CIEL data from Lanoraie is our most relevant external comparison, but it is not a forecast for our orchard.
ORCHARD CASE STUDY
11 orchard cultivars: observations and references
Québec trial results, breeder information and observations from Camerise St-Gabriel, kept separate so growers can compare evidence without confusing sites or seasons.
EVIDENCE BEFORE RANKINGS
How to use these profiles
A cultivar does not behave exactly the same in Saskatoon, Lanoraie, Normandin and Saint-Gabriel. Yield, habit, disease, flavour and harvest dates must always be read with the trial site, year, plant age and management.
Useful for identity, genetics, compatibility and original selection traits. Climate and management can change the expression of those traits.
Our ripening order and practical harvest notes describe Camerise St-Gabriel. They are field observations, not a controlled cultivar trial.
Quick comparison
The local order is the usual ripening sequence observed at Camerise St-Gabriel. Berry weight and powdery mildew values come from CIEL Lanoraie and must not be presented as measurements from our orchard.
| Cultivar | Local order | Berry reference | Powdery mildew 2024 → 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Banana | 1 / 11 | 0,75 g · 2025 | 83,3 % → 45 % |
| Indigo Gem | 2 / 11 | 1,1 g · 2024 | 11,7 % → 7,0 % |
| Berry Blue / Czech No. 17 | 3 / 11 | 0,50 g · 2025 | 81,7 % → 15 % |
| Happy Giant | 4 / 11 | No CIEL data | No data |
| Aurora | 5 / 11 | 1,6 g · 2024 | 23,3 % → 23,3 % |
| Larissa / Wojtek | 6 / 11 | 1,1 g · 2024 | 2,0 % → 1,3 % |
| Boreal Blizzard | 7 / 11 | 2,51 g · 2025 | 9,7 % → 4,0 % |
| Boreal Beast | 8 / 11 | ≈ 1,9–2,1 g · USask | 3,3 % → 4,3 % |
| Boreal Beauty | 9 / 11 | 2,52 g · 2025 | 6,7 % → 2,7 % |
| Keiko | 10 / 11 | 1,2 g · 2024 | 20,0 % → 21,7 % |
| Giant’s Heart | 11 / 11 | 0,83 g · 2025 | 78,3 % → 85 % |
FIELD REFERENCE
Printable comparison table
View the full table as needed, or print all 11 cultivars with their source context for your field notes.
View the full table — 11 cultivars
| Order / cultivar | Habit | Pollination | External berry reference | Production use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Blue Banana | CIEL classified it as semi-upright in 2025, while nursery descriptions present a more upright, dense shrub. At our orchard, mature plants are comfortable to pick while standing. | Aurora was used as the pollinizer in the CIEL trial. Happy Giant is sometimes suggested by the propagation network, but we found no controlled Québec trial for that pairing. | 0,75 g · 2025 | 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. |
| 2. Indigo Gem | CIEL observed a spreading habit, unlike some more upright Saskatchewan descriptions. That difference agrees with the low, lateral branches seen in our rows. | Berry Blue is a well-supported pairing; Aurora is also compatible according to University of Saskatchewan work. | 1,1 g · 2024 | 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. |
| 3. Berry Blue / Czech No. 17 | Relatively upright habit in the CIEL trial. The berry remains small even when the shrub is vigorous. | Its value as an Indigo Gem pollinizer is better supported than its value as a large fresh-market berry. | 0,50 g · 2025 | Useful for pollination, freezing and jam. At our orchard, mature plants can generally be picked while standing. |
| 4. Happy Giant | Commercial descriptions present a vigorous, upright shrub, but an independent university or Québec comparison is still lacking. | Blue Banana is suggested in propagation material. This pairing is less documented than combinations supported by controlled trials. | No CIEL data | 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. |
| 5. Aurora | Upright to slightly spreading, vigorous, with fruit that is easy to see. This structure suits U-pick production well. | Indigo Gem and other Indigo-series cultivars are well documented; Honey Bee is also an important reference. Aurora and Blizzard should not be the primary pairing. | 1,6 g · 2024 | 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. |
| 6. Larissa / Wojtek | A Polish cultivar, spreading and very dense in the CIEL trial. Our observation of very low branches under crop load agrees with that habit. | Zojka remains the best-documented partner. None of the orchard’s other 10 cultivars should be presented as a certain replacement without local bloom and fruit-set measurements. | 1,1 g · 2024 | An interesting profile for low powdery mildew incidence in available data. The low habit helps children pick but complicates adult picking and mechanization. |
