blueberry Variety
Maverick
Very early, zero-chill evergreen blueberry variety
Low-Chill Southern Highbush Blueberry
Breeder: Dr. Scott NeSmith, University of Georgia, USA
A premium zero-chill blueberry designed for tropical regions evergreen production with strong fruit quality, firmness and shelf life to support export supply chains.
Maverick Key Features
Firmness
Exceptionally firm, crunchy berries with long shelf life
Chilling
0-100 Chilling Hours, Evergreen
Fruit Size
20-25 mm
Fruit Colour
Medium to light blue berries with good bloom
Yield
Up to 3kg/plant
Agronomy
Upright, grower-friendly with natural branching
Seasonality
Exceptionally early
Flavour
Sweet, crisp berries with outstanding flavour
Comparative Results
Compare key commercial characteristics across our blueberry genetics, including chill type, yield performance, fruit firmness, flavour profile, and market suitability. Use the dropdown below to select a trait and compare performance across our blueberry varieties.
Chill Requirement
Maverick
0 hours
Tropical Blue
0 hours
Sweet Duchess
0-100 hours
Gladiator
0–200 hours
Seasonality
Maverick
Early Season
Tropical Blue
Exceptionally Early Season
Sweet Duchess
Exceptionally Early Season
Gladiator
Early to mid-season
Yield
Maverick
4.5-4.8 kg/plant
Tropical Blue
3.5-5 kg/plant
Sweet Duchess
3 kg/plant
Gladiator
6+ kg/plant
Fruit Size
Maverick
16-22mm (1.5–2.2 g)
Tropical Blue
16-22mm
Sweet Duchess
20-25mm (1.8-2.2 g)
Gladiator
18–22 mm (1.8–2.2 g)
Fruit Colour
Maverick
Medium to light with good bloom
Tropical Blue
Mid blue attractive berries with a good bloom
Sweet Duchess
Medium to light with good bloom
Gladiator
Light blue with excellent bloom
Firmness
Maverick
Very firm
Tropical Blue
Firm
Sweet Duchess
Exeptionally firm
Gladiator
Very firm
Flavour
Maverick
Crisp and sweet with good acid balance
Sweet Duchess
Sweet, crisp berries with outstanding flavour
Tropical Blue
Great, well-balanced sugar/acid profile
Gladiator
Crisp, sweet, balanced acidity
Shelf Life
Maverick
Excellent
Tropical Blue
Good
Sweet Duchess
Superb
Gladiator
Excellent
Use
Maverick
Fresh market, tropical/zero-chill evergreen production
Tropical Blue
Fresh market, zero-chill growing regions (evergreen systems)
Sweet Duchess
Fresh market, premium brand berry for very early supply windows
Gladiator
Fresh market, including premium listing
Growth Habit
Maverick
Upright, vigorous
Tropical Blue
Semi-upright, moderate vigour
Gladiator
Upright, vigorous
Sweet Duchess
Upright, grower-friendly bush with natural branching
Maverick Enquiry
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