Technology Description Repeat flowering and fruiting in blueberry is unusual in northern temperate climates. ‘Perpetua’ was the first of these sorts to be released and ‘Echo’ is an offspring of ‘Perpetua’. ‘Echo’ has a relatively small crop in spring and a larger crop in late summer. The combination of attractive foliage, fruit, and flowers at a time in the season where there is really nothing like it is appealing. It is an attractive ornamental year round and should be especially suited to summer nursery sales when the plant is particularly attractive.
Features & Benefits
Applications
Background of Invention ‘Echo’ is a repeat flowering and fruiting ornamental blueberry developed by the USDA-Agricultural Research Service in collaboration with the Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station. ‘Echo’ was selected in Corvallis, Ore. in 2010 from a population grown from a cross of ‘Perpetua’ (U.S. Plant Pat. 24,209) x ORUS 55-1 (selection of CVAC 21.00 [PI 296397]) open pollinated seed). Both parents are repeat flowering. The plant’s characteristics for fruit size, leaf shape, and leaf size are intermediate to those of Vaccinium corymbosum L. (highbush blueberry) and V. angustifolium Aiton (lowbush blueberry). The combination of green and blue fruit, flowers, and glossy foliage is especially stunning in late summer as an ornamental.
Status Plant Patent PP29,787 issued and available for non-exclusive licensing