Our orchard case study
Aurora
One of the most balanced options for fresh fruit, U-pick and production. In our orchard, it is productive, popular and holds fairly well after ripening.
Read evidence →
FOR COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION
Choose cultivars for your orchard project
Compare a broad selection against your sales channels, harvesting method, pollination evidence and Canadian sourcing options.
CULTIVAR DIRECTORY
Explore the cultivar records
Cultivar names and aliases are grouped in records, not counted as separate plants. Québec trial entries show research evidence, not confirmed commercial supply. A record is a research starting point, not a planting recommendation.
Already know your sales channel? Start with fresh, frozen or processed fruit →
28 of 28 records
Compare candidates (0/3)
Select two or three records below. This view compares documented summaries and evidence types; it does not rank cultivars.
Our orchard case study
Berry Blue / Czech No. 17
Useful for pollination, freezing and jam. At our orchard, mature plants can generally be picked while standing.
Read evidence →Our orchard case study
Blue Banana
Early-season niche, distinctive shape and U-pick interest. At our orchard, fully ripe berries are very tender, so shallow containers and gentle handling are preferable.
Read evidence →Source lead to verify
Blue Bell
Listed by a Québec supplier. Verify batch identity, pollination partners and results in your system.
Check source ↗Our orchard case study
Boreal Beast
Strong combined potential for yield, aroma, fresh fruit, freezing and mechanization. It is also one of our visitors’ favourite varieties.
Read evidence →Our orchard case study
Boreal Beauty
Clear position: late season, large firm fruit, freezing and mechanization potential. In our orchard, it is productive and ripe berries detach very easily.
Read evidence →Detailed research profile
Boreal Bliss
A recent selection to investigate for fresh sales, U-pick or blends; commercial experience remains limited.
Read evidence →Our orchard case study
Boreal Blizzard
Very well suited to U-pick and a large fresh-berry market. At our orchard, the stem can tear the flesh if pulled straight off, so picking technique should be explained.
Read evidence →Detailed research profile
Borealis
Fruit valued for flavour but delicate to handle according to the breeder; compare under hand picking.
Read evidence →Detailed research profile
Chito
A selection to trial for flavour and harvesting; the reviewed sources do not establish Québec yields.
Read evidence →Our orchard case study
Giant’s Heart
Potential for firm late-season fruit and freezing based on our observation. Its identity and local phenology should be verified before broad commercial recommendation.
Read evidence →Our orchard case study
Happy Giant
A cultivar to document locally. At Saint-Gabriel, it usually ripens after Berry Blue and before Aurora; we sometimes notice slight bitterness in our tastings.
Read evidence →Detailed research profile
Honey Bee
A documented pollination partner for several early selections; assess its fruit and shape separately.
Read evidence →Our orchard case study
Indigo Gem
Productive in our orchard, useful for freezing, and accessible to children because of its low habit. Shake-harvest suitability depends heavily on the machine and plant training.
Read evidence →Detailed research profile
Indigo Treat
Indigo selection 9-91 to compare separately from Indigo Gem; check Québec evidence and marketable quality.
Read evidence →Source lead to verify
Indigo Yum
USask selection 9-92; breeder references note difficult propagation. Confirm plant access before including it in a plan.
Check source ↗Québec trial profile
Jolanta (Evie)
A cultivar in the CIEL trial at Lanoraie. Results from that site establish neither performance in your orchard nor commercial plant availability.
Read the CIEL trial ↗Québec trial profile
Kapu (Solo)
A cultivar in the CIEL trial at Lanoraie. Read its results in site context and check pollination and plant access separately.
Read the CIEL trial ↗Detailed research profile
Kawai
A small-scale tasting candidate; compare flavour, fruit drop and picking ease locally.
Read evidence →Our orchard case study
Keiko
Firm fruit with storage and transport potential. At our orchard, its main interest is freezing and processing.
Read evidence →Québec trial profile
Kutchie (Maxie)
The 2025 CIEL trial recorded low yield, pollination problems and misshapen fruit. This one-site, one-season result needs follow-up before a commercial decision.
Read the CIEL trial ↗Our orchard case study
Larissa / Wojtek
An interesting profile for low powdery mildew incidence in available data. The low habit helps children pick but complicates adult picking and mechanization.
Read evidence →Source lead to verify
Strawberry Sensation
A lead from a US nursery catalogue. Québec performance and access to plants in Canada remain to be verified.
Check source ↗Source lead to verify
Taka
Listed in a Canadian catalogue; request trial data, a pollination partner and the format actually offered.
