit, averaging 3 g, which reach harvest maturity earlier, under the same conditions in Germany.
The following is a description of the new variety with color terminology in accordance with The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Charts (R.H.S.C.C.) 2001 edition.
The specimens described were grown in Gilten, Germany. The observations were made in the 2010-2012 seasons on 6-8 year old bushes.