Japanese haskap plant named ‘Tana’

Botanical classification: Lonicera caerulea ssp. emphyllocalyx.

Variety denomination: ‘Tana’.

This application is co-pending with U.S. Plant Patent Applications filed for 3 plants derived from the same breeding program that are entitled Japanese haskap Plant Named ‘Keiko’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 14/121,242), Japanese haskap Plant Named ‘Taka’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 14/121,251), and Japanese haskap Plant Named ‘Kapu’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 14/121,252).

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Lonicera caerulea ssp. emphyllocalyx and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘Tana’. ‘Tana’ is a new cultivar of Japanese blue honeysuckle berry, also known as haskap, a plant grown for its fruit that is marketed as fresh and frozen fruit and processed food products.

The new Invention arose from an ongoing controlled breeding program that initiated in 2001 in Corvallis, Oreg. with the planting of seeds collected in 2000 from several berry farms in Hokkaido, Japan. The objectives of the breeding program are to develop superior cultivars of this early ripening berry plant that could be grown in moderate to colder climates combined with an upright spreading plant habit and fruit that were large in size, firm, easy to pick, and good tasting with a high yield rate.

The new cultivar, ‘Tana’, arose from a cross made in 2004 between unnamed proprietary seedlings from the Inventor's breeding program; selection No. 20-27 as the female parent and selection No. 21-17 as the male parent. In 2007, the Inventor selected ‘Tana’ as a single unique plant, seedling selection No. 67-95, from amongst the seedlings that resulted from the above cross.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by the Inventor by hardwood stem cuttings in 2008 in Corvallis, Oreg. Asexual propagation by hardwood cuttings has determined that the characteristics of the new cultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent the characteristics of the new cultivar as grown outdoors in a trial plot for six years in Corvallis, Oreg. These attributes in combination distinguish ‘Tana’ as a unique cultivar of haskap.

1. ‘Tana’ exhibits an upright and spreading plant habit. 2. ‘Tana’ exhibits a moderately vigorous growth habit. 3. ‘Tana’ exhibits very high fruit yields. 4. ‘Tana’ exhibits frost tolerant flowers and can be grown in regions prone to spring frosts. 5. ‘Tana’ exhibits fruits that are medium large in size, oval in shape, medium firmness, good tart/sweet tasting and produce little juice. 6. ‘Tana’ exhibits fruit that maintain their appearance, firmness and taste for at least 24 days in cold storage at 33° F. to 35° F. 7. ‘Tana’ produces fruit in mid June in Oregon. 8. ‘Tana’ has shown little or no disease or pest problems and requires no chemicals for desirable fruit production.

The female parent of ‘Tana’, selection No. 20-27, differs from ‘Tana’ in having fruit that is smaller in size, less sweet, and less firm, and in having weaker fruit attachment. The male parent of ‘Tana’, selection No. 21-17, differs from ‘Tana’ in having a more vigorous upright growth habit, fruit that is less sweet, and in having a stronger fruit attachment. ‘Tana’ can be most closely compared to the Japanese haskap cultivar ‘Yufutsu’ (not patented) and to cultivars from the same breeding program; ‘Kapu’, ‘Taka’ and ‘Keiko’. ‘Yufutsu’ differs from ‘Tana’ in having a low spreading plant habit (wider than tall) and in having berries that are smaller, less firm, and juicier with a lower BRIX. ‘Kapu’ differs from ‘Tana’ in having a more upright plant habit and fruit that is oval-ovate in shape, and slightly less juicy and firmer. ‘Taka’ differs from ‘Tana’ in having fruit that is cylindrical in shape with a higher BRIX level. ‘Keiko’ differs from ‘Tana’ in having fewer basal shoots and berries with a flattened apex with rolled edges. ‘Tana’ can also be compared to typical plants of related Russian honeyberries;; Lonicera caerulea ssp. edulis and Lonicera caerulea ssp. kamtchatica . One of the main differences is that these species are adapted only to regions with very cold winters, whereas Japanese haskap thrive in milder climates as well as in colder regions. In Oregon, Russian honeyberries bloom about one month before Japanese haskap, before there are bees out for pollination and consequently have low or no fruit yields.

The accompanying colored photographs were taken in mid summer and illustrate the overall appearance and distinct characteristics of 6 year-old plants of the new haskap as grown in a trial garden in Corvallis, Oreg.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a view of the plant habit of ‘Tana’.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of the flowers of ‘Tana’.

The photograph in FIG. 3 provides a close-up view of the leaves of ‘Tana’.

The photograph in FIG. 4 provides a view of the berries of ‘Tana’.

The colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the colors of the new Japanese haskap.

The following is a detailed description of 6 year-old plants of the new Japanese haskap as grown on a farm under irrigation in Corvallis, Oreg. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance with The 1995 R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

General description:

Plant type .—Deciduous shrub, fruit bearing. Plant habit .—Upright spreading. Plant size .—Average of 1.4 m in height and 0.8 m in width. Cold hardiness .—At least hardy to USDA Zone 7b, has not been tested in colder zones. Other plants of the species have been observed to be hardy in U.S.D.A. Zone 2. Diseases and pests .—In some years, minor damage to young shoots from Botrytis sp. has been observed, no significant pest problems have been observed. Root description .—Fibrous. Propagation .—Softwood and hardwood stem cuttings. Growth rate .—Moderately vigorous.

