Legacy Blueberry
Legacy is a hybrid of Northern and Southern highbush varieties, well-suited for South Africa’s mild to moderate winter climates. While it typically requires 400–600 chilling hours, it performs well even in areas with fewer than 150 hours. This vigorous, upright bush flowers in late mid-season and is self-pollinating, though yields improve when planted alongside varieties like Star or Biloxi.
The fruit is medium to large, powder blue, firm, flavourful, and has a small scar. Legacy may be slower in its first few years, but established plants produce consistently large yields. Early blooming allows for a long harvest, and the variety is suitable for both fresh and processed markets, including mechanical harvesting. Legacy is frost-tolerant, highly resistant to fruit rot, and partially resistant to mummy berry.
For optimal growth, moderate winter pruning is recommended, as extreme pruning is not tolerated. In mild winter areas, leaf retention may accelerate harvest. By year five, plants yield 4–5 kg each.
Legacy grows to approximately 1.4 m high and 60 cm wide. Recommended spacing is 90 cm between plants and 2.2 m within rows, with additional space between rows for tractor access. Higher densities are possible in tunnel plantings.
Sharpblue Blueberry
Sharpblue is a leading, highly adaptable low-chill variety, ideal for mild climates with minimal frost. Requiring only 150 chill hours, it has a long harvest season and can fruit twice a year, though double cropping may reduce berry size commercially.
The plant is upright and spreading, reaching about 1.2 m, with green foliage in fall. It produces medium, flavorful berries, tolerates heat and humidity well, and is self-pollinating, yielding around 4.5 kg per plant.
Star Blueberry
Star is an early-bearing, upright yet slightly spreading bush with moderate vigour, requiring 200–400 chill hours. It produces large, firm, medium-blue berries with good flavour and a small scar.
Self-pollinating, Star benefits from companion varieties like Legacy or Biloxi. It has a concentrated ripening period, allowing most berries to be harvested in two pickings, and offers excellent post-harvest quality. Suitable for hand or mechanical harvesting, Star is early-blooming and grows to about 1.4 m high and 60 cm wide.
It has high resistance to stem blight and Phytophthora root rot, but can be prone to botrytis in wet springs, fruit cracking during heavy rains, and occasionally Septoria. Recommended spacing is 80–90 cm between plants and 2.2 m between rows (adjustable for tunnels), with a yield of 4–5 kg per plant.
Biloxi Blueberry
Biloxi is an early-bearing, vigorous bush with a chilling requirement of under 150 hours. It produces small to medium, light-blue, firm berries with good flavour and a medium scar. Self-pollinating, Biloxi performs best when planted alongside varieties like Star or Legacy.
The plant grows to about 1.2 m high and 90 cm wide, with recommended spacing of 1 m between plants and 2.2 m between rows (adjustable for tunnels). Yields range from 3.5–4.5 kg per plant. Biloxi is not suited to regions exceeding 150 chill hours.