Check source ↗Detailed research profile
Tana
A processing candidate to test by recipe; an observation about wine does not rank it for juice or jam.
Read evidence →Detailed research profile
Tundra
A USask selection to assess for harvesting and sorting; confirm results in the intended system.
Read evidence →Source lead to verify
Vostorg
Documented in Europe; verify Québec-relevant trials, partners and plant access in Canada.
Check source ↗Québec trial profile
Zojka (Vicky)
A CIEL trial cultivar used as the pollinizer for Wojtek (Larissa). Confirm local bloom overlap and plant availability before planning a block.
Read the CIEL trial ↗BEFORE COMPARING NAMES
All the factors to check before choosing
Start with the factors that can rule out a choice: an unsuitable outlet, missing pollination partner, uncertain plant identity or unavailable plants. Then compare the remaining candidates. Not every factor is a genetic trait, and missing evidence is not a low score.
1. Market and customers
- Will you sell U-pick, ready-picked fresh fruit, frozen raw fruit or processed products?
- What qualities do customers or buyers actually require: flavour, size, firmness, format and timing?
- Are demand and specifications confirmed or still assumptions?
2. Site and climate
- Compare winter hardiness, spring frost, heat, drainage, water and site exposure.
- Check whether cited trials resemble your region and growing system.
- Account for access, rows and intended equipment, not only the cultivar.
3. Bloom and pollination
- Check both genetic compatibility and local bloom overlap.
- Plan partners, their proportion and placement within blocks.
- A shared breeder or harvest season does not prove compatibility.
4. Plant and health
- Compare habit, vigour, height, berry access and mature spacing.
- Read yield observations by site, year and plant age; separate gross from marketable yield.
- Record disease, pests, establishment and year-to-year consistency.
5. Harvest calendar
- Compare budbreak, bloom, first harvest and ripening duration under local conditions.
- Measure harvest concentration and fruit retention on the bush.
- Check whether the sequence fits opening days or daily harvest capacity.
6. Harvest method
- Time hand picking or test the equipment actually intended.
- Weigh preharvest drop, detachment, damaged fruit and sorting losses.
- Include row access, labour needs and visitor safety for U-pick.
7. Fruit and postharvest
- Compare flavour, acidity, aroma, size, appearance and actual customer preference.
- Test firmness, bruising, packaging, cooling, transport and sale window.
- For processing, measure each recipe: colour, flavour, juice or purée and usable yield.
8. Costs and commercial risk
- Compare cost per accepted kilogram, not only fruit per plant.
- Include plants, pollinizers, establishment, labour, equipment, cooling, losses and freight.
- Test lower sales and a more concentrated harvest before expanding.
9. Plant access and evidence quality
- Confirm exact name, provenance, rights, format, quantity and delivery date.
- For each claim, record source, location, year, plant age and remaining unknowns.
- Put poorly documented cultivars in a trial block rather than the main order.
For a mixed sales model, check each outlet separately. The same cultivar may have different costs and losses under different harvest and handling systems.
START WITH YOUR SALES CHANNEL
What will you sell?
Choose a direction to see comparison criteria and a small trial to prepare. These are working methods, not cultivar rankings. For a mixed model, work through each channel separately.
Fruit customers enjoy picking, tasting and taking home
Compare these criteria
- Flavour at full ripeness, sweetness-acidity balance and customer preference.
- Picking ease, fruit retention and a ripening sequence suited to your opening days.
- Firmness, bruising and losses after the actual packing and transport you plan to use.
Prepare a small trial
Compare labelled lots by cultivar and date, harvested at comparable ripeness. Run a blind tasting, time the picking and observe fruit after your normal sales journey.
A documented example to investigate
In Montana, Aurora showed good flavour ratings and easy shaker harvesting. This supports a local comparison; it does not measure shelf life in your sales channel.
Limit: A good flavour rating establishes neither transport resistance nor local demand.
Examples checked October 14, 2026. Montana results are not Québec performance forecasts. This selector changes the guidance; the cultivar research list below remains complete.
For every sales channel: verify cultivar identity, local bloom overlap and pollination compatibility before ordering plants. A sales use does not establish pollination compatibility.
A BROADER CULTIVAR SEARCH
Build a shortlist for your production system
Explore these starting points beyond our orchard collection. This is an open research list, not a ranking or a promise that every cultivar is available in Canada.
Compare the documented cultivars
Read one criterion across the 8 research profiles, then open a profile for its sources and context. These are research leads, not a ranking or planting recommendations.