Dormant shoots:

Density .—Medium. New growth.— 144B in color, and surface glabrous. One year - old shoots .—Average of 39 cm in length and 3.7 mm in diameter, surface is smooth and glabrous, 177A in color. Three year - old shoots .—Average of 92 cm in length and 1.15 cm in diameter (at mid-shoot), surface exfoliating, inner bark 177B, outer bark 201A in color. Suckering .—Moderate.

Foliage description:

Leaf shape .—Elliptic. Leaf division .—Simple. Leaf base .—Slightly cordate. Leaf apex .—Broadly acute. Leaf venation .—Pinnate, upper surface 137A in color, lower surface 138B in color. Leaf margins .—Entire. Leaf arrangement .—Opposite. Leaf attachment .—Petiolate. Leaf surface .—Young leaf upper surface; glabrous, young leaf lower surface; medium amount of pubescence, especially along midrib and lateral veins, mature leaf upper and lower surface; glabrous. Leaf internode length .—Average of 5.0 cm. Leaf size .—Average of 7.8 cm in length and 4 cm in width. Leaf color .—Young leaves upper surface; 144B, young leaves lower surface; 144B; mature leaves upper surface; 137A, mature leaves lower surface; 138B. Petioles.— 3 to 4 mm in length and 2 mm in width, 138C in color, glabrous surface. Stipules.— 1 to 2 mm in length and auriculate in shape, glabrous surface, color 138C.

Inflorescence description:

Blooming period.— 50% anthesis is on average April 16 th in Corvallis, Oreg., blooms approximately 30 days. Inflorescence type .—Small 2-flowered cymule born in leaf axils of lowest 1 to 4 nodes on current years shoot. Inflorescence size .—An average of 2.2 cm in length and 1.5 cm diameter. Flower number .—Average of 3.9 per current year shoot. Flower buds .—Mixed buds, flower buds are not visible as they are enclosed within the leaves. Flower fragrance .—None. Lastingness of inflorescence.— 30 days. Flower type .—Epigynous. Corolla form .—Funnel-form, narrow at base, widening towards the apex, 5-lobed. Flower size .—Length from base of ovary to stigma is 2.2 cm. Width at midpoint of corolla is 5 mm. Peduncles.— 1 to 2 mm in length, 1 mm in diameter, 139C in color, glabrous surface. Pedicels .—Inconspicuous. Bracts.— 2, present at base of ovaries, linear-lanceolate to broadly lanceolate in shape, color 137A on upper surface and 138B on lower surface, glabrous on upper surface, pubescence on lower surface, cuspidate apex, cuneate base, 2 to 8 mm in width and 0.8 to 2.1 cm in length. Sepals .—Absent. Petals.— 5, fused into tube with apex of each free, average of 3 mm in diameter at the base, 7 mm in diameter at apex and 1.3 cm in length, tube portion is an average of 1.0 cm in length and 5 mm in width at midpoint, free portion is an average of 3 mm in length and 3 mm in width, free petals portions have a rounded apex and entire margins, outer and inner surface of tube and free portions are 1D in color and have a pilose surface.

Reproductive organs:

Gynoecium.— 1 pistil, an average of 2.1 cm in length; style is 1.6 cm in length and extends 2 to 3 mm beyond corolla, and 1C in color, stigma is about 1.5 mm in diameter and IC in color, ovary is inferior, oval in shape, 4 to 5 mm in length, 3 mm in diameter and 139C in color. Androecium.— 5 stamens, adnate to inner surface of corolla tube, filaments are 1C in color and about 7 mm in length, anthers are 8C in color, pollen is abundant in quantity and 4A in color with 100% acetocarmine stain. Compatibility .—Self-incompatible.

Fruit description:

Fruit development.— 70 days from mid-bloom to harvest. Harvest date .—Average of June 25 th in Corvallis, Oreg. Fruit type .—True berry, consists of 2 ovaries enclosed in fleshy bracts. Fruit shape .—Oval. Fruit size .—(Medium-large), an average of 2.1 cm in length and 1.5 cm in width. Fruit surface .—Smooth with heavy bloom. Fruit apex .—Rounded. Fruit skin color.— 103B with bloom removed, 188D with bloom. Fruit flesh color.— 138D. Fruit firmness .—Medium firm. Fruit BRIX.— 13°. Fruit juiciness .—Small amount. Fruit taste .—Tart and sweet. Fruit weight .—An average of 1.6 g (average of 25 berries). Peduncle.— 4 to 6 mm in length. Pedicel - berry scar .—Very small, dry. Fruit attachment strength .—Medium; strong enough to avoid pre-harvest drop and loose enough to pick without tearing fruit. Pre - harvest drop .—Insignificant. Post - harvest .—Berries maintain their appearance, firmness and taste for at least 24 days in cold storage at 33° F. to 35° F. Fruit yield .—High. Market uses .—Fresh and frozen fruit and processed products. Seed .—Average of 18 seeds per fruit (average of 25 fruits) with a potential of 22, dried seeds; lenticular in shape, dry weight size is 150 mg/100 seeds, 177D in color.