Details for: PI 551421, Fragaria ×ananassa Duchesne ex Rozier, 'Blakemore'

Plant: superior vigor, somewhat more so than Missionary, runners produced freely, flower perfect, resistant to leaf spot, leaf scorch, well adapted to hill culture, adapted to southern states, very productive, grown on a wide range of soil types.

Brooks and Olmo, 1972.

This variety was originated by G. M. Darrow, of the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a cross of Missionary X Howard 17, made in 1923 and selected in 1925. It was sent out for trial in the spring of 1927 and later that year tests by Lathrop of the National Preservers Association indicated that it was superior for preserving. In 1928, in tests by Dearing at the North Carolina Department of Agriculture Station at Willard, N.C., it was considered to be outstanding as a shipping variety for the South and it was introduced through that Station and cooperating nurseries in 1929. Its resistance to leaf spot and leaf scorch, its tolerance to virus diseases, its attractive scarlet fruit, its firmness fo shipping, its superiority for preserving, and its greater productiveness as compared with Klondike, led to a quick replacement of Klondike by Blakemore except in southern Louisiana and in Florida. It replaced Missionary in Virginia and North Carolina. Blakemore was grown as far north as southern New Jersey, but has since been replaced there by newer varieties, first by Sparkle and then Jerseybelle, and in Maryland and Virginia by Pocahontas, Dixieland, Earlidawn, and red stele-resistant varieties.

When Blakemore was selected only 64 seedlings of the cross were grown. One other selection of the same progeny was named the Bellmar. It was larger, less acid, less firm, slightly deeper red, and several days later than Blakemore. It did not succeed, partly because it was not as firm and partly because virus diseases made it less productive under many conditions. Later large numbers of seedlings of the same cross were grown and the Suwannee was named for its very high dessert quality, which is perhaps the best in the United states. It is less tolerant of virus, however, and has nearly disappeared. A stock free of virus has been obtained by Dr. John McGrew.

The limiting characters of Blakemore are its relatively smal size and its sporting to yellow plants. 'June yellows' or 'variegation', which was first noted in 1933 and rapidly increased in all sections of the United States. At first it seemed that the variety might be lost, but non-yellowing stocks were selected in several places and some of these proved relatively stable. Though the condition is inherited, research in North Carolina indicates that it is possible to use Blakemore in breeding non-yellowing varieties.

Blakemore has been used extensively in breeding and is in the ancestry of Northwest, Headliner, Dixieland, Pocahontas, Albritton, Massey, Earlidawn, Surecrop, Armore, Dabreak, Silets, Goldsmith, Klonmore and others.

Blakemore was bred by George M. Darrow of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, introduced in 1929. From about 1937 to 1961 this was the most planted varieity in the United States because of its early ripening, very firm, bright red, good shipping berries, good for freezing and preserving, high in pectin. Plants are virus-tolerant, resistant to leaf spot, leaf scorch, and Verticillium wilt. Limitations: its berries are too small, too acid for best dessert flavor, and the plants sport tp varigation.

G. Darrow. 1966. The Strawberry. p. 151