| 7. Boreal Blizzard | A generally semi-upright habit in Québec observations. The very large berries are visible and quick to hand-pick. | Boreal Beast is the best-supported primary partner. Aurora is too closely related to Blizzard to form the primary pairing. | 2,51 g · 2025 | 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. |
| 8. Boreal Beast | Very vigorous and fairly upright in Saskatchewan descriptions, but semi-spreading at CIEL. Actual habit should therefore be measured at the production site. | An important bridge cultivar: an excellent partner for Blizzard and Beauty. Compatibility with Aurora exists, but bloom synchronization is weaker. | ≈ 1,9–2,1 g · USask | Strong combined potential for yield, aroma, fresh fruit, freezing and mechanization. It is also one of our visitors’ favourite varieties. |
| 9. Boreal Beauty | Semi-upright habit, strong branches and firm fruit. The structure is compatible with mechanized management, subject to equipment and pruning. | Boreal Beast is the reference partner. Blizzard may overlap part of bloom but should not be the only partner. | 2,52 g · 2025 | Clear position: late season, large firm fruit, freezing and mechanization potential. In our orchard, it is productive and ripe berries detach very easily. |
| 10. Keiko | Selected by Maxine Thompson in Oregon from Japanese material. CIEL classifies it as semi-upright. | Aurora was used as the pollinizer in the CIEL trial. As with any planting, local bloom overlap should be confirmed. | 1,2 g · 2024 | Firm fruit with storage and transport potential. At our orchard, its main interest is freezing and processing. |
| 11. Giant’s Heart | Commercial material is described as late with heart-shaped fruit. At CIEL, it broke bud very early and showed strong sensitivity to dormancy interruption. | Boreal Beauty was used as the pollinizer in the CIEL trial. Fruit ripening time alone cannot predict bloom overlap. | 0,83 g · 2025 | Potential for firm late-season fruit and freezing based on our observation. Its identity and local phenology should be verified before broad commercial recommendation. |
Local order: Camerise St-Gabriel observations. External berry references: CIEL or the source named in the cultivar profile. Results vary by site, year and management.
Pollination: use proven pairs carefully
Ripening dates do not prove bloom overlap. A sound orchard plan needs genetically compatible cultivars whose bloom actually overlaps at the production site.
Reading the arrows: ↔ indicates a reciprocal pairing when bloom overlaps; → identifies a pollinizer used for the cultivar on the left, without claiming reciprocal compatibility.
Independent referenceReference + orchard observationOrchard observation
| Reciprocal pair | Evidence | How to use this information |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Banana → Aurora | Trial arrangement + orchard observation | Aurora was used as the pollinizer for Blue Banana in the Québec trial. Our orchard also observes this pairing; the trial did not separately test reciprocal genetic compatibility.CIEL 2025 |
| Indigo Gem ↔ Berry Blue | Independent reference | Practical pairing supported by the Québec trial design and Russian/Indigo compatibility references.CIEL 2022–2024 |
| Indigo Gem ↔ Aurora | Reference + orchard observation | A documented combination that also performs well at Camerise St-Gabriel.USask compatibility chart |
| Boreal Blizzard ↔ Boreal Beast | Independent reference | Strong compatibility and bloom overlap in University of Saskatchewan work; also used by CIEL.USask compatibility chart |
| Boreal Beast ↔ Boreal Beauty | Independent reference | Reference late-series pairing. Beast bridges the bloom periods of Blizzard and Beauty.USask compatibility chart |
| Aurora ↔ Honey Bee | Independent reference | A documented combination. Blizzard should not be Aurora’s primary partner because they are closely related.USask compatibility chart |
| Blue Banana ↔ Larissa / Wojtek | Orchard observation | A good reciprocal pairing observed at Camerise St-Gabriel; continue recording bloom overlap and fruit set.Camerise St-Gabriel field notes |
| Aurora ↔ Boreal Beast | Orchard observation | A good reciprocal pairing observed at Camerise St-Gabriel; local bloom overlap remains the key condition.Camerise St-Gabriel field notes |
| Larissa / Wojtek ↔ Zojka | Published reference | The best-documented published partner found for Larissa / Wojtek. Confirm actual bloom overlap at the production site.Published cultivar reference |
A compatibility table is a planning aid, not a guarantee. Record first bloom, peak bloom, end of bloom and fruit set at the orchard before replacing a documented pollinizer.
