Vaccinium species

[johnw]

On Tuesday I visited the Vaccinium collection at the Irving Centre of Acadia University with Barry Starling. While he and the curator chatted away I took some pictures which may be of interest and missed the names. The first is V. hirsutum and the fruit on it was very tasty; this plant was in the ground as it is thoroughly hardy.  The rest are tropical.

johnw

[johnw]

The white one was particularly interesting. I believe the curator of the collection said the seeds were naked. The fruit tasted much like lychees and the biggest ripe ones I'm afraid we ate - they were 1.5"-2" in diameter.

johnw

[Maggi Young]

These are VERY interesting, John, many thanks for showing some quite unknown types

[Lesley Cox]

I hope you saved enough for some seed John

I've always had a yen for V. praestans with its beautiful big red fruit. Does anyone grow it? It was in a seedlist 3 or 4 years ago and I received a few seeds before I was in the habit of consulting the Bio Index, but MAF did the dirty and removed it.

[johnw]

I've always had a yen for V. praestans with its beautiful big red fruit. Does anyone grow it? It was in a seedlist 3 or 4 years ago and I received a few seeds before I was in the habit of consulting the Bio Index, but MAF did the dirty and removed it.

Leslie -

I got seed of V. hirsutum and if you want some I can send it. 

I got V. praestans from Jim Sutherland at Ardfearn in 2000. It was in a 2" pot and has gone beserk in the garden here, it has invaded the peat walls, through the Cassiopes and dwarf rhododendrons and is now tackling the lawn. I got it for its' blazing autumn foliage but it doesn't colour up at all that well here and we have incredible fall foliage here. I think if it were in a lean gravelly mix it would colour well in full sun.

It has berries ripe now and has decided it is going to set a second crop. Seed if you like.

I got it from the SRGC seedex - SRGC94-3974 as well, only one survived.

johnw

[Lesley Cox]

No thanks John. If it spreads so rampantly, I'd better not, besides, as I mentioned it's not on the Bio Index.