Colossus

Colossus has very large to jumbo sized fruit with very high fruit firmness. It blooms somewhat later with a short bloom-to-ripening period (fits well within the Florida market window), and has performed well in machine harvesting trials.

Cultivar name: Colossus (selection code FL11-35)

Recommended for Florida: yes

FL region best adapted to: north-central Florida (although may also do well in certain areas of central Florida with sufficient chilling)

Production system: deciduous – in trials performed somewhat better with a low dose of hydrogen cyanamide

Hydrogen cyanamide: recommended; very low doses or no application

Machine harvestability: Possible; has performed well in machine harvest trials. If needed, can be harvested by machine during April for fresh market

Per plant yields (Density 1,452-1,742 plants/acre):

o North-central FL (2018-2021): 3.2 – 12.4 lbs/plant, average 7.26 lbs/plant

o Central FL (2019-2021): 4.76 – 6.14 lbs/plant, 5.5 lbs/plant

Known disease susceptibility: none observed to date

Known insect damage susceptibility: none observed to date

Fruit quality data:

o Fruit Firmness: 252 – 288 g/mm, average 268 g/mm, much higher than Emerald, provides flexibility in harvesting time

o Berry Weight: 2.4 – 4.0 grams, average 2.8 grams, larger than Emerald, similar to Magnus

o Berry Diameter: 17.9 – 23.0 mm, average 20.5 mm, larger than Emerald, similar to Endura and Patrecia

o Brix: average 10.3 – 13.3, average 12.3, higher than Emerald, similar to Optimus and Kestrel

o Brix/Acid Ratio: 14.7 – 21.8, average 17.1, similar to Arcadia

o Fruit Scar: normal (small, dry), similar to Emerald

o Wax/Bloom: medium, similar to Emerald

o Fruit Defects: none observed

o Flavor Score: 24.6 – reference Emerald (19.9), Kestrel (29.0)

o Aroma: none

Cultivars with overlapping timing of flowering: Optimus, Sentinel

Other information: concentrated ripening, good early natural leafing, harvesting should be done when desirable Brix/acid ratio is achieved. Fruit size keeps increasing on the bush.

License availability: For a list of current nursery licensees in the USA, click here