Technical profiles of the 11 cultivars
Each profile identifies its sources, trial place and years, orchard observations and what remains to verify.
A pruning focus appears only where a cultivar-specific trial provides a useful starting point. It is a question to check in the field, not a pruning prescription for every orchard.
1Blue BananaLocal ripening position 1 of 11
- Sources used
- CIEL · 2025 · CIEL · 2022–2024 · Orchard field notes
- Trial place and years
- CIEL · Lanoraie, Québec · 2024–2025; trial replanted there in 2022.
- At our orchard
- First to ripen in our usual sequence; fully ripe fruit needs gentle handling.
- Still to verify
- Watch powdery mildew and document transport performance. CIEL yield results changed substantially between 2024 and 2025.
Habit and identity
CIEL classified it as semi-upright in 2025, while nursery descriptions present a more upright, dense shrub. At our orchard, mature plants are comfortable to pick while standing.
Pollination
Aurora was used as the pollinizer in the CIEL trial. Happy Giant is sometimes suggested by the propagation network, but we found no controlled Québec trial for that pairing.
Québec reference
Lanoraie 2025: very early budbreak, about 803 GDD base 3°C to harvest, and an average berry weight of 0.75 g. A long berry is therefore not necessarily a heavy berry.
Production use
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.
2Indigo GemLocal ripening position 2 of 11
- Sources used
- CIEL · 2025 · CIEL · 2022–2024 · Orchard field notes
- Trial place and years
- CIEL · Lanoraie, Québec · 2024–2025; trial replanted there in 2022.
- At our orchard
- Second in our sequence; low branches bear fruit we use for freezing.
- Still to verify
- Measure height-to-width ratio, firmness and performance after rain before reaching a mechanization conclusion.
Habit and identity
CIEL observed a spreading habit, unlike some more upright Saskatchewan descriptions. That difference agrees with the low, lateral branches seen in our rows.
Pruning focus
In the 2024 CLC trial, its low, wide habit made hand pruning slower. Before raising the canopy, distinguish branches that obstruct harvest from those still carrying accessible fruit.
CLC · 2024 pruning trial ↗ · Interim results; check your own plants and harvest method.Pollination
Berry Blue is a well-supported pairing; Aurora is also compatible according to University of Saskatchewan work.
Québec reference
Lanoraie 2024: average berry weight of 1.1 g, 13.9°Brix and 1,135.6 g per plant under trial conditions. In 2025, Brix reached 15.0.
Production use
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.
3Berry Blue / Czech No. 17Local ripening position 3 of 11
- Sources used
- CIEL · 2025 · CIEL · 2022–2024 · Orchard field notes
- Trial place and years
- CIEL · Lanoraie, Québec · 2023–2025; trial replanted there in 2022.
- At our orchard
- Third in our sequence; mature plants can generally be picked while standing.
- Still to verify
- Year-dependent powdery mildew risk, winter injury and fruit drop should be tracked separately.
Habit and identity
Relatively upright habit in the CIEL trial. The berry remains small even when the shrub is vigorous.
Pollination
Its value as an Indigo Gem pollinizer is better supported than its value as a large fresh-market berry.
Québec reference
Lanoraie 2025: 0.50 g per berry and about 207 g of dropped fruit per plant. Brix ranged from 13.2 to 14.6 between 2023 and 2025.
Production use
Useful for pollination, freezing and jam. At our orchard, mature plants can generally be picked while standing.
4Happy GiantLocal ripening position 4 of 11
- Sources used
- AgriForest · Happy Giant · Orchard field notes
- Trial place and years
- No CIEL entry for this cultivar; commercial descriptions are not a Québec field trial.
- At our orchard
- Usually ripens after Berry Blue and before Aurora; we sometimes notice slight bitterness when tasting.
- Still to verify
- Priorities: plant identity, average berry weight, best tasting stage, yield, powdery mildew and postharvest behaviour.
Habit and identity
Commercial descriptions present a vigorous, upright shrub, but an independent university or Québec comparison is still lacking.
Pollination
Blue Banana is suggested in propagation material. This pairing is less documented than combinations supported by controlled trials.
Québec reference
Happy Giant is not included in the 15-cultivar CIEL trial. Published descriptions conflict on its season and sweet-tart profile.
Production use
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.
5AuroraLocal ripening position 5 of 11
- Sources used
- CIEL · 2025 · USask · Aurora · Orchard field notes
- Trial place and years
- CIEL · Lanoraie, Québec · 2025; trial replanted there in 2022.
