Boreal Beauty

Blue Honeysuckle

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Boreal Blizzard' and 'Honey Bee'

Summary: The plants of 'Boreal Beauty' have medium density branching whereas the plants of 'Honey Bee' have strong branching. The one-year-old shoot of 'Boreal Beauty' has no lenticels while that of 'Boreal Blizzard' has lenticels present. The bark of the one-year-old shoot of 'Boreal Beauty' is red brown whereas that of 'Honey Bee' is yellow brown. The shoot tip of 'Boreal Beauty' has absent or sparse pubescence whereas that of 'Honey Bee' has medium density pubescence near the expanding leaves. The buds of 'Boreal Beauty' burst late in the season while those of 'Boreal Blizzard' burst mid-season and those of 'Honey Bee' early to mid-season. The leaf blade of 'Boreal Beauty' is shorter than that of 'Boreal Blizzard' and longer than that of 'Honey Bee'. The shape of the leaf blade apex of 'Boreal Beauty' is obtuse while it is acute for 'Boreal Blizzard' and rounded for 'Honey Bee'. The plants begin flowering and the fruits begin ripening late in the season for 'Boreal Beauty', mid-season for 'Boreal Blizzard' and early to mid-season for 'Honey Bee'. The fruit of 'Boreal Beauty' is ovate (in lateral view) with a small eye opening and is shorter than that of 'Boreal Blizzard', which is narrow oblong and obovate (in lateral view) with a medium sized eye opening. The fruit of 'Boreal Beauty' is heavier than that of 'Honey Bee'. The calyx end of the fruit of 'Boreal Beauty' is truncate while it is rounded for 'Boreal Blizzard'. The bloom on the fruit skin of 'Boreal Beauty' is of medium degree while that of the reference varieties is weak.

Description:

PLANT: medium vigour, semi-upright growth habit, medium branching, late season bud burst
ONE-YEAR OLD SHOOT: no lenticels, absent or very sparse pubescence, red brown bark, medium strength development of adventitious buds
SHOOT TIP: absent or sparse pubescence, absent or weak glossiness of bark, weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration

LEAF: moderately elongated, obtuse apex, absent or very sparse pubescence on lower side, medium green on upper side
STEM-CLASPING LEAF: medium sized, pubescent

FLOWER: flowering begins late season, sparse to medium density pubescence on corolla tube, horizontal attitude, style longer than anther
SEPAL: short

FRUIT: ripening begins late season, narrow elliptic in cross-section, ovate in lateral view, truncate shape of calyx end, tip present, small eye opening, smooth surface, no tufts of hairs at apex
FRUIT SKIN: medium degree of bloom, medium intensity of blue colour

Origin & Breeding History: 'Boreal Beauty' (experimental code 21-12-11.4) originated from a controlled cross made in 2010 at the University of Saskatchewan Horticulture Research Plots, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The cross was made between the variety '6-16-30' and '6-25-52' from the Maxine Thompson breeding program. 'Boreal Beauty' was selected in 2014 for its blooming time; fruit productivity, size and flavour; and its bush attributes for mechanical harvesting.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trials for 'Boreal Beauty' were planted in 2016 and conducted during the 2020 and 2021 growing seasons at the University of Saskatchewan Horticulture Plots in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The trial initially consisted of 7 plants per variety, but there was some loss due to deer and rabbits. The plants were grown in 30 metre rows with 1 metre spacing between plants. The distance between rows within the trial was 3.5 metres. Guard rows were taller and 6 years older than the variety trial. Observations and measurements were taken from 7 plants, or parts of 7 plants, of each variety. Mean differences were significant at the 5% probability level based on a paired Student's t-test.

Comparison tables for 'Boreal Beauty' with reference varieties 'Boreal Blizzard' and 'Honey Bee'

Leaf length (cm)

Fruit length (cm)

Fruit weight (grams)

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Blue Honeysuckle: 'Boreal Beauty' (top right) with reference varieties 'Boreal Blizzard' (bottom left) and 'Honey Bee' (bottom right)

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Blue Honeysuckle: 'Boreal Beauty' (top) with reference varieties 'Boreal Blizzard' (centre) and 'Honey Bee' (bottom)