Narrative
The North Carolina Agricultural Research Service and the Science and Education Administration of the United States Department of Agriculture hereby introduce two ornamental evergreen, fine-leaved blueberry cultivars, EVERBLUE and JOHNBLUE, for trial by nurserymen and professional ornamental horticulturalists. EVERBLUE and JOHNBLUE, tested as NC 1136 and NC 1137 respectively, are the best adapted of a series of evergreen, low-growing, small blue-fruited blueberry selections of the diploid species Vaccinium darrowii Camp evaluated in North Carolina. They were selected to complement azaleas and camellias in landscape plantings. They also show potential for indoor culture as pot plants or in hanging baskets. EVERBLUE and JOHNBLUE are open-pollinated seedlings from seed collected in north-central Florida. They were selected at Castle Hayne, N. C. by G. J. Galletta and T. F. Cannon in 1972 and evaluated by G. J. Galletta, A. D. Draper, and J. R. Ballington from 1972-1979. EVERBLUE and JOHNBLUE have been tested at Castle Hayne and Raleigh, N. C. and are currently under test in Louisiana and Virginia. Plants of these cultivars did not survive the first winter at Beltsville, Maryland. They are recommended for trial throughout eastern North Carolina and the southeastern United States. The new foliage of EVERBLUE and JOHNBLUE is an attractive blue-green and the foliage takes on a light pinkish hue during the fall and winter. The stems also turn reddish in the fall and winter. The fruit is small, sweet, flavorful, light blue in color and will attract birds. The plant shape of these new cultivars is generally a low rounded mound. JOHNBLUE will eventually reach a mature height of 3 feet in eastern North Carolina, and EVERBLUE is somewhat lower reaching about 2 1/2 feet. Both EVERBLUE and JORNBLUE perform equally well as specimen plants or hedges. For best results outdoors additional organic matter will have to be added to the planting hole, as in azalea and camellia culture. These cultivars may be propagated by softwood stem or branched shoot cuttings under intermittent mist. For best rooting the cuttings should be taken from the stock plants when they are growing actively. Potted and hanging basket plants respond to long-day photoperiod treatments for producing luxuriant blue-green foliage and new shoots. A small number of plants and rooted cuttings of EVERBLUE and JOHNBLUE will be available for spring 1980 delivery. Please address plant requests to Dr. J. R. Ballington, Horticultural Science Dept., N. C. State University, Raleigh, N. C. 27650. If the demand for plants exceeds the supply, plant requests will be prorated. Director, North Carolina Deputy Director for Agricultural Agricultural Research Service Research Date:
Tested as NC 1137