- At our orchard
- Fifth in our sequence; productive and popular with visitors, it remains usable on the bush for a time after ripening.
- Still to verify
- Track firmness, size and holding time across seasons rather than generalizing the 2025 result.
Habit and identity
Upright to slightly spreading, vigorous, with fruit that is easy to see. This structure suits U-pick production well.
Pruning focus
In the first CLC treatment year, split-canopy pruning reduced Aurora yield compared with unpruned controls. Check local fruit access before opening the canopy heavily; the long-term effect remains unknown.
CLC · 2024 pruning trial ↗ · Interim results; check your own plants and harvest method.Pollination
Indigo Gem and other Indigo-series cultivars are well documented; Honey Bee is also an important reference. Aurora and Blizzard should not be the primary pairing.
Québec reference
Lanoraie 2025: 3,055 g per plant, including 2,711 g marketable, and a 4.1/5 taste score. These results describe one site and one season.
Production use
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.
6Larissa / WojtekLocal ripening position 6 of 11
- Sources used
- CIEL · 2025 · CIEL · 2022–2024 · Orchard field notes
- Trial place and years
- CIEL · Lanoraie, Québec · 2024–2025; trial replanted there in 2022.
- At our orchard
- Sixth in our sequence; loaded branches hang low and require an adapted picking posture.
- Still to verify
- Measure width, height, density, fruit contact with the ground and the effect of adapted renewal pruning.
Habit and identity
A Polish cultivar, spreading and very dense in the CIEL trial. Our observation of very low branches under crop load agrees with that habit.
Pollination
Zojka remains the best-documented partner. None of the orchard’s other 10 cultivars should be presented as a certain replacement without local bloom and fruit-set measurements.
Québec reference
Lanoraie 2024: 1.1 g per berry, 14.4°Brix and 483 g per plant under trial conditions. Polish results show that environment and management strongly affect yield.
Production use
An interesting profile for low powdery mildew incidence in available data. The low habit helps children pick but complicates adult picking and mechanization.
7Boreal BlizzardLocal ripening position 7 of 11
- Sources used
- CIEL · 2025 · USask · Boreal series · Orchard field notes
- Trial place and years
- CIEL · Lanoraie, Québec · 2025; trial replanted there in 2022.
- At our orchard
- Seventh in our sequence; pulling the fruit straight off can tear the flesh near the stem.
- Still to verify
- Track late fruit drop, wind, impact damage and the benefit of harvesting during cool hours.
Habit and identity
A generally semi-upright habit in Québec observations. The very large berries are visible and quick to hand-pick.
Pollination
Boreal Beast is the best-supported primary partner. Aurora is too closely related to Blizzard to form the primary pairing.
Québec reference
Lanoraie 2025: 2.51 g per berry, confirming the very large size described by the University of Saskatchewan. CIEL also recorded notable fruit drop that season.
Production use
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.
8Boreal BeastLocal ripening position 8 of 11
- Sources used
- CIEL · 2025 · USask · Boreal series · Orchard field notes
- Trial place and years
- CIEL · Lanoraie, Québec · 2024–2025; trial replanted there in 2022.
- At our orchard
- Eighth in our sequence; its aroma makes it one of our visitors’ favourites.
- Still to verify
- Later ripening can coincide with heat: harvest cool and precool quickly to protect quality.
Habit and identity
Very vigorous and fairly upright in Saskatchewan descriptions, but semi-spreading at CIEL. Actual habit should therefore be measured at the production site.
Pruning focus
The 2024 CLC trial found different responses to imposed canopy shapes in Boreal Beast. Measure height, width and low branches against the harvest method before choosing a structure; one season does not establish a best pruning method.
CLC · 2024 pruning trial ↗ · Interim results; check your own plants and harvest method.Pollination
An important bridge cultivar: an excellent partner for Blizzard and Beauty. Compatibility with Aurora exists, but bloom synchronization is weaker.
Québec reference
Lanoraie 2025: 2,564 g per plant, including about 2,477 g marketable. Taste scores varied greatly between 2024 and 2025, showing the effect of the season.
Production use
Strong combined potential for yield, aroma, fresh fruit, freezing and mechanization. It is also one of our visitors’ favourite varieties.
9Boreal BeautyLocal ripening position 9 of 11
- Sources used
- CIEL · 2025 · USask · Boreal series · Orchard field notes
- Trial place and years
- CIEL · Lanoraie, Québec · 2025; trial replanted there in 2022.
