NCIV1

Holly

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Red Sprite'

Summary: The plants of 'NCIV1' are taller than the plants of 'Red Sprite'. The leaf blade shape of 'NCIV1' is elliptic whereas the leaf blade of 'Red Sprite' is obovate. The berry of 'NCIV1' is smaller than the berry of 'Red Sprite'.

Description:

PLANT: female, deciduous shrub type, upright to bushy rounded growth habit, medium to many branches, medium to many secondary branches, medium to dense foliage, produces berries

STEM: medium to thick, weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration on new shoots, smooth, grey-brown, no twisting

LEAF: simple, alternate arrangement along stem, petiole present
LEAF BLADE: elliptic shape, apiculate apex, acute base, serrate margin, weak undulation of margin, leathery texture, weak fragrance
LEAF BLADE (UPPER SIDE): strong glossiness, dark green
LEAF BLADE (LOWER SIDE): medium green

BERRY: red (RHS 46B)

Origin & Breeding History: 'NCIV1' was bred and developed by the breeder, Thomas Green Ranney, an employee of North Carolina State University, in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. It originated from an open pollinated cross that occurred in the spring of 2003 in Mills River, North Carolina, between the variety 'Red Sprite', as the female parent, and an unknown male. 'NCIV1' was selected in the spring of 2004, for its plant growth habit, tetraploidy, and abundance of large, dark red berries. Asexual reproduction of 'NCIV1' was conducted, using softwood cuttings, in the spring of 2005, in Mills River, North Carolina, USA.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trial for 'NCIV1' was conducted as an outdoor irrigated container trial during the summer of 2016, at Bioflora Inc., in St. Thomas, Ontario. The trial included 12 plants each of the candidate and reference variety. Pollinator plants were included in the trial to ensure berry production in the candidate and reference varieties. All plants were grown in 11.5 cm liners and transplanted in 9 litre containers on July 16, 2015. All the plants were overwintered in an unheated polyhouse. All observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants, or parts of plants, of each variety on August 17, 2016. The berry characteristics were measured on November 9, 2016. All colour determinations were made using the 2007 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'NCIV1' with reference variety 'Red Sprite'

Plant height (cm)

Berry height (cm)

Berry width (cm)

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Holly: 'NCIV1' (left) with reference variety 'Red Sprite' (right)

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Holly: 'NCIV1' (left) with reference variety 'Red Sprite' (right)

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Holly: 'NCIV1' (left) with reference variety 'Red Sprite' (right)