Chito

Blue Honeysuckle

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Kaido' (Yezberry Honey Bunch), 'Tana', 'Hoka' (Yezberry Sugar Pie) and 'Borealis'

Summary: The shoot tip of 'Chito' has dense pubescence while the shoot tip of 'Tana' and 'Borealis' has absent or sparse to sparse pubescence and the shoot tip of 'Hoka' has absent or sparse pubescence. The bud burst of 'Chito' occurs mid-season whereas the bud burst of 'Borealis' occurs early in the season. The base of the young leaf of 'Chito' has medium to dense pubescence while the base of the young leaf of 'Hoka' has sparse pubescence. The leaf blade of 'Chito' is smaller than the leaf blade of the reference varieties. The lower side of the leaf blade of 'Chito' has dense pubescence while that of 'Kaido' and 'Hoka' have absent or very sparse pubescence and that of 'Tana' has medium density pubescence mainly along the midrib. The sepal of 'Chito' is medium length while the sepal of 'Kaido' is short and that of 'Hoka' is long. The sepal of 'Chito' is medium width while the sepal of 'Kaido' and 'Borealis' are narrow and the sepal of 'Tana' is broad. The fruit of 'Chito' begin ripening mid to late season whereas the fruit of 'Borealis' begin ripening early in the season. In lateral view, the fruit of 'Chito' is ovate while the fruit of 'Kaido' is obovate and the fruit of 'Hoka' and 'Borealis' is broad oblong. The fruit of 'Chito' is narrower than the fruit of 'Tana' and 'Hoka' and wider than the fruit of 'Borealis'.

Description:

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

YOUNG LEAF: medium to dense pubescence at base
LEAF BLADE: moderately elongated (length to width ratio 2:1), obtuse apex, absent or very sparse pubescence on upper side, dense pubescence on lower side, dark green on upper side in spring, medium to dark 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, upwards attitude, style longer than anther

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

Origin & Breeding History: 'Chito' originated from an open pollinated cross made in Chitose, Hokkaido, Japan in 2000 and was bred and developed by the breeder Dr. Maxine M. Thompson. The cross was made between an unnamed Japanese Haskap female parent plant and an unknown male parent. The resulting seeds were collected and sown in Corvallis, Oregon, U.S.A. From the resulting seedlings, 'Chito' was selected as a single plant in 2014 based on its plant growth habit, plant vigour; fruit appearance, taste and yield. 'Chito' was first propagated by hardwood stem cuttings in 2004 in Corvallis, Oregon, U.S.A.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trial for 'Chito' 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 10 plants of the candidate variety, 15 plants of the reference varieties 'Kaido' and 'Hoka' 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 'Chito' with reference varieties 'Kaido', 'Tana', 'Hoka' and 'Borealis'

Leaf blade length (cm)

Leaf blade width (cm)

Fruit width (mm)

Click on image for larger view

Blue Honeysuckle: 'Chito' (top left) with reference varieties 'Kaido' (top centre), 'Tana' (top right), 'Hoka' (bottom left) and 'Borealis' (bottom right)