- At our orchard
- Ninth in our sequence; ripe berries detach easily in our rows.
- Still to verify
- Good attachment reported elsewhere coexists with easy drop in our rows. Measure wind, ripeness, detachment force and ground losses.
Habit and identity
Semi-upright habit, strong branches and firm fruit. The structure is compatible with mechanized management, subject to equipment and pruning.
Pollination
Boreal Beast is the reference partner. Blizzard may overlap part of bloom but should not be the only partner.
Québec reference
Lanoraie 2025: 2.52 g per berry, very close to the 2.6 g average published by the University of Saskatchewan. Large size was therefore observed in two regions.
Production use
Clear position: late season, large firm fruit, freezing and mechanization potential. In our orchard, it is productive and ripe berries detach very easily.
10KeikoLocal ripening position 10 of 11
- Sources used
- CIEL · 2025 · Keiko · USPP26642 · Orchard field notes
- Trial place and years
- CIEL · Lanoraie, Québec · 2024–2025; trial replanted there in 2022.
- At our orchard
- Tenth in our sequence; at the orchard, we use it mainly for freezing and processing.
- Still to verify
- The patent reports long storage under controlled conditions, but that is not a commercial promise. Test packaging, temperature, humidity and quality after thawing.
Habit and identity
Selected by Maxine Thompson in Oregon from Japanese material. CIEL classifies it as semi-upright.
Pollination
Aurora was used as the pollinizer in the CIEL trial. As with any planting, local bloom overlap should be confirmed.
Québec reference
Lanoraie: 1.2 g per berry in 2024 and 14.6°Brix in both 2024 and 2025. Taste scores of 4.0 and then 4.1/5 were also stable.
Production use
Firm fruit with storage and transport potential. At our orchard, its main interest is freezing and processing.
11Giant’s HeartLocal ripening position 11 of 11
- Sources used
- CIEL · 2025 · Berries Unlimited · Giant’s Heart · Orchard field notes
- Trial place and years
- CIEL · Lanoraie, Québec · 2025; trial replanted there in 2022.
- At our orchard
- Last of our 11 to ripen, unlike the first harvest recorded by CIEL at Lanoraie in 2025.
- Still to verify
- Research priority: verify plant origin and record budbreak, bloom, colour change, maturity, drop and powdery mildew symptoms for at least three years.
Habit and identity
Commercial material is described as late with heart-shaped fruit. At CIEL, it broke bud very early and showed strong sensitivity to dormancy interruption.
Pollination
Boreal Beauty was used as the pollinizer in the CIEL trial. Fruit ripening time alone cannot predict bloom overlap.
Québec reference
Major conflict: at Lanoraie in 2025 it was the earliest harvested cultivar with an average berry weight of 0.83 g; at Camerise St-Gabriel it ripens last. The datasets should not be merged.
Production use
Potential for firm late-season fruit and freezing based on our observation. Its identity and local phenology should be verified before broad commercial recommendation.
PRIORITY RESEARCH QUESTION
Why Giant’s Heart needs its own field record
CIEL · Lanoraie 2025
Earliest harvest among the 15 trial cultivars, very early budbreak and strong powdery mildew pressure.
Camerise St-Gabriel
Last of our 11 cultivars to ripen in the usual local sequence.
Commercial descriptions
Generally presented as a late or very-late, heart-shaped cultivar.
The correct response is to preserve all three observations and verify plant origin. For at least three seasons, record budbreak, first bloom, full bloom, colour change, best eating stage, last harvest, fruit drop and powdery mildew onset.
Management principles shared by the 11 cultivars
- Do not create eleven fertilizer recipes: start with soil analysis, leaf analysis, growth and yield records.
- Record shrub width and height before deciding pruning or mechanical-harvest strategy.
- Track bloom overlap, pollinator visits, temperature, wind and fruit set together.
- Compare yield only among plants of known age measured in the same season and management system.
Primary references used
These links let growers review the trial context before reusing a number. Nursery information is used only when independent cultivar data is limited.
- CIEL — Québec cultivar trial, 2025 season
- CIEL — Québec cultivar trial, 2022–2024 report
- Gouvernement du Québec — berry cultivar trial network
- University of Saskatchewan — haskap varieties
- University of Saskatchewan — bloom and compatibility chart (PDF)
- Keiko plant patent — identity and postharvest observations (PDF)
- CLC — 2024 interim report on cultivar responses to pruning (PDF)