8 cultivars · Potential use
| Cultivar | Potential use | Details and sources |
|---|---|---|
| Boreal Bliss | A trial candidate for pick-your-own, fresh fruit and processed blends; the supplier consulted does not yet recommend commercial planting because performance data is limited. | Read profile → |
| Borealis | USask favours hand picking and u-pick for this delicate fruit. Compare it in tastings and local sales; measure performance after packing before planning deliveries. | Read profile → |
| Chito | The breeder describes fairly large, oval, milder-flavoured fruit. Use a small trial to assess fresh sales and processing before choosing a market. | Read profile → |
| Honey Bee | Assess its pollination role separately from the value of its fruit. The breeder profile mainly suggests juice as an outlet; test the recipe and its cost. | Read profile → |
| Indigo Treat · 9-91 | Assess fresh sales or processing in a trial plot. The Québec Cultur’Innov report notes disappointing yields; do not treat a catalogue yield as a forecast for your orchard. | Read profile → |
| Kawai | The breeder describes mild-flavoured fruit: a candidate for a small tasting trial, without assuming commercial performance in Québec. | Read profile → |
| Tana | A processing candidate to study: a Montana wine trial included it among haskap wines rated acceptable by most tasters. Do not extend that result to other recipes or markets. | Read profile → |
| Tundra | USask describes firm fruit and suggests potential for individual quick freezing (IQF). Test your process and buyer specifications; this is not established commercial acceptance. | Read profile → |
Missing local evidence remains a limitation, not a negative rating. Nursery listings do not confirm stock or shipping to Québec.
Compare our 11 orchard cultivars separately →DETAILED RESEARCH PROFILES
From a name to a planting decision
These 8 profiles complement our 11 orchard profiles. Each separates observed evidence from a proposed use and a Canadian buying lead. None guarantees Québec performance.
Boreal Bliss
- Potential use
- A trial candidate for pick-your-own, fresh fruit and processed blends; the supplier consulted does not yet recommend commercial planting because performance data is limited.
- Harvest method
- In Saskatoon, fruit remained on the bushes for at least two weeks after optimal ripeness. Trial hand and mechanical harvest separately before choosing a system.
- Pollination evidence
- In USask controlled crosses, Boreal Beast and Boreal Blizzard performed best; bloom was especially well aligned with Boreal Beast in Saskatoon. Verify overlap in Québec.
- Canadian buying lead
- Haskap Central (Saskatchewan) lists this cultivar. Ask about volumes, plant format, applicable rights and a Québec freight quote; a product listing does not guarantee stock.
Sources consulted October 13, 2026
Kawai
- Potential use
- The breeder describes mild-flavoured fruit: a candidate for a small tasting trial, without assuming commercial performance in Québec.
- Harvest method
- The breeder describes good preharvest retention, but a Montana State University trial observed fruit drop before full ripeness. Measure drop, quality and picking ease locally before considering machinery.
- Pollination evidence
- In Oregon, Kawai blooms alongside Willa and Pirika, which the breeder suggests as partners. This does not establish genetic compatibility or matching bloom in Québec.
- Canadian buying lead
- AgriForest (British Columbia) lists Kawai for wholesale enquiries. Confirm cultivar identity, rights, format, quantities and Québec shipping terms.
Sources consulted October 13, 2026
Chito and Tana · field observations
These two Oregon selections have field observations from Montana, but neither has a Québec performance record in the sources consulted.
Chito
- Potential use
- The breeder describes fairly large, oval, milder-flavoured fruit. Use a small trial to assess fresh sales and processing before choosing a market.
- Harvest method
- In a Montana trial, some Chito fruit dropped before full ripeness, despite the breeder’s general retention claim for this series. Compare preharvest loss and fruit quality after hand or mechanical picking at your site.
- Pollination evidence
- In Oregon, Chito blooms in the middle of the sequence and the breeder suggests pairing it with earlier or later cultivars. Bloom timing is not a genetic compatibility test or a Québec fruit-set guarantee.
- Canadian buying lead
- AgriForest (British Columbia) lists Chito for wholesale enquiries. Request a cultivar-specific quote covering format, volume, applicable rights and Québec freight.
Sources consulted October 13, 2026
Tana
- Potential use
- A processing candidate to study: a Montana wine trial included it among haskap wines rated acceptable by most tasters. Do not extend that result to other recipes or markets.
- Harvest method
- In Montana, Tana held onto its fruit and took more effort to pick. Yield in that trial does not establish profitable mechanical harvest; the Oregon-series plants were also older when planted.
- Pollination evidence
- Tana was the latest to bloom on the breeder’s Oregon list; Keiko or Chito are suggested there as partners. Confirm local bloom overlap and fruit set before planting at scale.
