Taka

Blue Honeysuckle

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Kapu' (Yezberry Solo), 'Tana' and 'Borealis'

Summary: The plants of 'Taka' are shorter than the plants of 'Kapu' and 'Tana' and narrower than those of 'Borealis'. The plants of 'Taka' have weak to medium branching while the plants of 'Borealis' have strong branching. The leaf blade of 'Taka' is smaller than the leaf blade of 'Tana' and 'Borealis'. The tip of the leaf blade of 'Taka' is acute while the leaf blade tip of 'Kapu' and 'Tana' is obtuse. In spring, the upper side of the leaf blade of 'Taka' is dark green whereas the leaf blade of 'Tana' and 'Borealis' is light green. The plants of 'Taka' begins flowering mid-season whereas the plants of 'Borealis' begin flowering early in the season. The sepal of 'Taka' is medium width while the sepal of 'Tana' is wide. The fruit of 'Taka' begins ripening late in the season whereas the fruit of 'Borealis' begins ripening early in the season. In lateral view, the fruit of 'Taka' are narrow oblong while the fruit of 'Kapu' and 'Tana' are ovate and broad oblong and the fruit of 'Borealis' are broad oblong. The eye opening of the fruit of 'Taka' is medium sized while the eye opening of the fruit of 'Kapu' is large. The fruit surface of 'Taka' is smooth while the fruit surface of 'Kapu' is intermediate (between smooth and rough).

Description:

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

YOUNG LEAF: weak pubescence at base
LEAF BLADE: moderately elongated (length to width ratio 2:1), acute apex, sparse to medium pubescence on upper side, medium to dense pubescence on lower side, dark green on upper side in spring, medium green on upper side in summer
STEM-CLASPING LEAF: medium sized

TIME OF BEGINNING OF FLOWERING: mid-season
SEPAL: medium length, medium width
FLOWER: medium to dense pubescence on corolla tube, horizontal attitude, style slightly longer than anther

TIME OF BEGINNING OF FRUIT RIPENING: late season
FRUIT: broad elliptic in cross-section, narrow oblong in lateral view, calyx end is truncate and cordate, fruit tip present, medium sized eye opening, surface is smooth, medium to dense tufts of hairs at apex present
FRUIT SKIN: strong bloom, dark intensity of blue colour

Origin & Breeding History: 'Taka' originated from a controlled cross made in Corvallis, Oregon, U.S.A. in 2004 and was bred and developed by the breeder Dr. Maxine M. Thompson. The cross was made between female parent variety 'Keiko' and an unnamed proprietary seedling 'No. 20-04' as the male parent variety. From the resulting progeny, 'Taka' was selected as a single seedling in June 2007 based on its plant growth habit, plant vigour; fruit appearance, taste and yield; frost, disease and pest tolerance. 'Taka' was first propagated by hardwood stem cuttings in 2008 in Corvallis, Oregon, U.S.A.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trial for 'Taka' was conducted in the field and examined during the summer of 2018 at BioFlora Inc. in St. Thomas, Ontario. The trial included a total of 7 plants of the candidate variety, 15 plants of reference variety 'Kapu' and 7 plants of the reference varieties 'Tana' and 'Borealis'. All plants were grown from rooted cuttings and transplanted in the field on June 9, 2016. Observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants, or parts of plants, of each variety at various times throughout the summer of 2018. All colour determinations were made using the 2007 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'Taka' with reference varieties 'Kapu', 'Tana' and 'Borealis'

Plant height (cm)

Plant width (cm)

Leaf blade length (cm)

Leaf blade width (cm)

Click on image for larger view

Blue Honeysuckle: 'Taka' (top left) with reference varieties 'Kapu' (top right), 'Tana' (bottom left) and 'Borealis' (bottom right)

Click on image for larger view

Blue Honeysuckle: 'Taka' (bottom left) with reference varieties 'Tana' (top left), 'Kapu' (top right), and 'Borealis' (bottom right)