- Canadian buying lead
- AgriForest (British Columbia) lists Tana and accepts wholesale enquiries. Confirm identity, rights, plant size, lot minimum and shipping to Québec.
Sources consulted October 13, 2026
Tundra and Honey Bee · harvest and pollination
Breeder evidence from Saskatchewan, followed by a Canadian wholesale lead. These profiles distinguish whole-fruit handling from juice processing; they do not forecast Québec performance.
Tundra
- Potential use
- USask describes firm fruit and suggests potential for individual quick freezing (IQF). Test your process and buyer specifications; this is not established commercial acceptance.
- Harvest method
- The breeder describes fruit that tolerates harvesting and sorting. Our proposed trial: weigh intact berries after harvest, transport and freezing, then compare losses and labour time.
- Pollination evidence
- The USask chart rates Aurora and Honey Bee as excellent Tundra partners in Saskatoon. Borealis and the Indigo series are poor choices for pollinating Tundra. Confirm bloom overlap at your site.
- Canadian buying lead
- Riverbend Orchards (Manitoba) lists Tundra and offers wholesale pricing. Confirm plant format, quantity, delivery season and Québec freight; a catalogue listing does not guarantee stock.
Sources consulted October 14, 2026
Honey Bee
- Potential use
- Assess its pollination role separately from the value of its fruit. The breeder profile mainly suggests juice as an outlet; test the recipe and its cost.
- Harvest method
- USask reports strong fruit retention and attached stems. The profile advises against mechanical harvesting except for juice. Measure sorting and stem removal rather than assuming a marketable whole-fruit lot.
- Pollination evidence
- The historical profile describes controlled crosses with Tundra and Borealis; its history section says the Indigo series was not tested there. The 2016 USask chart lists the Indigos as favourable partners. Check local bloom too.
- Canadian buying lead
- Riverbend Orchards (Manitoba) lists Honey Bee plants. Request a wholesale quote and Québec shipping terms. Compare plant format and availability date with those of the main cultivar.
Sources consulted October 14, 2026
Before ordering: document local bloom overlap, weigh harvest losses and confirm buyer specifications. The proposed trials are planning steps, not reported trial results.
Compare bulk suppliers and prepare a quote request →Borealis and Indigo Treat · fruit handling and local performance
Read breeder descriptions alongside field observations and Québec references. Harvesting ease, marketable quality and yield must be checked separately.
Borealis
- Potential use
- USask favours hand picking and u-pick for this delicate fruit. Compare it in tastings and local sales; measure performance after packing before planning deliveries.
- Harvest method
- Borealis was easy to shaker-harvest in Montana. USask nevertheless notes its vulnerability to equipment handling. Easy detachment and intact fruit are separate criteria: weigh damaged berries and plan prompt processing.
- Pollination evidence
- The USask chart rates Aurora and Honey Bee as excellent partners in Saskatoon. Tundra and the Indigos are poor choices for pollinating Borealis. Check local bloom before finalizing the planting plan.
- Canadian buying lead
- AgriForest (British Columbia) lists Borealis with quantity tiers. Request a quote specifying plant format, available quantity, applicable rights and Québec freight. A catalogue listing does not confirm delivery.
Sources consulted October 14, 2026
Indigo Treat · 9-91
- Potential use
- Assess fresh sales or processing in a trial plot. The Québec Cultur’Innov report notes disappointing yields; do not treat a catalogue yield as a forecast for your orchard.
- Harvest method
- AgriForest describes it as mechanically harvestable: a commercial claim to verify. Compare hand picking with the intended equipment, measuring intact fruit, losses and labour time. Do not transfer Indigo Gem results to Indigo Treat.
- Pollination evidence
- USask identifies Indigo Treat as 9-91 and recommends Aurora or Honey Bee for the Indigo series. Avoid relying on Tundra, Borealis or another Indigo as the main partner; confirm local bloom overlap.
- Canadian buying lead
- AgriForest (British Columbia) has an Indigo Treat listing and wholesale tiers. Request 9-91 identity, format, quantities, rights and freight on the quote. Price and stock still need confirmation.
Sources consulted October 14, 2026
Evidence limits: the Québec review does not establish a single cause for Indigo Treat’s disappointing performance. It does not support the proposed “Draper Drop” explanation. Nursery listings are buying leads; where pollination advice differs, these profiles use the USask references.
Compare bulk suppliers →Selection factors appear above. Read each profile with its cited sources and limits before comparing candidates.
Study the documented profiles of our 11 orchard cultivars →